Microsoft brings Translator smarts to SwiftKey Beta for Android

SwiftKey’s toolbar is getting some translation juice with its latest update.

If SwiftKey is your keyboard of choice on Android, you’ll soon be able to tap the toolbar for quick access to translations. The latest update to the SwiftKey Beta brings integration with Microsoft’s Translator service, putting the ability to translate between a number of languages a tap away (via Neowin).

The translation tool lives in SwiftKey’s toolbar, and it allows you to choose both the source and target languages once tapped. From there, you can type your message in the source language, and SwiftKey will translate it in real time to your target language.

In addition to Microsoft Translator integration, the beta app includes a few other notable changes. Here’s a look at the official release notes:

• Access Microsoft Translator from the toolbar
• Type in one new language: Dungan
• Added Tamil99 native top row symbols layouts
• Added Indic native top row symbols layouts

If you’re okay with dealing with the occasional bug, you can grab the latest version of the SwiftKey Beta at Google Play now to start playing around with Translator. Should testing go well, the feature will likely hit the stable version of SwiftKey before too long.

See at Google Play

Microsoft Edge for Android now lets you see your book annotations

Microsoft really wants Edge to be your go-to ebook reader.

One of Microsoft Edge’s features that frequently flies under the radar is its ability to read ebooks. But that’s precisely where Microsoft is placing its focus with the latest update to Edge for Android, adding the option to see annotations you’ve made in books.

Viewing book annotations, unfortunately, doesn’t include any you’ve made using free-form inking in PDFs, but it’s still a handy addition nonetheless. It also comes alongside a new shortcut in the Settings menu to see what’s new in the latest version of the app. Of course, there’s the usual smattering of performance improvements tagging along as well.

Here’s a look at the full release notes:

• Quickly get to the What’s new and tips web page from the Settings and more menu
• See annotations you made in books (note: doesn’t apply to PDF free-form inking)
• Improved performance

The feature has been in testing with the beta version of Edge for Android since August, but it’s now rolling out more broadly to the stable version of the app. The update comes soon after the same feature hit the iPhone and iPad version of Edge as well.

If you frequently read books via Edge, you can pick up the annotations feature with the latest update, available on Google play, now.

See at Google Play

Start your Spider-Man adventure off strong with this guide

Diving into Spider-Man without some direction may not be the best idea.

Our favorite web-slinging hero is back and better than ever. Before you jump into Spider-Man, I’ll give you a few tips to make the opening hours as hassle-free as possible. After all, Peter’s had several years of experience acting as Spider-Man by the time the game begins. You should at least have some knowledge to act the part of a seasoned veteran too.

See at Amazon

Explore New York City

Insomniac spared no expense in recreating New York City, right down to the Apple Store in Grand Central Terminal. Its vast scale may be intimidating, but it’s well worth it to explore the city first. Get a feel for your surroundings before diving into the story.

Spider-Man’s New York City is littered with towers and beacons that display the locations of collectibles, activities, and nearby crimes. Once these are all activated, you can pick and choose what you’d like to do at your leisure. As an added bonus, exploring the city this way first gives you a lot more XP up front. Quests will eventually send you all over the city during the course of the game, so it’s best to take some time and familiarize yourself with each district beforehand.

Not only does this ramp up your XP, but you are awarded tokens for each event that you complete across the city. These tokens can then be redeemed toward new Spidey-suits and upgrading your gadgets. Because every suit has its own unique ability tied to it, whether it a be stealth buff or additional strength, you’ll want to unlock as many as possible to give you the upper hand early on.

Stay on the move

Your defense is just as important as your offense in this game. Spider-Man’s acrobatics and flexibility give him a notable advantage.

If you’ve played Sunset Overdrive, you’ll know how important movement is. And if you haven’t, you’ll get a taste for it now. Everything from combat to traversal relies on Spider-Man’s fluidity as he quickly dodges enemies and slings from one location to another. You should be spending just as much time in the air as you are on the ground.

