Sony Xperia Z2 video leak reveals software and design tweaks


A new 12-minute Sony Xperia Z2 video has leaked online, revealing some of the new software and design tweaks.


The Xperia Z2 flagship is strongly expected to launch at MWC 2014 next week with some software improvements and slight design modifications.


The leaked video comes from YouTube user Rimas Flyil and is a lengthy 12-minutes long, but shows off the Z2’s Android 4.4 KitKat based UI and some of the hardware improvements.


Although the full video is embedded below, the first thing you’ll notice is the Z2’s design is very similar to that of the Sony Xperia Z1, but with a few cosmetic changes.


The left hand side ports have been covered by a single plastic door with a security latch at the bottom left hand corner rather than bottom right.


Sony has also equipped the Z2 with the same magnetic charging port as the Z1 and Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.


In terms of software, the video also reveals a PS4 inspired start up animation, live wallpaper and screen unlock.


The KitKat style notification bar icons have been introduced, as have new transparent UI gradients at the top and bottom of the home screen.


Similar to the iOS settings, the Z2 has a notifications manager in the Settings app allowing you to toggle notifications for individual apps.


Sony’s Lifeblog application is also present, but can’t be accessed with the prototype software.


The Japanese electronics giant has also taken some hints from rival companies LG and Samsung, with new features like a double-tap screen wake function and a smart backlight control to keep the screen glowing while you’re looking at it.


The Z2 features a Timeshift Video app that lets you “record high frame-rate video and apply slow motion effect”. 4K video recording is also supported and there’s a CamScanner mode for turning photographed documents into PDFs.


As previously rumoured, there’s a new 15.5-megapixel still capture mode, complementing the existing 20.7-megapixel and 8-megapixel modes.


TrustedReviews will be on hand at MWC 2014 later this month to bring you the official Xperia Z2 news as it happens.


Read more: Sony Xperia Z2 vs Xperia Z1