Sony Unveils Xperia ZR High-End Waterproof Smartphone

Sony has unveiled yet another smartphone, the Xperia ZR, as part of its most recent line of Xperia devices. While many have accused the company of "flooding the market" as the ZR closely resembles the company's current flagship, the Xperia Z as well as the extremely similar ZL, the ZR actually differs from Sony's other recent devices in one key way: it is fully waterproof.

Not only does the ZR stand out from Sony's pack of smartphones, it also stands out among waterproof devices from other manufacturers due to its decent specs.

The device sports a 4.6-inch 720p HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 2GB of RAM and offers support for 4G LTE. However, the ZR's main draw is its 13 megapixel camera, since the phone is being touted for its ability to capture HD video while underwater. However, its IP58 rating means that Sony's latest smartphone can be submerged in fresh water only up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes at a time.

Finally, the ZR also touts NFC, allowing it to quickly share media with other NFC-enabled Sony devices using the company's One-touch function.

"The Xperia ZR pushes the boundaries on where and how consumers can use the full potential of their smartphone. By combining Sony's leading camera technology with the highest level of water resistance, you will never miss another moment," said Calum MacDougall, director of Xperia marketing at Sony Mobile. "Bringing together the best of Sony's leading technology, media applications and easy one-touch connectivity with the largest ever range of NFC-enabled accessories, the Xperia ZR delivers the unique smartphone experience that people can expect from Sony."

The Xperia ZR also sports the same design language that Sony has been using since buying out Ericsson's half of its mobile division in 2011. Considering the design acclaims the company has received for its newer devices — Sony picked up four 2012 red dot awards last July — this is definitely a smart move.

Initially, there was speculation as to which markets the Xperia ZR was meant for, but a post on the official Xperia Blog cleared that up: the ZR is the international version of the Xperia Z SO-04E, which is bound for Japan.