LIVE FROM GSMA MOBILE ASIA EXPO 2013: Sony Mobile has launched what it claims is “the world’s slimmest and largest full HD smartphone”, as well as its next generation smart watch.

The Xperia Z Ultra (pictured) features a 6.4-inch display, making it the largest to date in the “phablet” category – and only slightly smaller than the 7-inch screens used by many tablets.

Sony also said the Android 4.2 device is the first to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 chip with 2.2GHz quad core CPU – which the vendor described as “the world’s fastest smartphone processor” – and 4G LTE support, and HD voice.

It is waterproof and dust resistant and, echoing Samsung’s Galaxy Note line, also includes pen support – although without the need for a dedicated stylus.

“We’re already bringing the best of Sony technology and design across a range of premium smartphones and tablets, and now we are bringing this same premium offering to the large-screen smartphone segment, setting a new standard for others to follow,” Calum MacDougall, director of Xperia Marketing at Sony Mobile, said.

It will be available globally from the third quarter of 2013, with exact timing and availability varying by market.

fc pic 1Against a backdrop of speculation about the smart watch plans of vendors including Samsung and Apple, Sony also unveiled its latest product in the category (pictured).

Stefan Persson, head of companion products for the company, noted: “Competitors are only now launching first generation devices, while we are already launching a 3rd generation device with all the insight gained from over half a million customers combined with Sony’s wealth of technology expertise to create the best ever smart watch experience.”

The company described the SmartWatch 2 as a “second screen for your Android smartphone”, serving as a “multi-functional watch, notifier, Android app interface and phone remote control all-in-one”.

It also includes NFC for one-touch pairing with devices, and is water-resistant.

According to Persson, there are more than 200 unique apps dedicated to the Sony SmartWatch line, with more than one million downloads to date.

Smart Watch 2 will be available from September 2013.

The company also used the event to debut two devices targeting the China market. It unveiled its first TD-LTE device for China Mobile, called Xperia SP M35t. It has a 4.6-inch HD display, an 8MP camera, and includes NFC support. And Xperia C S39h is Sony’s first exclusive device for China Unicom. It has a 5-inch screen, quadcore processor, and dual SIM support.