Sony Xperia Z3 Compact - Your Thoughts . . .

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact - Your Thoughts . . .

Author
Discussion

George7

1,130 posts

151 months

Sunday 22nd May 2016
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Still quite pleased with mine, despite the couple of issues I've had (cracked back soon after I got it, and more recently the camera developed a problem, both of which Sony sorted free of charge). The battery isn't quite what it used to be at 20 months old, but not bad still, and it's still a fantastically quick and pleasant phone to use. I've not actually kept a phone for this long before and I am starting to consider a nice shiny replacement at some point, maybe an iPhone SE, but I also like the idea of keeping this one until it's really old and decrepit.

Annoyingly, I noticed recently the flap wasn't quite closing properly. I noticed the rubber around the seal had come half off, figured this was why it wasn't closing properly, then I foolishly then removed the rest. It now still doesn't quite close properly, and doesn't stay closed very well either without the proper rubber seal. It's not a massive issue, but I think I'll buy a replacement flap, as long as they're easy enough to replace? Can anyone vouch for the flap set on Witrigs.com? My other option is a second hand part on eBay.

I've also not received Marshmallow yet. The network I'm on is 3. Has anyone else on 3 received theirs yet?

daydotz

1,743 posts

162 months

Sunday 22nd May 2016
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Ive not received 6.0 ota on my unbranded Z3C yet it's available if you use pc companion

Jimmy Recard

17,540 posts

180 months

Sunday 22nd May 2016
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Nothing on PC Companion for me, either. This is getting really annoying now.

daydotz

1,743 posts

162 months

Sunday 22nd May 2016
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Jimmy Recard said:
Nothing on PC Companion for me, either. This is getting really annoying now.
Does seem bad according to Sony the latest is 23.5.A.0.570 6.0

Are you on 23.4.A.1.264? frown

mabosh

300 posts

187 months

Sunday 22nd May 2016
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No sign of Marshmallow on my unlocked Z3 either.

Even more annoyingly, my wife's Vodafone locked Z3C got the MM update about three weeks ago.

Still very happy with the phone though, it's about 18 months old but still pretty quick and two day battery life. It stopped charging magnetically a couple of months back but no issues otherwise. I've no idea what to eventually replace it with.

Jimmy Recard

17,540 posts

180 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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daydotz said:
Does seem bad according to Sony the latest is 23.5.A.0.570 6.0

Are you on 23.4.A.1.264? frown
Yep, that's the one. A friend of mine on O2 in Germany has Marshmallow now on his Z2.


Sony really takes the piss with updates. It's a shame because I really like the phones but I think I will have a Samsung S7 next, purely because I find it insulting that Sony hasn't bothered to do this by now.

AmiableChimp

3,674 posts

238 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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My Z3C has been playing up recently.

When I make or take calls, and then move the phone from my ear to cancel the call, the screen remains blank.

At first I was pressing the power button a few times and the screen would eventually show, but I read somewhere about issues with the glue holding the screen on coming away slightly.

Sure enough, a firm press in the top LHS area and the screen switches back on and I can kill the call.

A couple of seconds later I can hear a click as the screen pops back up a tiny bit.

This also causes me issues when trying to access buttons for keypad or speaker during calls.

First wee bit of fly in the ointment when this phone has been brilliant otherwise.

Mulling over getting a Z5C to replace it...

Squirrelofwoe

3,184 posts

177 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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mabosh said:
No sign of Marshmallow on my unlocked Z3 either.

Even more annoyingly, my wife's Vodafone locked Z3C got the MM update about three weeks ago.
My Vodafone Z3C got the MM update approx 3 weeks ago too- I remember it vividly because it initially appeared to have messed up a ton of stuff on my phone- no photos showing in gallery, some contacts missing, apps not opening, and battery life draining from full to empty in 3 hours with nothing apparently running...

I did a repair of the update install and luckily everything returned to normal and it's been absolutely fine since.

What would be the reason for different networks rolling out the updates at different times? I'd have thought as it came from the manufacturer they would be simultaneous regardless of network.

Jimmy Recard

17,540 posts

180 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Squirrelofwoe said:
My Vodafone Z3C got the MM update approx 3 weeks ago too- I remember it vividly because it initially appeared to have messed up a ton of stuff on my phone- no photos showing in gallery, some contacts missing, apps not opening, and battery life draining from full to empty in 3 hours with nothing apparently running...

I did a repair of the update install and luckily everything returned to normal and it's been absolutely fine since.

