One of my pet peeves about "mini" phones is that while they make look like the original on the outside, they are nothing like them when it comes to the insides and the specifications department. Perfect examples are the Samsung Galaxy S3 & S4 minis and the HTC One mini – they look beautiful and identical on the outside, except for the size, of course, but the specifications are nothing like their big brothers.

Sony has decided to make a mini version of its Xperia Z1 for sale in Japan to compete against the Apple iPhone 5S. Surprisingly, Sony kept the specs, other than the display, identical – Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor running at 2.2GHz, 2GB of RAM, and the same 20.7MP camera as found on the Xperia Z1! The 4.3-inch display drops from Full HD to HD, at 720p IPS, but given the smaller screen size, will certainly look stunning. The battery drops from 3,000mAh to only 2,300mAh, but so far the Xperia's Z1f is beating out the Z1 in battery life between charges. And please, do not forget that the Z1f has the advantage of dust and water resistance.

What has all of these specifications added up to – the Xperia Z1 f has quickly risen to the top of the sales charts and is now beating out the Apple iPhone 5S in Japan…another Android victory; and while it is only in one country and market, it is still quite an achievement. The Xperia Z1 f costs just slightly less than its larger brother, the Z1, so we are definitely talking the high-end market and rent district.


We are hoping that the Sony Xperia Z1 f "mini" will make its way to the shores of other countries than Japan, and with its sales success at home, Sony may decide to make an announcement about an international Z1 f at the January CES. Given its size and specs, it may give the iPhone 5S a little run for its money in the U.S. as well.

A website in Vietnam that covers Sony has given us the photos you see on this page, directly comparing the Xperia Z1 f to the iPhone 5S so you can see how close they are in size and shape…Sony better watch out or Apple may be hauling them into court!


Let us know on our Google+ Page what you think of the Sony Xperia Z1F mini smartphone. Is this a model that you would be interested in seeing come to other countries, the U.S. included?