This isn’t your typical melee fighting where you can stand in one spot and just pummel your enemy until he stays down. You’ll never want to be standing still in Spider-Man. More threatening enemies have top-of-the-line weaponry, and even lowlife thugs can get the jump on you with bullets. It is much more important to learn how to dodge than trying to land in one more punch. With Spider-Man’s abilities you should use your momentum to aid you as well. Quickly leap over an enemy and thrust him into another as you push off and sling towards your next target.

Insomniac thankfully employed a nice visual touch to let you know when an enemy is aiming to shoot you so you have ample warning to get out of the way. If a thug has got Spider-Man down his sights, a trajectory line will appear on the screen, all but screaming at you to move.

Attempting to ignore this and just throw punches left and right will end up with you lying on your back with no fight left in you. Don’t be that guy. Avoid attacks when necessary.

At times Insomniac even employs a little slow-mo action moment before you land a devastating hit so the combat is less chaotic and easier to follow. You shouldn’t feel lost in a battle. You’re always in control.

Combos, combos, combos

Between Spider-Man’s gadgets, skills, and moves list you have a whole slew of combos at your disposal. Use them! You don’t need to master every single one, but it’s a good idea to play around with your combos and see what works best for you. Combos are your friends, they’re there to help you out.

Nothing’s quite as satisfying as finding a combo that just clicks for you. With Insomniac’s impeccable combat system, sticking with a few favorites should have you enjoying your daily superhero responsibilities in no time.

You’re all set!

We hope these tips help you start off your adventure strong.

In our Spider-Man review, we dive deep into what makes the game so spectacular.

See at Amazon

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

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Henry Cavill signs on to ‘The Witcher’

Henry Cavill will star in an 8-episode series of The Witcher for Netflix. No word if a mustache will be involved. (Image credit: Cheriss May/NurPhoto/Netflix)

Superman star takes on Geralt of Rivia in the upcoming Netflix series.

Netflix today announced that Henry Cavill — the Brit best now as Superman, and Napoleon Solo, and that dude with the troublesome mustache in the latest Mission: Impossible flick — will star in an 8-episode series based on The Witcher.

Based on Polish author’s Andrzej Sapkowski’s series, The Witcher also has previously been adapted for TV and film, video games, and a series of graphic novels.

The Netflix synopsis spells it out what we should expect in this new iteration:

Based on the best-selling fantasy series, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.

There’s a good bit of power behind the camera as well. Executive Producer Alik Sakharov — who’s worked on House of Cards and Game of Thrones will direct half of the series, including the premiere episode. Alex Garcia Lopez (Luke Cage and Utopia) and Charlotte Brändström (Outlander, Counterpart and Disparue) each will direct two episodes.

No word on how long we’ll have to wait for The Witcher to hit our screens.

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As iOS 12 Launch Approaches, iOS 11 Adoption Hits 85 Percent

Apple’s iOS 11 operating system is now installed on 85 percent of devices as of September 3, according to updated statistics Apple shared today on its App Store support page for developers.

Apple hasn’t updated its adoption statistics since May 31, when iOS 11 was installed on 81 percent of devices, marking a four percent adoption increase over the course of the last several months.

iOS 11 adoption has likely slowed as Apple’s focus has shifted to iOS 12, which is set to be released in the near future. Apple’s last iOS 11 update was iOS 11.4.1, released in July with bug fixes and support for USB Restricted Mode, not quite features that entice people to upgrade.

With iOS 11 installed on 85 percent of iOS devices, 10 percent continue to use iOS 10 and five percent continue to use an earlier version of iOS, such as iOS 8 or iOS 9.

Over its lifespan, iOS 11 adoption has been slower than iOS 10 adoption, perhaps due to the multiple high-profile bugs affecting iOS 11. The HomeKit bug, the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, and the iPhone slowdown controversy that saw Apple throttling the performance of older iPhones all likely impacted iOS 11 adoption.

The issues with iOS 11 led Apple to delay some planned iOS 12 features to focus on improving iOS performance and stability. One major focus was bolstering performance on older devices, and iOS 12 is designed outperform iOS 11, introducing faster app launch times, faster load times, and an overall quicker feel to the operating system.

