Sony officially announced the new Xperia ZR, which boasts the highest level of water-resistance and can shoot pictures and record full-HD videos underwater.

Sony's current flagship is the Xperia Z, which is a durable, tough smartphone with an IP55/IP 57 Ingress Protection rating. The Xperia ZR, however, comes as a more specialized smartphone, designed specifically for waterproof functioning. The new handset features the higher IP55/IP58 rating, meaning that it can withstand submersion in 1.5m of water for up to 30 minutes.

"The Xperia ZR pushes the boundaries on where and how consumers can use the full potential of their smartphone. By Combining Sony's leading camera technology with the highest level of water-resistance, you will never miss another moment," Calum MacDougall, Director of Xperia Marketing at Sony Mobile Communications touts in the press release. "Bringing together the best of Sony's leading technology, media applications and easy one-touch connectivity with the largest ever range of NFC-enabled accessories, the Xperia ZR delivers the unique smartphone experience that people can expect from Sony."

The Sony Xperia ZR sports a 4.6-inch HD reality display with a resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels, so no 1080p display like its Xperia Z sibling. The star of the show, however, is the phone's 13-megapixel camera, which is the same as the one found on the Xperia Z, complete with the Exmor RS and 16x digital zoom with auto-focus. It also has a dedicated camera button which allows for use even with a locked screen.

Other specs of the new Sony Xperia ZR include a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage expandable up to 32GB via a micro SD card. The phone is also NFC-enabled and supports 4G LTE.

The Sony Xperia ZR also sports Battery STAMINA Mode, which improved its standby time by four times or more, according to the press release. This mode shuts down battery-draining apps whenever the screen is off, turning them on again when the screen is back on.

The smartphone comes in four color options - black, white, pink and mint - and will launch across the globe from the second quarter of 2013. Availability will depend on the market. The press release makes no mention of pricing.