When it comes to choosing a new smartphone, we know that it isn’t just specs that people look for.
Alongside its impressive camera and cutting-edge audio and visual technologies, the XZ3 also looks incredible. With its OLED display and beautifully curved 3D glass design, it’s a wonder to behold…and hold!
Its sleek, elegant, borderless design means it reflects ambient colours, while thanks to its 3mm aluminium frame and Corning Gorilla® Glass® 5 it’s a hardy device that sacrifices neither beauty nor brawn.
To find out how the XZ3 got to look so good, we chatted with its team of designers. Check out what they had to say:
How did you choose the colours for the new XZ3: Black, White Silver, Forest Green and Bordeaux Red?
We wanted to create a flow of light for all of our handsets, picking four dynamic shades we felt would best tell that story. First with two classically stunning, neutral shades (Black and White Silver) for those wanting a striking device that can still blend in well with your everyday life, and then our two trend colours (Forest Green and Bordeaux Red) for those who like a little more vibrancy.
What do you think makes the Forest Green and Bordeaux Red so appealing as trend colours?
For Forest Green, it’s very optimistic, has a clear connection to nature and goes well with the rest of your life – you’ll see this colour in fashion and interiors too. Similarly, with the Bordeaux Red, it’s not only a gorgeous trend colour but a nod to Sony’s design heritage and purplish tones of past devices. With the Bordeaux Red in particular I find that it has this hidden reflection – in some angles it looks dark black and then when the light hits the product it looks a deep purplish red.
What cultural and design references influenced you in designing the XZ3?
Xperia users and their needs are at the heart of our design process. With the colours it’s all about the inclusion of light, so we picked the colours we thought would best represent that. A lot of people want dark and neutral – so the Black is very pure black, and we polished the aluminium frame so it becomes a truly united body. The White Silver shows a freshness, reflecting your surroundings becoming an ever-changing dynamic colour. Our colours are an evolution of the Sony design language, with a fluid curvature that sits well in the hand but now in an even slimmer body.
The XZ3 is very slim – was this a factor in your design?
Absolutely – slimmer designs offer better usability. The OLED display is key to achieving this, enabling us to shrink the thickness of the glass to create a sleek, slim smartphone, whilst the aluminum frame allows the XZ3 to be 40% stronger than previous models.
How did you manage to create a device that both looks gorgeous and is incredibly durable?
We wanted to make one comfortable, striking and functional device that would suit everyone. Staying true to the Sony design heritage of creating beautiful and functional products, the XZ3 is sleek but strong, with Curved Gorilla® Glass® and a stunning polished aluminium frame.
How did user feedback on previous Xperia devices influence your design?
We always evolve our handsets by really listening to user feedback, both initially at launch and once the technology, engineering and manufacturing matures over time. Size, durability and weight were key factors for the XZ3 that we took on board from feedback.
What makes this design better than other smartphones on the market?
The XZ3 is strong, beautiful and striking as well as having the best OLED display of the world’s leading smartphones.
Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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