Given the under-the-hood improvements that iOS 12 brings, it’s likely we will see faster adoption of the new update than we did with iOS 11. We’re expecting Apple to release a golden master version of iOS 12 on September 12, its iPhone event day, which will mark the final version of iOS 12 that will be released to the public.

After that, Apple is likely to debut iOS 12 on Wednesday, September 19, two days ahead of when iPhones are expected to be released on Friday, September 21.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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Amazon Joins Apple as World’s Second Trillion Dollar U.S. Company

Amazon has officially become the world’s second trillion dollar publicly traded U.S. company, in terms of market cap, which is simply the company’s number of outstanding shares multiplied by its stock price.

Amazon shares briefly crossed the $2,050.27 mark in intraday trading today, giving the online retail giant a market cap of slightly over $1,000,000,000,000, based on its latest total of 487,741,189 outstanding shares. The milestone was fueled by a roughly one percent increase in Amazon’s stock price today.

Apple beat Amazon in the race to a trillion dollar valuation when its stock price crossed $207.05 on August 2. After those two companies, tech rivals Microsoft and Google are closest in line, with market caps around $850 billion and $840 billion respectively as of mid-day trading on Tuesday.

Amazon shares have more than tripled in the past three years, as the company expands upon its dominant position in online and physical retail.

Amazon competes with Apple in a number of areas, with its digital assistant Alexa rivaling Siri and its Prime Music service rivaling Apple Music. Apple is also expected to launch a Netflix-like streaming video service next year, with dozens of original series, that competes with Amazon Prime Video.

Tag: Amazon
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Apple’s 2019 iPhones Won’t Adopt Fingerprint on Display Technology

Apple doesn’t plan to return to fingerprint recognition for biometric authentication features with its 2019 iPhone lineup, according to a new note to investors shared this morning by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo does not expect Apple’s 2019 iPhones to support fingerprint on display technology, which would allow the iPhone to read a fingerprint through its display, doing away with the need for a physical Home button.

Instead, Apple is likely to continue to use the TrueDepth Camera System for Face ID as a biometric authentication method in the iPhone and other devices.

According to Kuo, Android manufacturers are keen to adopt fingerprint on display technology as a way to differentiate their devices from the iPhone.

All main Android brands currently treat FOD as the important function to differentiate themselves from iPhone (we expect 2H19 iPhone models will not support FOD). The reasons are as follows: (1) The user feedback on the iPhone is lower than expected. (2) The user feedback on the first FOD smartphone, Vivo’s X21 FOD version, is higher than expected, and (3) FOD is the best fingerprint recognition solution for the full-screen design which is necessary for a high-end smartphone.

Kuo last year said that Android manufacturers were several years away from matching the iPhone’s advanced Face ID technology. Companies like Samsung have adopted facial recognition, but not a secure 3D version like Apple has implemented, which is likely another reason Android manufacturers are focusing on fingerprint on display technology.

Over the course of the next year, Kuo expects an increasing number of Android manufacturers to adopt fingerprint on display functionality, encouraged by Vivo’s implementation and advances in technology that will cut down on component pricing and experience.

By the first half of 2019, Kuo is counting on an uptick in fingerprint on display manufacturers, with “marked improvements for user experience” coming due to an upgrade to a larger aperture lens and ultrasonic fingerprint on display mass production.

Samsung, one of Apple’s main competitors, is expected to adopt fingerprint on display technology for its Galaxy S10 during the first quarter of 2019.

Related Roundup: iPhone XSTags: Ming-Chi Kuo, Android
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Apple Seeds Tenth Beta of macOS Mojave to Developers

Apple today seeded the tenth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the ninth beta and more than two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after the initial beta has been installed using the appropriate profile from the Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded through opening up System Preferences and choosing the “Software Update” option.

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Apple’s macOS Mojave update introduces a systemwide Dark Mode, with Mojave users able to choose between a light theme or the new dark theme, which changes the color of the dock, menu bar, apps, and other elements. Dark Mode is accompanied by Dynamic Desktops, aka wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day. Additional wallpapers were introduced in the fourth and fifth betas.

