So... My experience with the Z3 - like so many others arond the world - is one of utter dismay.
Below is the breakdown of my 4 device history of bad service, crap products and money wasting...
Firstly, off topic, majority of Z3s suffer the RED BLOB issue when using the camera, google it... DISGRACEFUL.
Secondly, again on the topic of the camera, the auto focus is crap and many apps throw an exception on the "Camera.java" class which leads me to assume there is a fundamental problem with the Xperia camera software/hardware interface on this device.
If you are reading this thread and making a decision on whether or not to get a Z3 - don't get one..
decide what features you want in a smart phone and look for ANY OTHER MANUFACTURER.
Z3 just aint what they say it is... click here to google why
OK so on with the Essay, don't even bother if you are a tl;dr kinda person... summarised at the end.
I went from a galaxy S2 to a Z1 a few years back and I LOVED IT!
waterproof, fast, loud, clear screen, only thing is the camera is crap compared to samsung (that's across the range, it is a smart phone after all, not a camera phone...)
I swam with it, I beer-booted it, I party tricked with it and it never had any issues!
(of course I checked all port covers were closed and seated properly before doing anything)
After 2 years I upgraded to a WHITE Z3 and naturally expected 3 times the awesome... shouldn't have set my expectations so high 
this was a brand new, factory sealed, China made, telco specific version....
I got the handset, unboxed and booted.
I immediately noticed that there was a hotspot (lighter area) on the right in the middle of the bottom half of the screen (noticeable with the solid colours of the boot up motif and on all black screens, even on low brightness (YT loading screen for example)).
It persisted throughout all my attempts to rectify it with different colours and brightnesses.
This was not the only issue with the screen; when held at about a 45 degree angle, you could see the backlight componenets on the bottom of the screen and depending on the brightness you could see light leakage coming out in the form of little rectangles all along the bottom of the screen (even when viewing face on).
The glass pane on the front of the phone was misaligned, that is on one side it was flush and you couldnt even get a piece of paper between the metal frame and glass panel, but on the other it was a canyone by comparison - this was more of an aesthetical issue for me than anything else, but compared with pics on the net and demo models in phone shops (which were invvariably the Black model), it was exceptional (however noticeable on this one too).
The last thing I found disconcerting on this BRAND NEW white Z3 was the charging port cover didn't just pop back in like my Z1, or my mates Z2 - I would have to line it up, push it in flat and then run my finger up and down while applying pressure to ensure that the seal around the plug didn't push the cover back out of the port and it stayed in place.
The cover didn't line up properly either, same as the screen, one side has a noticeable gap wheras the other was flush.
The same was true of the sim/memory card cover (actually visible in this shot* from here**)
This was a massive concern for me because it is a flaming Sony flagship model yet so many apparent defects out of the box!
I took it back to the shop and showed them the hotspots, visible backlights, apparent misalignment of screen and port covers - they said either go through insurance or talk to Xperia support and lodge a warranty claim.
I lodged a warranty claim through Xperia support and sent my phone off to their "service centre" for inspection and analysis.
They sent it back and notified me there was water damage and that it was not covered by warranty.
I WAS FURIOUS
I rang the service centre and spoke to some rude, impatient woman who really didn't want to provide me with any help until I demanded to speak with the owner or manager, at which point she said something about "trying another system... what's your job number?..." and I got some info.
They ran the pressure test to ensure the phone was sealed (under the *#SERVICE#* menu).
They then checked the water indicators and came to the conclusion water had gotten in to the device, because they had verified the seals were fine with the pressure test.
This defaults to "user error, not covered' and this is what Sony has been hiding behind on every case of warranty clamis the device is NOT WATERPROOF.
I escalated my claim with Xperia support because I knew the phone had not even been in the same room as water, let alone gotten wet!
They said repair was $400 or they would send the phone back to me.
I got the phone back.
I decided to try going through my insurance - I submitted the claim under manufacturer fault with the assistance of the same staff I had originally shown the faults to.
Same thing happened, insurance company took it, sent it to service centre, they claimed water damage, user falut, pay excess or gtfo.
I argued it with several phone reps and eventually (because I needed my phone and it had been a 10-12 day turn around with each service centre assessment) I caved and submitted the iunsurance claim, paid the excess and they sent me.... wait for it... A RE-MANFACTURED HANDSET.
Came with the plastic protective wrap like out of the box, but in an insurance replacement handset box.
I was very angry that I went from a faulty BNIB to a remanufactured replacement but I had very little choice due to the circumstances.
New (remanufactured) handset had a slightly better screen glass alignment, but the port covers were still misaligned and tedious to seal up, same fidgeting required - AND THE BACKLIGHT COMPONENTRY / LIGHT LEAKAGE WAS STILL VISIBLE AT THE BOTTOM!
In that time my mate had upgraded to a BLACK Z3 and there was not one single design issue, screen edges and corners all flush and smooth and the port covers popped in like the Z1/Z2, with confidence inspiring tactile feedback of a lid sealing a container.
