Sony Mobile Communications chief Kunimasa Suzuki took the stage at MWC Barcelona today to confirm that the company’s Xperia Tablet Z would begin to rollout globally starting in Q2 of this year.

In the United States, the 16GB model of the Xperia Tablet Z is slated to retail for $499 (Rs 27,500), while a larger 32 GB model will sell for $599 (Rs 33,000).

The tablet has been hailed as Sony’s first serious contender in the tablet market, following the launch of the Sony S and Sony P tablets last year.

The Xperia Tablet Z aims to support Sony’s One Sony strategy which aims to provide a suite of converged products and services across  Sony smartphones, tablets, laptops and TVs.

The Xperia Tablet Z is one of a number of high-end Android devices powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core chip, in this instance, clocked at 1.5GHz. It is paired with 2GB of RAM, while its up to 64GB of internal storage can be supplemented by its built-in microSD slot. Even though the tablet is just 6.9mm thin, it also packs in 6,000mAh battery as well as a high-spec 8.1-megapixel Exmor R camera for better low light performance. The Xperia Tablet Z ships with Android 4.1 ‘Jelly Bean’ but will be upgradeable to Android 4.2 ‘Jelly Bean’ soon after launch.

Sony’s S-Force Front Surround 3D, guarantees high quality audio performance alongside Sony’s Clear Audio+ mode and the innovative use of two in-built speakers with four ‘speaker halls’ on the left and right corners which guarantees sound whichever way it is held.

When it ships, the Xperia Tablet Z will launch with a number of accessories including a charging cradle, an LCD Screen Protector and Leather Carrying Cover that comes in black, white or red. These will be available from Sony stores or registered retailers.

Key features for Xperia Tablet Z