Stacks, a new desktop organization system, keeps all of your desktop files neat and organized, while Finder has been enhanced with a Gallery View, a Sidebar, a revamped Quick Look option and Quick Actions, so you can do more in the Finder window than ever before.

Screenshots can now be edited using Markup tools and a new management options that also allow for easy screen recording, while Continuity camera, a new feature, allows you to import photos and document scans directly from an iPhone or iPad to the Mac.

The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have been ported from iOS to macOS as part of a multiyear project Apple is working on to make it easier to bring iOS apps to Macs, and Apple has introduced several new privacy protections to keep your data safer than ever.

Apple is also making it harder for websites to track you with a range of new Safari tools, and it’s also easier to make and store secure, hard-to-guess passwords for each and every website.

Apple has added an entirely revamped Mac App Store to macOS Mojave that makes it easier to discover apps with a featured section and specific categories for games, creative apps, productivity apps, apps for developers, and more.

macOS Mojave was initially supposed to include a Group FaceTime feature that includes support for chatting with up to 32 people at one time, but it was removed in macOS Mojave beta 7 and the feature won’t be available until later in the year.

macOS Mojave is available to developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of an upcoming fall public release.

Related Roundup: macOS Mojave
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LG G7 One hands-on: Android One, but one stripped down device

Earlier this year, LG launched the G7 — a no-frills device bringing the best of Android into a solid package, at a price consumers found hard to swallow. While reception of the G7 has gotten more positive as the device’s price has declined, LG decided to develop an even simpler device with stripped down internals at a lower price. Can a cheaper G7 prevail on such a competitive market?

This is our hands-on with the LG G7 One.

The LG G7 One focuses on delivering a pure Android One experience with a new level of integration with the Google ecosystem. It’s the most powerful Android One phone to date, though it’s also clearly a tier below the LG G7 ThinQ in order to be more affordable.

The LG G7 One is more like a G7 Lite. But the G7 One is more than just another cheap phone. It’s a mid-ranged device, but it has some of the best parts of the G7 ThinQ hanging in there.

Last year’s specs are now considered mid-range, and that’s a pretty good deal for most consumers.

Let’s take a look at what these two devices have in common:

LG G7 One vs. LG G7 ThinQ – what’s the same:

• 6.1-inch Super LCD Display with notch
• 3,000mAh battery
• Expandable storage
• IP68 rated for dust and water resistance
• MIL-STD 810G certified for sturdiness
• Hi-Fi Quad DAC audio for headphones
• Dedicated Google Assistant button for fine AI control

What’s different on the LG G7 One:

• Android One
• Snapdragon 835, down from 845
• 4GB of RAM (with no 6GB option)
• 32GB internal storage only
• Single-shooter, dropping the secondary wide-angle lens
• 156g, dropping 6g
• Two colors only
• Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, dropping from 4.0

Affordability is all about compromises

The G7 One opts for some more affordable hardware, dropping its specs down the still more-than-capable Snapdragon 835, with 4GB of RAM. This is plenty of power for most phones, especially if they run the unencumbered Android One.

The battery, at the same 3,000mAh capacity, is probably going to remain one of the weaker elements of the G7. It was in the G7 ThinQ, and even with some lower specs, we aren’t expecting much more life out of the G7 One.

We’ll wait until we can do real testing for a verdict, but it’s risky of LG not to add more capacity given battery life reviewed poorly in the flagship. Adding a touch of misery is the fact that the G7 One only supports QuickCharge 3.0, so it’ll be that little bit slower charging back up.

The one unforgivable spec for me personally is the 32GB of storage. Sure, the microSD expansion in this phone allows you to bump the capacity as high as you would need, but you shouldn’t have to buy extra accessories to make phones usable in 2018. Some people may disagree with my opinion, but with our media continually becoming more rapidly accessible and high quality, I would have liked this device to come with 64GB.

What remains is quality

On the plus side, the G7 One sticks with what LG does well. It’s still got peace-of-mind waterproofing via the IP68 rating and the MIL-STD 810G certification, plus great audio with the Quad DAC. The display is the same Super Bright 1,000 nits release as well, and while we’d all like to see LG’s pOLED display technology in this phone, that’s not going to happen on a budget release.

