Sony’s current flagship smartphone, the Z1, has just launched on American operator T-Mobile as the Z1S. Except for the name and the new position of the headphone jack, both the Z1 and the Z1s are pretty much the exact same device. We’re talking 5.0 inch 1080p display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800, 2 GB of RAM, and a 20.7 megapixel camera. How much does T-Mobile want for this thing? Either $530 upfront or $22 per month for the next two years, the choice is yours.

Should you buy the Z1S? From all the reviews I’ve read, I’m going to have to say no. That’s not because I don’t like Sony, but because the Z2 is going to be announced in about one month. It promises to drastically improve the quality of the screen, increase the RAM, and even improve the camera. Like the original Z, the Z1S simply launched at the wrong time. We’re going to be swimming in a sea of flagship devices in less than 60 days, so why would you buy a phone that’s soon going to be considered mediocre?

Now without sounding too depressing, I do have to applaud Sony for finally attempting to build a North American presence. If you want to take over the world, you have to start with the United States first. It doesn’t matter that Europe is more advanced, it doesn’t matter that Asia is where everything made, the tastemakers all live in the Western hemisphere, for better or worse.