Xperia Z in Japan [SO-02E]

[martindesu]

There you go I proved my point and theory that every sony phone which is network locked also has a locked out bootloader

I suggest you wait for the international version instead with an unlockable bootloader that way you get to enjoy the phone and enjoy the xda community support it gets. Although I really like the docomo version because it has the IR beam but I guess you can't have everything... So yeah back to Xperia ZL for me...

Yup, you're right, and now I see your earlier point clearly. Sorry for any understanding.

As for the international version... me too. Problem here is, that Docomo IMEI check. If I have a phone which is not in their IMEI database, I get shifted up to another tariff ;(

@martindesu
since you have access to Xperia Z at the moment could you also check if it has built in storage encryption? It's on Settings->Storage->Storage encryption

Sony tend to remove that feature to their devices for some unknown reason but I'd like to know if it's the same for Xperia Z.

Also is the display calibration setting still there?

I am at home now, but can check tomorrow. Please either state in here, or PM me a list of functions/keys and paths I need to access quickly before I get told off

Also, if there is any way I can brick it, let me know. I feel malicious towards Docomo & Sony right now.

 

[evildave_666]

Yup, you're right, and now I see your earlier point clearly. Sorry for any understanding.

As for the international version... me too. Problem here is, that Docomo IMEI check. If I have a phone which is not in their IMEI database, I get shifted up to another tariff ;(

Only if you do something really strange like migrate from a FOMA phone and NOT switch to an Xi plan. Xi is 7GB capped before bandwidth throttling goes in but doesn't charge the tethering tariff on a non-docomo handset.

 

[Riyal]

Yup, you're right, and now I see your earlier point clearly. Sorry for any understanding.

As for the international version... me too. Problem here is, that Docomo IMEI check. If I have a phone which is not in their IMEI database, I get shifted up to another tariff ;(



I am at home now, but can check tomorrow. Please either state in here, or PM me a list of functions/keys and paths I need to access quickly before I get told off

Also, if there is any way I can brick it, let me know. I feel malicious towards Docomo & Sony right now.

The storage encryption and the display calibration setting is all that I wanna know I'm not sure about others members if they want something else to check with the device..

Storage encryption = I can make my company pay for this phone

Display Calibration setting = to adjust the display.

Only if you do something really strange like migrate from a FOMA phone and NOT switch to an Xi plan. Xi is 7GB capped before bandwidth throttling goes in but doesn't charge the tethering tariff on a non-docomo handset.

Sorry I'm off this discussion now since I don't live in japan and no idea about how they manage their subscribers.

 

[evildave_666]

Sorry I'm off this discussion now since I don't live in japan and no idea about how they manage their subscribers.

Its actually reasonably simple. There's generally two types of data plans, the base cost is pretty similar but they're structured differently:

FOMA: WCDMA-only, unlimited data transfer, non-docomo IMEIs get charged an approximately 4000 yen extra tariff because they're convinced all other phones have evil tethering.

Xi: WCDMA/LTE, 7GB data transfer then bandwidth throttles to 128kbps, tethering allowed.

 

[proudixz]

it seems like it has really deep black (first picture photo) would love to know about white or its yellow :victory:

 

[martindesu]

Only if you do something really strange like migrate from a FOMA phone and NOT switch to an Xi plan. Xi is 7GB capped before bandwidth throttling goes in but doesn't charge the tethering tariff on a non-docomo handset.

I have a galaxy nexus. No lte. Thus, I'm on sp-mode...

I tether and have no apparent cap...

 

[Riyal]

Sorry forgot to mention... For storage encryption here's the path

Settings->Storage->Storage encryption

For display calibration I'm not really sure since this is a new feature. But I think it's in here.

Settings->Display just browse the options there

 

[evildave_666]

I have a galaxy nexus. No lte. Thus, I'm on sp-mode...

I tether and have no apparent cap...

But when you switch to an LTE device you're almost certainly going to want to switch to Xi, otherwise you're limited to HSPA speed.

The FOMA tethering tariff is built into the docomo stock roms - when you switch to tether it silently changes your APN to dcmtrg.ne.jp. Either use of that APN or a non-docomo IMEI triggers the extra charges. Aftermarket/AOSP roms get around the former of course.

I have never run into a data transfer issue (I only casually tether from my second phone with a voice-only sim on roaming) - my monthly usually runs around 250-400mb and I think I've exceeded 500 only twice in the last 2 years. Haven't checked since I started playing Ingress though.

 

[martindesu]

I agree. I'll need an LTE device first! I've got mincooh on my nexus, and usually stay under 2gb per month.

LTE would be nice, but I don't really want that Docomo crud. Looks like I'll have to import...

 

[bkvip]

Phone language is Vietnamese?

Yup, you're right, and now I see your earlier point clearly. Sorry for any understanding.

As for the international version... me too. Problem here is, that Docomo IMEI check. If I have a phone which is not in their IMEI database, I get shifted up to another tariff ;(



I am at home now, but can check tomorrow. Please either state in here, or PM me a list of functions/keys and paths I need to access quickly before I get told off

Also, if there is any way I can brick it, let me know. I feel malicious towards Docomo & Sony right now.

Why Japan Version have Vietnamese phone language?

 

[evildave_666]

Why Japan Version have Vietnamese phone language?

Vietnamese are the seventh largest foreign ethnic group in Japan.

 

[martindesu]

Vietnamese are the seventh largest foreign ethnic group in Japan.

It seems a few people are starting to get these now... shame there is no root available

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2140162

 

[stryker.jp]

is it true that if the bootloader of the XZ is locked, we will NEVER be able to install custom rom to the phone?
is there a way to unlock the bootloader at some point?