Brushed glass is a great option if you hate fingerprints

The body of the LG G7 One is made of brushed glass, which feels a bit like plastic, but it’s also much better at hiding fingerprints. Buttons, ports, and layout are mostly the same compared to the G7, so you’ll feel at home here if you liked the design of that device. It’s so similar that the rear camera is curious. The rear camera housing still looks like it has a dual camera, but the “lens” on the bottom, which was the wide-angle lens in the G7 ThinQ, is actually two proximity sensors. The G7 One drops the second wide-angle camera, which is quite a drag considering how unique the wide angle was in the original model.

What’s new, via Android One

LG’s Android skin has always been a bit polarizing, and it’s nice to see the company adopt Google’s vision for third-party Android. The result is an extremely lightweight experience with Google apps at the core. Most users will likely be happy with the simplicity of this device. If you want to learn more about how Google works with manufacturers to develop Android One devices, check out our explainer.

The G7 One camera sports Google Lens within the camera app, which is Google’s new method of examining what the camera sees via computer vision and AI. It worked like a treat while testing LG’s pre-production unit, readily identifying objects in our AirBnB. Within an instant or two, Google Lens identified our lampshade and presented us with several options to buy something of similar shape and color here in Germany. More on Google Lens and what it can do here.

Android One means the G7 One will get at least two years of regular updates, and we already know Android 9.0 Pie is coming to  “qualifying” Android One devices by the end of the fall. Our LG contact confirmed that the G7 One will get the update then, which is a nice treat for anyone looking to get in on Google’s latest and greatest.

LG G7 One pricing and availability

In terms of pricing, the less beefy specs in the G7 One should make a sizeable difference to the MSRP. LG said in a press release both it and the G7 Fit are “priced exceptionally,” but didn’t say what that price was.

As a reference, BlackBerry made almost all the same choices in creating a more accessible model BlackBerry Key2, cutting down on performance to save on cost for the Key2 LE. Those very similar decisions saw BlackBerry cut the price for the lower-tier device by a third, so we hope to see LG go at least as far here. In theory, that’d mean a $499 device, though we’d like to see $399 or less, especially considering phones like the Pocophone have recently hit the market with flagship specs. That final figure will really, really matter given what’s on offer.

It’d be so easy to say if LG doesn’t ensure this is a significantly cheaper device, it’ll fall flat. Given the growing popularity for a stock Android experience, and the nice flagship-level device build quality, this might do well — even if LG asks for too much money for it on day one.

LG didn’t reveal availability info at IFA 2018. Our hands-on was with a pre-production model, implying full production is just over the horizon for now. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as we have that information.

What are your thoughts on the G7 One? Is this the more affordable option you were looking for? Let us know down below.

Xperia XZ3 vs. XZ2 Premium vs. XZ2 vs. XZ2 Compact: Smartphone battle royale

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

The Sony Xperia XZ3 has been revealed, and it has Sony’s first ever smartphone OLED display. But while it’s the newest Xperia, it’s not the only one around. Should you be saving your pennies for Sony’s latest, or should you invest in other Sony flagship phones that were released within the past four months? Those include the Xperia XZ2 Premium, Xperia XZ2, and XZ2 Compact. To find out, we put together a jumbo-sized battle royale, with your pocket space as the prize.

Specs

Xperia XZ3
Xperia XZ2 Premium

Xperia XZ2

Xperia XZ2 Compact

Size
158 x 73 x 9.9 mm (6.22 x 2.87 x 0.39 inches)
158 x 80 x 11.9 mm (6.22 x 3.15 x 0.47 inches)
153 x 72 x 11.1 mm (6.02 x 2.83 x 0.44 inches)
135 x 65 x 12.1 mm (5.31 x 2.56 x 0.48 inches)

Weight
193 grams (6.81 ounces)
236 grams (8.32 ounces)
198 grams (6.98 ounces)
168 grams (5.93 ounces)

Screen size
6-inch OLED display
5.8-inch IPS LCD display
5.7-inch IPS LCD display
5-inch IPS LCD display

