It is Sony’s latest smartphone, running the latest version of Android, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe from harm and the occasional technical issue. Fortunately, we can give you a heads up on what problems to brace yourself for, and how you might handle them.
Problem: Camera distortion
A couple of threads on the XDA-Developers and Sony Mobile forums have detailed accounts from people who have experienced a weird distortion or wavy affect when taking pictures with the phone’s camera. In some cases, like when taking pictures of flat objects, it’s a little subtle, but with 3D objects and people, it becomes noticeable enough to be an issue.
Potential solutions:
- A future update for the Xperia XZ Premium may sort out this particular problem.
- You can try adjusting the camera’s focus by going to Settings > More > Touch to adjust > Focus and brightness. (Can only be done when camera is in Superior auto mode).
- Try running a diagnostic. While you have an internet connection, open the camera and go to the Camera’s settings > More > Help > Camera, Front camera, Flash or Camera button, then follow the steps provided on screen.
- You can perform a factory reset by going to Settings > Backup & Reset > Factory Data Reset > Reset Phone > Erase Everything. Remember to back up first. Alternatively, you can install the Xperia Companion program for PC, and use it to backup, restore, update, and repair your phone.
- Reach out to Sony Mobile support, as it may be a hardware issue you’re unable to deal with. You may be entitled to receive a replacement phone.
Problem: Bluetooth connectivity
Like other smartphones, the Xperia XZ Premium can have issues with Bluetooth; mostly issues involving people being unable to connect their phones to Bluetooth accessories. There are a few options and steps that worked for other people, and may work for you.
Potential solutions:
- Restart your phone and try Bluetooth again.
- Turn Bluetooth off and on by going to Settings > Bluetooth and tapping the slider.
- To unpair a Bluetooth accessory, go to Settings > Bluetooth > Paired devices, tap the gear icon next to the devices you’re connected to, and tap Forget.
- Back up, then perform a factory reset.
Problem: Constantly losing Wi-Fi connection
Like the Bluetooth issue above, Xperia XZ Premium owners have also been losing their Wi-Fi connections. Some lose their connection despite being within range of their router, while others have a constant connection but are notified that they’re currently offline.
Potential solutions:
- As always, try a quick phone restart. This has been known to help a couple of people in the thread linked above.
- You can turn Wi-Fi off and on again by going to Settings > Wi-Fi and tapping the slider.
- This Sony Mobile support page suggests removing your protective phone case, as it may be interfering with the connection.
- Make sure your phone has the correct internet settings. You can download current ones by going to Settings > More > Internet Settings > Accept.
- You can try setting a new Wi-Fi Sleep Policy that will ensure you maintain a connection even when the phone is asleep. You can do this by going to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the gear icon, tap Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep, and choose one of the options shown.
- Boot your phone into Safe Mode to see if your Wi-Fi performs as expected. If it does, this means a third-party app is causing your connection problems. To boot into Safe Mode, do the following:
- Press and hold the Power Key until the Power off screen appears.
- Tap and hold Power Off until you’re given the option to Reboot into Safe Mode. Tap OK.
- The phone will reboot, and you’ll know you’re in Safe Mode when you see the text Safe mode in the bottom left corner.
- Back up and perform a factory reset.
Annoyance: Unable to Double-tap to Wake phone
A number of users have voiced concerns about not being able to double-tap their phone’s screen to wake the phone up.
Official solution:
- Current models of the Xperia XZ Premium simply do not have this specific feature. The Xperia Blog notes that it may be added in later models or as part of a future software update and there’s a lengthy thread full of people hoping for the same. For the time being, however, people will have to live without it. You can double tap to turn the screen off if you toggle on the option in Settings > Double-tap to sleep.
Issue: Viber no longer working
Look no further than the Sony Mobile and XDA-Developers forums to read multiple accounts from people having issues with the Viber app no longer working the way it should. Some have said the app will crash, or go to a white screen and become unresponsive, while others are unable to even install it.
Potential solutions:
- Restart your phone and try using the app again.
- If there’s an update available for Viber, consider applying the update. The app was last updated on June 13 to version 6.9.5.
- If the app is already on your phone, but not working, uninstall it and install it again.
- If the app freezes during use or startup, you can force close it by going to Settings > Apps > Viber > Force Stop > OK.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Viber > Storage > Clear Data, then restart your phone.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Viber > Storage > Clear Cache > OK.
- A few people have said that previous version of the app work fine. Go to Settings > Apps > Viber, tap the three vertical dots icon, then tap Uninstall updates > OK. Alternatively, you can download previous versions of the app here.
