Sony Launches Z3 Range of Smartphones and Tablet Alongside SmartWatch 3 and SmartBand Talk

Sony has kicked off the IFA trade show by launching three smartphones, a new tablet and two wearables.

The company has taken the wraps off its premium Xperia Z3 range of smartphones and tablets in Berlin promising superior camera technology, better battery life and the ability to play PlayStation 4 games on the devices.

• Xperia Z3 family

The Xperia Z3 is the company's fourth flagship smartphone in a little over 18 months, and while the company says such a rapid release cycle is not sustainable in the long run it says it wants to give customers new experiences as soon as possible.

The Xperia Z3 is an iterative update of the Xperia Z2 which was launched at the end of February. Sony is now promising two full days of battery life and even better low light imaging performance from the camera.

Design-wise the biggest update is the addition of rubber/nylon corners which will help protect the phone if you drop it.

The Z3 Compact is an update on the Z1 Compact which was also launched earlier this year. Again it promises better battery life and camera tech, and the design has changed slightly to include more plastic - though the rubber corners are also present.

Finally in the Z3 family is the all-new Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, the company's first 8in tablet which will go head-to-head with the iPad mini and Samsung's Galaxy Tab S. The tablet will come with a Full HD screen, is just 6.4mm thin and weighs only 270g.

All three devices will go on sale in the UK in October with pricing yet to be announced by Sony.

• PS4 games on mobile

All three Z3 products will also be the first to feature the ability to play PlayStation 4 games on your smartphone or tablet. Just like the Remote Play feature on the PS Vita handheld console, PS4 owners will have the ability to play any game remotely.

The streaming system will be exclusive to the Z3 family initially but will come to older Xperia devices in time, though Sony says it has no plans to expand this beyond the company's own devices.

A new DualShock 4 controller will also go on sale which will feature a clasp to allow you clamp your phone/tablet on top to make it easier to play.

• Sony wearables

Along with new smartphones and tablets, the Japanese company has revealed two new wearable devices.

The SmartWatch 3 features a 1.6in screen and joins the growing band of Android Wear smartwatches launched recently. The square design is not too far away from the company's previous smartwatches, but now comes with replaceable bands which are available in black, pink, green or white.

As well as stock Android Wear, Sony has included a Walkman app to let you listen to music while on the move (without needing a phone nearby) and the ability to use the SmartWatch 3 as a remote for your TV or a trigger for the camera on your smartphone.

The SmartWatch 3 goes on sale later this year costing €229 (£180).

The second wearable launched by Sony is the SmartBand Talk, a fitness tracker with a built-in microphone and speaker to allow you make and take calls (as long as it's paired to a smartphone of course).

The SmartBand Talk is a lot like the SmartBand the company launched earlier this year, but with the addition of a 1.4in e-ink screen.

As well as making and taking calls, the SmartBand 2 can control media playback, automatically recognise when you go to sleep, and comes with blue, black, white, pink, red and green replaceable bands.

The waterproof band also features the ability to use gesture controls such as snapping your fingers to answer a call, or stop music playback.

The SmartBand Talk will go on sale later this year costing €159.