I wondered at this point if these issues were limited to the WHITE model, because this was my 2nd one I had with similar defects and all the black ones I had seen had a far superior build quality.
After a week or so, my mate told me he had noticed a hotspot / light leakage at the side of the screen in line with the volume down key - in fact pressing the key would cause some flexing somewhere which would manifest on the LCD, rectifying itself after he ceased to apply pressure.
Fast forward a week and I was walking in the rain, phone in my pocket, listening to music using the headset/earphones provided with my original handest - I got soaked and the phone was damp from seapage, but everything was sealed and the water was superficial, plus I had it in a silicon case with the screen facing my leg so the majority of the moisure was on the cover on the back.
Popped off the cover, dried it with a towel and left it on my desk for the whole day without the cover.
Didn't think anything of this tiny wetting event because A) the phone was sealed, B) it is IP rated C) moisture was on the cover.
Next morning, screen backlight was acting flaky, so I restarted the phone and it stopped for a bit but then began to gradually get worse, to the point where the whole screen/backlight was fading in and out, influenced by me touching the screen.
The backlights across the bottom of the phone screen were even more visible from front on now than ever, especially when the screen faded and the backlights remained brighter.
I was raging hard at this point and it got worse, condensation internally visible in the camera lens and LED flash hole, I nearly put a hole in my wall..
Went back through the SAME process and had the SAME arguments with the SAME parties.
Same lengthy turn arounds, no satisfaction and because the screen was not working I again had no choice but to go through insurance.
Needless to say, my excess had gone up...
I got ANOTHER, REMANUFACTURED, WHITE Z3.
same build quality issues as my first one but there were no hotspots or backlight issues on the display like the last 2.
At this point I had already told my mate "DO NOT GET YOUR PHONE WET IT IS NOT WATERPROOF" and showed him all the YT vids, the abc.net.au article exposing this fact and all the threads all over the web with people making this same claim.
I lost this 3rd WHITE Z3 (3 weeks ago or so from the time of this post) and submitted a "LOST/STOLEN" claim, complete with police case number and all.
This time I was going to be provided with a BRAND NEW Z3!!!
I chose a BLACK one.
When I collected it at the store the bloke there said to me "what the **bleep** do you keep doing to these things!?" so I elaborated and he said he hadn't heard anything to back my stories up - I asked him if he wanted me to google it for him...
Got the handset, got home, opened the box (BNIB!), inspected the build quality and was very happy to find everything flush, smooth, fitting and sealing.
(One gripe on build quality, the corner bits aren't so flush, 3 of the four will catch even the most bitten down fingernail when finger dragged either direction over it, but I have a case on it and don't notice them now.)
I booted her up, still had the plastic on her and all - HOT SPOT/LIGHT LEAKAGE ON SCREEN AT VOLUME DOWN KEY - same as my mate's Z3 BLACK - discoloured pixels too, like LCD under pressure.
I am going to go to the shop again this weekend to show them and see if they can make a warranty claim on my behalf to Sony, as I am a valued customer after all...
5th handset's a charm???
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In Summary:
- I've had 4 Z3 handsets, 3 WHITE, 1 BLACK (current)
- WHITE: 1 BNIB, 2 're-manufactured
- ALL WHITE Z3s had poorly manufactured ports and covers, no faith in them actually sealing (despite service tests) and 2 of the three had hot spots on the screen which never went away.
- 2 of the WHITE Z3s had misaligned glass on the screen, flush one side, relatively huge gap on the other.
- Z3 PHONE IS NOT WATERPROOF (backed up by my experiences and hundreds of these claims on the net)
- BLACK Z3 (BNIB) had perfect ports/covers like old Z models BUT HAD HOTSPOT/LIGHT LEAKAGE on screen in line with volume down key.
- My Mate's BLACK Z3 has the SAME issue in the SAME spot.
Bottom line, the myriad problems reported against this device speak volumes to the flaws it has.
Sony have NOT admitted anything and remain practically silent on their own forums about it (because they know....) and then without a recall this is effectively false advertising.
* - http://tabtec.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Sony-Xperia-Z3-unboxing-2.jpg
** - http://tabtec.com/android/sony-xperia-z3-unboxing-first-impressions/
BNIB = Brand New In Box
I dare you to submerge your Z3 for 30 seconds in a plastic chinese food takeaway container of water - make sure all ports are closed and sealed of course - even record the whole thing on video for documentation and historic proof.... 50/50 chance it will survive, but, well, that just aint good enough for a phone which is advertised like so...
Edit; it is not fair of me to outright defame and demonise the Z3, because whilst it is unanomous that there are very real faults with some of the handsets OUT OF THE BOX, there are owners out there who do not have any issues with the seals or screen of their device - those fortunate souls...
If Sony could do anything, it would be to ensure that proper QA processes are in place for ALL VENDOR SPECIFIC HANDSETS... as well as their own outright ones....
*whispers* "It's a Sony"
I wonder why they stopped championing that slogan as a stamp of perfection...
"make.believe" now eh? Yeah, make the consumers believe whatever the advertising says irrespective of the facts...
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