These flaps are an improved design, with the micro-USB flap in particular being larger and less fiddly when it comes to plugging in a charge cable. There are also plastic flaps over the SIM slot (just above the power button) and the microSD slot and micro-USB / charging ports (both on the left side). The environmental protection comes courtesy of internal seals within the headphone jack (top-left), the loudspeaker (which runs along the bottom), the power button, volume rocker and camera button (all three of which run along the right side). This is only in fresh water, mind you - don't try it in the sea, and don't expect it to survive an assault of mud or sand. The phone's predecessor, the Xperia Z, was rated to survive immersion down to a depth of one meter, whereas the Z1 can go slightly deeper, to a depth of 1.5m, and it can function there for up to 30 minutes. The reason for this ruggedness is of course Sony's waterproof and dustproof design. Admittedly, there was a slightly hoppy scent around the seams for a couple of days, but only until the phone was washed under tap. The Xperia Z1 was used for calls in the middle of downpours it was dunked into pints of beer it facilitated the reading of e-books while in the bath and it came out none the worse for wear. It rained heavily while this review was being written. In contrast, the Xperia Z1 should have much greater mainstream appeal. Buyers of the Xperia Z may understandably be displeased at being left behind so soon, but - as much as we feel for them - we'd hazard a guess that they don't constitute an especially large population anyway. That's why today, just seven months later, we're looking at a new flagship: the Xperia Z1 (codenamed Honami, and not to be confused with the Xperia ZL), with a far more boast-worthy camera and some other subtle-but-important enhancements. It was also the lack of a standout feature, which caused the phone to be buried amidst all the news of the GS4 and the HTC One - and also by the announcement of the Lumia 1020 Windows Phone, whose camera suddenly made Sony's pokey, 13-megapixel module look like old technology. It wasn't just its subpar battery life that held it back. And yet, the Xperia Z failed to be compelling. It was as if Sony had suddenly paused its chaotic schedule of handset releases in order to take stock of what Android users actually want: things like 1080p, microSD and a premium look and feel. It's time to set the record straight: the original Xperia Z, launched back in February, was a decent phone.

Sony xperia z1 review