Will the Xperia Z4 be rebranded as the Z3+ for international markets?

When Sony announced the Xperia Z4 last week, it was met with disdain from almost everyone, some of our staff included. While the device arguably makes perfect sense for the Japanese market it’s intended for, the international community has been in a heightened state of agitation. The Z4, as it stands now, has some minor internal updates over its predecessor (namely the Snapdragon 810) but uses the exact same camera sensor as the Z3 along with a design that many feel is rehashed despite (admittedly subtle) changes.

Sony has yet to announce the Z4 for an international release yet, and if a new leak proves to be accurate, it seemingly won’t be for some time yet. Take a look:

The above picture allegedly comes from one of the packaging inserts contained with an official accessory for the Z4, the SCR30 Style Cover Window. As can be seen at the top, an “Xperia Z3+” is listed. Provided this leak is accurate, it would suggest that Sony is planning to rebrand the Z4 when it hits international markets.

The name change actually makes perfect sense, as fans have been hearing that the company is planning to make a major move with its next mainstay flagship, as well as reduce the release cycle to an annual basis. Just last week, we took a look at what such a “premium” flagship might look like when we asked readers to design it themselves.

Still, many will be quick to argue that this new naming nomenclature will create confusion within the company and its home country: what happens if the “real” Z4 releases in a few weeks or months? The solution is quite simple, really: All Sony has to do is rebrand the product in Japan. It could be called the “Xperia Z Neo” or “Xperia Z DX” and, assuming it’s the radically redesigned product so many are hoping for, the new name might be the perfect way to distance itself from the “Z” of old. The reverse might also be true: perhaps there will be no Z4 at all overseas and the new product will have a totally new name.

While many Sony fans are no doubt still a bit sour with the latest and greatest, assuming the name change is the real deal, would it reduce some of the resentment?