What would be the reason for different networks rolling out the updates at different times? I'd have thought as it came from the manufacturer they would be simultaneous regardless of network.
Some networks add their own apps/customisation/firmware is my understanding

daydotz

1,743 posts

162 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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So much for retail unbranded phones getting lastest software first hehe

mabosh

300 posts

187 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
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mabosh said:
No sign of Marshmallow on my unlocked Z3 either.

Even more annoyingly, my wife's Vodafone locked Z3C got the MM update about three weeks ago.

Still very happy with the phone though, it's about 18 months old but still pretty quick and two day battery life. It stopped charging magnetically a couple of months back but no issues otherwise. I've no idea what to eventually replace it with.
My unlocked Z3 Marshmallow update finally came through this morning.

All quite painless, no immediate issues or dramatic changes. I'm sticking with the Xperia launcher at the moment as I still like it but might switch to the Google Now one with its vertical app drawer.

Jimmy Recard

17,540 posts

180 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
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My Z2 got it yesterday.

At first I thought it had ruined itself. Restarted two or three times and now it seems very pleasant. Anecdotally, the battery seems to drain a little slower although it's too early to say for sure.

DervVW

2,223 posts

140 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Had it on my stock compact yesterday - bye bye stamina mode!
Althught the rest seems to move a little smoother and the icons are a ncie update

aberdeeneuan

1,345 posts

179 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Just to finish my story - My Z1C was sent off for a new battery while in warranty. For all the scare stories, it came back without question, with a new battery, new case and new stickers (though I can't see where!).

It does seem fixed. Which is a shame as I bought an iPhone SE in the interim and am quite happy with that. The camera on it is great for a start.

So now I have a perfectly working Z1C, which according to the likes of CEX etc is worth buttons. I got more for an old iPhone 4 that I traded in for the SE!

S10GTA

12,699 posts

168 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Updated mine on Sat. Can't say I've noticed much difference? What am I missing?

bodhi

10,576 posts

230 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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DervVW said:
Had it on my stock compact yesterday - bye bye stamina mode!
Althught the rest seems to move a little smoother and the icons are a ncie update
Stamina Mode will be back in a future update - it's using the Android default Power Management at the moment (Doze). Doesn't seem quite as good as Stamina, but am still getting a day and a half out of my full fat Z3.

clonmult

10,529 posts

210 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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bodhi said:
DervVW said:
Had it on my stock compact yesterday - bye bye stamina mode!
Althught the rest seems to move a little smoother and the icons are a ncie update
Stamina Mode will be back in a future update - it's using the Android default Power Management at the moment (Doze). Doesn't seem quite as good as Stamina, but am still getting a day and a half out of my full fat Z3.
I stopped using stamina on my Z5C (prior to mm being installed) as it seemed to break a bunch of applications (primarily facebook notifications which got totally screwed). And I didn't find it made any appreciable difference to battery life either.

If what I've read is to be believed, the "return" of Stamina Mode is little more than a rebadged version of Doze.

jammy_basturd

29,778 posts

213 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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Since the update, the bottom left app shortcut on the lock screen has changed from the Dialler to Google Now - does anybody know how to change it back?!

DervVW

2,223 posts

140 months

Monday 6th June 2016
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aberdeeneuan said:
Just to finish my story - My Z1C was sent off for a new battery while in warranty. For all the scare stories, it came back without question, with a new battery, new case and new stickers (though I can't see where!).

It does seem fixed. Which is a shame as I bought an iPhone SE in the interim and am quite happy with that. The camera on it is great for a start.

So now I have a perfectly working Z1C, which according to the likes of CEX etc is worth buttons. I got more for an old iPhone 4 that I traded in for the SE!
Apple are classed as premuim I recall my wife and I getting a pair years ago her a HTC something and me an Iphone 4, at release her handset was worth maybe 80 -100 quid more, two years later CEX gave me £100 she struggled to get £40. Shocking.

Z1C should be a good buy for someone, all new like that.

MattS5

1,911 posts

192 months

Tuesday 7th June 2016
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aberdeeneuan said:
Just to finish my story - My Z1C was sent off for a new battery while in warranty. For all the scare stories, it came back without question, with a new battery, new case and new stickers (though I can't see where!).

It does seem fixed. Which is a shame as I bought an iPhone SE in the interim and am quite happy with that. The camera on it is great for a start.

So now I have a perfectly working Z1C, which according to the likes of CEX etc is worth buttons. I got more for an old iPhone 4 that I traded in for the SE!
How do you find the battery life on the SE?
I've now got a Z5C (swapped up from a Z1C) but I'm finding it a little buggy on occasion. I never thought I'd find myself saying this, but I could be tempted to moving to an iPhone, especially one as compact as the SE.
I like my iPad, but only really kept with Android for the hotspot functionality, which is now a standard feature on IOS anyway.