 

[Dietervsx]

Yes, you can unlock it on the Sony webshop in exchange of your waranty

Sent from my LT15i using xda app-developers app

 

[shiruba2013]

re: Xperia Z

Correction... Because it's locked to docomo. You can't insert any simcard plus it's bootloader is not unlockable so there won't be any interests on that device here or anywhere on the world.

Also why would it need a new forum? The Xperia ZL is much more deserving than the japanese Z.

Uhm.. what?
1. You can unlock it if need be - but you can buy local versions in other countries anyway. Why pay more for the model with Mobile Suica and 1seg, and then use it outside of Japan?

2. Most people don't unlock their bootloaders. Maybe XDA users, sure, but not the other 99.99% of users. (And how do you know it's not unlockable, my Acro HD from DoCoMo was).

3. Most people are a lot more interested in the Z so far. Waterproofing is a standard and useful feature in Japan.

---------- Post added at 07:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:23 AM ----------

Well, I, for one, will be purchasing this phone.

I see more than enough English speaking people getting this phone, for there to be a place to discuss how to modify the Japanese version, especially to accomodate a stock ROM, or PA or something.

I think the thread is far more justified than many others in this forum, but that's unrelated to the topic in hand.

Hmm why do English speaking people need to buy it?

There is 10x more info on 2ch than on here.(And if you live in Japan and can't read Japanese then you have bigger things to worry about than your phone!)

I am more concerned about properly supporting local features (which it does).
You may not be able to change the Stock ROM (I don't know if the boot loader is unlockable), but you don't really need to either for most purposes. Most of the unwanted DoCoMo crap can be frozen/disabled, and some of it is useful.

---------- Post added at 07:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:28 AM ----------

Hi,

I followed the instructions here to check the unlockability, since someone asked:

http://unlockbootloader.sonymobile.com/instructions

My DoCoMo model says: No.

The page mentions that even if you can do it, it would void your warranty - and I am not voiding the warranty on my 80,000 yen phone to be able to flash a ROM when the phone can do everything I want anyway. By the time it's old enough to be worth risking, someone will have hacked the bootloader unlock.

If you really want to be flashing your own firmware, you are better off with Nexis models anyway.

 

[shiruba2013]

re: Power Saving Totally different than foreign models?

So I heard about the "Stamina Mode" in foreign models, which seems different than the menu in the Japanese models.
At first I thought maybe just the translation/wording was different, but upon closer examination, I think it's totally different:
1. There is no option in the Japanese version which lets you white-list programs from a data block.
2. There is no "Location Based WiFi" type option in the Japanese version.

There are three options in the power saving menu: Roughly translated, they are:
1. Power Saving Mode (This one you can just turn on and off whenever you want, to save power). You can set this to disable WiFi, set screen brightness, GPS, etc.
2. Low Battery Mode - This is the same as above, except it automatically turns on when the battery drops below a certain level and turns off afterwards.
3. Timer Mode - Again same as above, except it enables on a certain time schedule, which you can set. For example, you can turn off WiFi, Mobile Data, and Synch between 2:00am and 8am to avoid being disturbed and allow faster charging.

Annoyingly, you can't set #2 and #3 to be used at the same time.

(Although, I don't need location based WiFi since I usually carry an LTE WiFi router...)

 

[shiruba2013]

re: FOMA Plan

Its actually reasonably simple. There's generally two types of data plans, the base cost is pretty similar but they're structured differently:

FOMA: WCDMA-only, unlimited data transfer, non-docomo IMEIs get charged an approximately 4000 yen extra tariff because they're convinced all other phones have evil tethering.

Xi: WCDMA/LTE, 7GB data transfer then bandwidth throttles to 128kbps, tethering allowed.

Which is *why* a lot of people want to keep their FOMA plans! They are a little slower, but unlimited. Nevertheless, the Z does have tethering enabled, and thus is not in the FOMA IMEI database, so it doesn't really matter if you use a Japanese model or not from that perspective.

You will miss out on felica/1seg, and depending on the radio your LTE may not work properly if you use an international model is all.

You can also put a bMobile or Softbank SIM if you want a different plan. (Unfortunately, even the Japanese Z doesn't support eMobile's frequencies, so that won't work).

---------- Post added at 10:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:11 AM ----------

Why Japan Version have Vietnamese phone language?

Hmm you could ask why the Japanese version has *any* language other than Japanese. over 98% of the inhabitants of Japan are Japanese, and of the remaining 1.7%, over 90% of them can speak/read Japanese. Korean, Chinese, and English are the most popular non-Japanese languages (Supported by Japan Rail at major stations, etc.) It isn't really financially viable to support non-Japanese languages, let alone one outside of those top three, for most things in Japan.

But....
1. Android comes stock with many languages (So Sony doesn't have to do a lot of work)
2. Sony will be selling the Z in many countries (So Sony will translate their custom apps)
3. There is no reason *not* to include the other languages on the Japanese version, except perhaps space constraints. (Many older devices would drop European languages in order to store large Japanese fonts - but now we have gigabytes of firmware so it's not really relevant).

Is Vietnamese \Not\ supported on the UK and US models??

 

[Firipu]

Any word on a possible update to 4.3? or even 4.4?

I'd really like to buy a Sony Smartband when it's released in March. But it appears to be 4.4 only. Stupid docomo with their slow updates is going to ruin everything

Don't really feel like losing my NFC/Felica by using a custom ROM

 

[renzu]

Any word on a possible update to 4.3? or even 4.4?

I'd really like to buy a Sony Smartband when it's released in March. But it appears to be 4.4 only. Stupid docomo with their slow updates is going to ruin everything

Don't really feel like losing my NFC/Felica by using a custom ROM

One of Japanese store told me that 4.3 update will available next month

 

[Mmmmaria]

Necesito código de pin de red para sony so-02e