Latest news with #SonyMobile
Phone Arena
13-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Meet the Sony Xperia 1 VII: State-of-the-art chip, bigger cameras, signature design, limited release
As if Sony didn't have enough trouble attracting attention to its high-end Android handsets nowadays, the latest addition to the Xperia 1 roster had its official announcement scheduled for just a few hours after Samsung's hugely anticipated Galaxy S25 Edge. 6.5-inch OLED screen with 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate technology; Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor; Android 15 ; ; Four OS upgrades and six years of security patches guaranteed; 12GB RAM; 256GB internal storage space; microSD support for up to 2TB expansion; 48MP primary rear-facing camera with f/1.9 aperture; 12MP secondary telephoto sensor; 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.0 aperture; 12MP single front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture; 5,000mAh battery; IP68 water and dust resistance; Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 screen protection; Corning Gorilla Glass Victus back; Side-mounted fingerprint sensor; 3.5mm headphone jack; Full-stage stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos technology; USB Type-C 3.2 port; Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC; 162 x 74 x 8.2mm dimensions; 197 grams weight; Moss Green, Orchid Purple, and Slate Black color options. Yes, ladies and gents, Sony Mobile's newest crown jewel looks an awful lot like last year's Xperia 1 VI, both from a strictly cosmetic standpoint and as far as specifications and features are concerned. But there are also a few notable distinctions, and while some have been very easy to predict for a very long time, a couple of others are truly special, setting the Xperia 1 VII apart from its predecessor in a big way. I'm talking first and foremost about the ultra-wide-angle lens, which is equipped with a 48MP sensor that's not only superior in its megapixel count, but also physically larger than its Xperia 1 VI counterpart, thus promising clear night shots "equivalent to full-frame cameras." Sony, of course, leveraged some of that Alpha expertise to improve the photography experience as a whole while working both on the hardware and software fronts to please mobile shutterbugs and catch up to the best camera phones out there. AI Camerawork and Auto Framing are two exciting new features aimed at making it easier to produce "pro level" videos with expertly framed subjects, although we'll obviously have to wait and thoroughly review the Sony Xperia 1 VII for ourselves before actually declaring those tools handy, let alone game-changing. Unsurprisingly, Sony's 2025 contender for the best Android phone title packs a cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, as well as the same 5,000mAh battery as the Xperia 1 VI. For some reason, the Xperia 1 VII is a few grams heavier than its forerunner, and contrary to a couple of recent rumors, the 4K screen resolution of the Xperia 1 V is not coming back this year either. Water is wet, grass is green, and ultra-high-end Sony smartphones are overpriced. Unfortunately, that entire axiom is as true today as always, with the Xperia 1 VII fetching €1,499 and £1,399 on pre-order in select European markets in its lone 256GB storage variant. That equates to around $1,670 and $1,850 respectively, but more importantly, it makes Sony's latest Android powerhouse cost more than some of its biggest rivals. The hugely popular Galaxy S25 Ultra, for instance, is normally priced at £1,249 ($1,650) and up in the UK, while something like the OnePlus 13 will only set you back £899 ($1,186) in its most affordable configuration. Even Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max is cheaper than the Sony Xperia 1 VII , starting at £1,199 ($1,580) and fetching £1,399 with 512GB storage. Why am I focusing so much on British prices? Well, because I don't have any official US numbers just yet, and while those could still come a little later, last year's Xperia 1 VI makes me fear this year's top-of-the-line Xperia handset will not be released stateside either. Despite some of its obvious imperfections, the Xperia 1 VII remains a breath of fresh air in today's mobile industry thanks to its integration of Alpha, Bravia, and Walkman technologies, as well as its surviving headphone jack and microSD card slot, so it's definitely sad to see Sony repeat the same big pricing and availability mistakes as last year.