Screen resolution
2,880 x 1,440 pixels (537 pixels per inch)
3,840 x 2,160 pixels (765 pixels per inch)
2,160 x 1,080 pixels (424 pixels per inch)
2,160 x 1,080 pixels (483 pixels per inch)

Operating system
Android 9.0 Pie
Android 8.0 Oreo
Android 8.0 Oreo
Android 8.0 Oreo

Storage space
64GB
64GB
64GB
64GB

MicroSD card slot
Yes, up to 512GB
Yes, up to 512GB
Yes, up to 512GB
Yes, up to 512GB

Tap-to-pay services
Google Pay
Google Pay
Google Pay
Google Pay

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

RAM
4GB
6GB
4GB, 6GB
4GB

Camera
19MP rear, 13MP front
Dual 19MP & 12MP rear, 13MP front
19MP rear, 5MP front
19MP rear, 5MP front

Video
Up to 4K at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 960 fps
Up to 4K at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 960 fps
Up to 4K at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 960 fps
Up to 4K at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 960 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0

Ports
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C

Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Water resistance
IP68/IP65
IP68/IP65
IP68/IP65
IP68/IP65

Battery
3,330mAh

QuickCharge 3.0

Qi wireless charging

3,540mAh

QuickCharge 3.0

Qi wireless charging

3,180mAh

QuickCharge 3.0

Qi wireless charging

2,870mAh

QuickCharge 3.0

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
T-Mobile, AT&T
T-Mobile, AT&T
T-Mobile, AT&T
T-Mobile, AT&T

Colors
Black, Silver White, Forest Green, Bordeaux Red
Chrome Black, Chrome Silver
Liquid Black, Liquid Silver, Deep Green, Ash Pink
Black, White Silver, Moss Green, Coral Pink

Price
$900
$1,000
$800
$650

Buy from
Best Buy, Amazon

Best Buy, Amazon

Best Buy, Focus, Amazon, BuyDig

Best Buy, Amazon, Focus, BuyDig

Review score
Hands-on review
2.5 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

Since all four are equipped with the powerful Snapdragon 845, you’re likely to find similar performance in each. The amount of RAM available in each phone varies, but since all have at least 4GB available, you’re unlikely to find much of a difference in real-world performance. They are all square on storage space too, with 64GB available in each and up to 512GB extra through a MicroSD card.

Can the battery break the tie? Possibly. Each phone has a battery sufficient for at least a day’s worth of tapping, streaming, and watching. The XZ3 has a slightly larger battery than its counterpart, which puts the XZ2 out of the running — but the XZ2 Premium and XZ2 Compact both sport great batteries for their sizes, even with the Premium’s massive 4K resolution pulling hard on the 3,540mAh battery.

There’s Quick Charge 3.0 on each of these phones, too, but the XZ2 Compact suffers slightly in lacking the convenience of wireless charging. With the Compact out of the running, it comes down to the XZ3 and the XZ2 Premium — and having 2GB more RAM just squeezes the win for the XZ2 Premium. Realistically, the XZ3 and XZ2 Premium are neck-and-neck.

Winner: Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

All four of these phones follow Sony’s new Ambient Flow design ethos, but there are small differences to be found. First off, the XZ2 Premium’s 16:9 aspect ratio display gives it some seriously chunky bezels at the top and the bottom of the device, putting it out of the running. The XZ2 and XZ2 Compact have a slimmer forehead and chin, but neither can compete with the more curved look Sony’s taken with the XZ3. The XZ3’s screen curves into the body, reducing the bezels on the sides, and it’s combined with further reductions of top and bottom bezels.

Other than these differences, all four phones are pretty much the same. They all are IP68/65 rating for water and dust-resistance, none has a headphone jack, and they’re all on the heavier side for 2018 smartphones. All but the Compact are also extremely slippery glass phones, so it’s definitely worth picking up a case for grip and protection. The Compact has a glass back and it’s easier to hold, which makes it slightly more durable.

Still, the design changes made with the Xperia XZ3 make it the more attractive phone.

