Sony launches Xperia ZR smartphone With the Xperia Z garnering impressive reviews, the ZR offers a similar style but a slightly smaller screen and resolution, at 4.6 inches compared to the Z's 5," and 1280 x 720 compared to 1920 x 1080. Sony recently reported a return to annual profits for the first time in five years, boosted by the fluctuating yen and sale of its assets, including a Manhattan skyscraper. Its well-received Xperia range is crucial to its future success. The struggling Japanese company reported earnings of 43.03 billion yen (£280.5 million) in the year to March, reversing a 456.66 billion yen loss a year earlier. Sales were also up over the time frame, by 4.7pc on the year to 6.8 trillion yen. The company said a fluctuating yen and the sale of a string of assets, including the disposal of its US headquarters in Manhattan for $1.1bn (£707.2 million) as part of a huge restructuring, had boosted earnings, however, its television and electronics business has continued to struggle. A tumble in the yen in recent months - losing about a fifth of its value against the dollar since November - has helped Japan's exporters, making their products move competitive overseas and boosting the value of repatriated foreign income, inflating their bottom line.