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Sony's new Xperia XZ flagship and Xperia X Compact won't have fingerprint scanners in US

A couple of weeks ago, Sony unveiled two additions to its range of handsets: the flagship-class Xperia XZ, and the high-end Xperia X Compact.

The XZ is Sony's new range-topper, with a 5.2-inch Full HD display and Snapdragon 820 chipset, while the X Compact gets a 4.6-inch 720p display with a Snapdragon 650. The company is focusing heavily on the capabilities of the two handsets' 23-megapixel rear cameras, which include five-axis stabilization, a hybrid autofocus system, and an advanced RGB sensor, promising "blur-free images, day or night".

But while the two devices are aimed at the upper end of the smartphone market, one key feature won't be available on either handset in the United States. The US spec sheets for the Xperia XZ and the Xperia X Compact confirm that the devices will be sold there without a fingerprint sensor.

As PhoneArena points out, this isn't a great shock, given that Sony also removed the fingerprint scanners from its Xperia X Performance, Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact handsets in the US. Of course, that doesn't make it any less frustrating for potential buyers there, who were hoping to take advantage of the security features and convenience of fingerprint authentication on the device.

Additionally, in all markets, including the US, the new handsets won't be released with the latest Android 7.0 Nougat OS onboard; instead, they'll launch with the year-old Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with Nougat being made available later as an update.

Source: Sony US - Xperia XZ / Xperia X Compact | via PhoneArena

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