Winner: Sony Xperia XZ3

Display

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

The Xperia XZ3 is the first Sony smartphone to come with an OLED display, putting the IPS LCD displays in the XZ2 and XZ2 Compact to shame with deep inky blacks and bright vibrant colors. But can it beat the astoundingly sharp 4K resolution of the XZ2 Premium? It’s a hard choice to make, and one that’s likely to be personal — but for us, it’s so hard to tell the difference between the sharpness on the XZ3’s Quad HD+ resolution and the XZ2 Premium’s 4K resolution that the better OLED color reproduction and deep blacks on the XZ3 make the choice clear.

The XZ3 might have the best screen we’ve ever seen on an Xperia phone, and it wins this round.

Winner: Sony Xperia XZ3

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Sony’s camera hardware is some of the best around, but it tends to fall slightly short of true greatness. The XZ2 and XZ2 Compact have capable cameras, but it’s the dual-lens XZ2 Premium that showed us what Sony’s really capable of with some exceptional low-light performance. The XZ3 should be the next step up in Sony’s evolution, but for some reason the company chose to step back down to the same 19-megapixel single lens from the XZ2. We’re expecting the XZ3 to have a strong camera — but we doubt it will be capable of matching the XZ2 Premium’s performance.

Around the front of the XZ3 you’ll find a 13-megapixel selfie shooter that’s much the same as the XZ2 Premium’s. All four of the phones also support 4K HDR video recording and super-slow motion video at 1080p.

Each of these phones have a capable camera suite, but we’re confident that the XZ2 Premium is the strongest of these four.

Winner: Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium

Software and updates

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Sony’s record with Android updates is strong, but the XZ3 takes an immediate lead straight out of the gate with the inclusion of Android 9.0 Pie. Sony has confirmed that the entire XZ2 range will receive Android 9.0 Pie eventually, but since that’s yet to happen it gives the XZ3 the lead. Being a newer phone, you can also expect the XZ3 to be supported for slightly longer than the XZ2 range.

Outside of the more advanced operating system, you’ll find similar amounts of Sony’s usual bloatware applied to these devices.

The Xpera XZ3’s use of Android 9.0 Pie gives it the win here.

Winner: Sony Xperia XZ3

Special features

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

Being a Sony-made device, every one of these four devices comes with Sony’s PS Remote Play that allows users to stream their PlayStation 4 gameplay to their Xperia smartphones, bypassing the need for a TV. Another niche feature is the 3D Creator app, which creates 3D models of objects using the phone’s camera. You’ll also get a more immersive experience from the Dynamic Vibration System on the XZ3, XZ2, and XZ2 Premium that vibrates during videos to emphasize punches, gunshots, or other activities.

Sony’s added more features to the XZ3 though, and you might find them more useful. Side Sense is similar to Samsung’s Edge Sense, and it brings up a shortcut menu of frequent apps and actions when you tap the side of the screen. The Smart Launch feature launches the camera automatically when held in landscape.

The Xperia XZ3’s additional features are still a little niche — but since it gets everything the XZ2 range gets, this is clear win for the XZ3.

Winner: Sony Xperia XZ3

Price

You can buy one of Sony’s Xperia XZ2 smartphones from a range of retailers right now, but you’ll commonly find them on Amazon and Best Buy. The XZ3 will be available from Best Buy and Amazon from October 17.

The Xperia XZ3 will set you back $900, while the XZ2 Premium retails for a staggering $1,000. The XZ2 costs $800 — and the XZ2 Compact is the cheapest of the lot, starting from $650.

Xperia smartphones don’t work with CDMA networks, so there’s no support for Verizon and Sprint — but they will work fine with AT&T and T-Mobile.

Overall winner: Sony Xperia XZ3

The Xperia XZ3 is, in many ways, a very similar beast to the XZ2 range. There’s been no really big jump in power or design, and most of the improvements involve fine-tuning rather than an overhaul. But the differences that are present are enough to make the Xperia XZ3 the more solid choice out of the four on offer.

The exception is the XZ2 Compact, which targets people who desire smaller phones. It’s one of your best choices if you don’t want a massive device.

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