Sony Xperia XZs review: Slow (e)motion

6. Telephony, loudspeaker, other apps

Phone

The Sony Xperia XZs we have for review is the single-SIM version (G8231). A dual-SIM version will also be available on some markets with a model designation G8232. That one uses a hybrid slot for the second SIM card, shared with the microSD card.

The call log is separated from the contacts, but there's a shortcut to those in the upper right corner. It can be filtered by missed, incoming and outgoing calls. Smart dial is supported too.

Dialer with smart dial • Call log • Phonebook • Favorites

Loudspeaker

The Sony Xperia XZs has front-firing stereo speakers, just like every Sony flagship since the Xperia Z2 (and some recent midrangers too). In principle, we'll take this setup over any other in a heartbeat, but Sony's speakers are fairly modest in terms of loudness, barely falling in the Average category in our test. None of the major competitors truly excels here, yet they are all ahead of the Xperia.

Speakerphone test	Voice, dB	Pink noise/ Music, dB	Ringing phone, dB	Overall score
Sony Xperia XZ	61.6	65.5	67.6	Below Average
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium	66.6	65.2	66.9	Below Average
Sony Xperia XZs	62.4	65.5	73.3	Average
OnePlus 3T	61.0	69.3	78.3	Good
Samsung Galaxy S7	69.5	69.3	71.1	Good
LG G6	66.8	68.8	74.5	Good
Apple iPhone 7	67.6	73.2	75.7	Good
Huawei P10 Plus	64.8	69.8	82.5	Good
Huawei P10	67.7	70.0	83.6	Very Good
HTC U Ultra (Music)	61.7	73.1	86.7	Very Good
Huawei Mate 9	83.1	74.5	85.0	Excellent

Other apps

Lifelog tracks a host of daily activities, including walking, running and sleeping, but it also tracks the music you listen, the photos you take, and the apps you use. It then presents the info in a split-screen view with a timeline on top and detailed numbers on the bottom.

Lifelog tracks more than just steps and calories

The News app is a news aggregator, pulling stories from sources on topics of your choice. It can also issue two daily bulletins for you at a time you specify, so you don't miss out on current events.

News