In loving memory of Sony's Z-series: here are some of the most notable and compelling Xperia Z phones

Sony. Despite that it can't boast a formidable market share, lots and lots of noteworthy smartphones can trace their origins all the way back to Sony's factories. Of course, the majority of these are high-end phones, though Sony is catering to all market niches. No, we are not disregarding its mid-range and entry-level devices, as these offer very good value for money, but being the tech geeks we are, it's hard to get really excited by anything else than a high-end flagship.

And in Sony's case, this means a Z flagship. Sadly, this will no longer be the case.Don't worry, despite last year's flurry of speculations, Sony is going nowhere. Sadly, we can't say the same about the Z series lineup. 

Earlier today, Sony's PR department officially confirmed that the Z-series is dead. Nixed. 86'd. Abolished. Scrapped. Eradicated. No more.

For the good or bad, that's the end of an era, an important chapter in Sony's history. However, we shouldn't dramatize - that's merely a name change. Still, nostalgia kicked in, one thing led to another, and here we are, highlighting our most favorite members of Sony's Xperia Z lineup.