Digital Trends
07-05-2025
- Digital Trends
Sony Xperia 1 VII launch date officially teased, along with camera prowess
We've already seen a number of flagship phones launch this year but there are plenty more to come. Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge is expected before the end of this month, and Sony is also hopping on the May phone launch bandwagon. The Japanese company has posted a teaser video to its official YouTube channel saying 'the next ONE is coming'. It's presumed this refers to Sony's Xperia 1 flagship phone, which is expected to be called the Xperia 1 VII this year, following on from the Xperia 1 VI that launched in May last year. Sony Xperia 1 VII official teaser The 28-second video doesn't give a huge amount away, though it does show off the design from the rear, which looks very similar to previous Xperia 1 devices with a long rectangular build and flat edges. Recommended Videos It also teases zoom camera features, whilst a colourful triangle connecting a TV, camera and music device, suggests the device will once again pull from Sony's Bravia TVs, Alpha cameras and Walkman products. When will the Sony Xperia 1 VII be announced? Nothing else is revealed through the teaser, other than the launch date of course, which is pinned as May 13, 2025, kicking off at 11:00 Japan time, which is 22:00 ET time on May 12 and 19:00 PT time. Recent reports have claimed the device might only be released in Japan immediately however, with rumors suggesting there could be a delay of several months until it appears in Europe and the UK, while it's still unclear whether it will come to the US at all. The Xperia VI didn't and while a Sony flagship has appeared as a listing on the FCC, it's not a certain it's the Xperia VII at the moment. In terms of what the next Sony Xperia could offer, we will need to wait until May 12 (of you're in the US) for the official details, though rumors have claimed the Xperia VII will come with performance upgrades, including sporting the Snapdragon 8 Elite under its hood, as well as a 12-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 70-200mm focal length. It's also claimed to have a 5,000mAh battery, 30W fast charging support and a 4K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. For now, all we know for sure is Sony will announce a new Xperia on May 12 or May 13 depending on where you are in the world, and it's very likely to be the Xperia 1 VII so at least it's only a few days to wait before all the details are revealed. Please enable Javascript to view this content
Phone Arena
07-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Save the date: Here's when Sony will officially unveil the Xperia 1 VII
Despite being incapable of making much any progress in the global handset market over the last few years, Sony is still not ready to throw in the towel, instead gearing up to unveil yet another somewhat unconventional alternative to the best phones from brands like Samsung and Apple. Revealed pretty much in full in a number of recent reports, the Xperia 1 VII has an official launch date attached to its (annoyingly convoluted) name today. This is right around the corner, and it largely falls in line with everyone's expectations after last year's Xperia 1 VI flagship came out on May 15. If you're into boxy smartphones with trend-defying screen bezels, lots of physical buttons, and an "outdated" way to connect to your good old fashioned wired headphones, you may not want to make plans for next Tuesday. On May 13, at 11am Japan time, Sony will show off the "next ONE" on its Xperia-dedicated YouTube channel, most likely confirming all the rumors that have floated around the interwebs these past few weeks and hopefully hinting (at the very least) at US availability. 11am JST, mind you, means 4am CEST, so the Xperia 1 VII is probably not designed with the old continent in mind. But that also means 10pm ET and 7pm PT (on Monday, May 12), so at least in theory, Sony could be targeting a US audience here in addition to its hardcore domestic fans. The Xperia 1 VI, remember, was never officially released stateside, contrasting with 2023's Xperia 1 V and many other high-end Sony phones from the past. But the Xperia 1 VII could be different in a few key ways from its 2024 predecessor, bringing back the Xperia 1 V's cutting-edge 4K screen resolution while also embracing the same state-of-the-art Snapdragon 8 Elite processor as virtually all the best Android phones available today. In many ways, unfortunately, the Xperia 1 VII is likely to look (a little too) familiar to Sony's long-time aficionados, which is going to make it mighty hard for the disappointing sales figures of the last few years to noticeably grow. Unless, of course, the company learns something from its past pricing mistakes, which sadly seems unlikely.
GSM Arena
07-05-2025
- GSM Arena
Here's when the Sony Xperia 1 VII is coming
Sony announced the Xperia 1 VI on May 15 last year, and so you may be wondering when to expect its successor, the Xperia 1 VII, to become official. According to a new rumor out of Japan, the event will be taking place on exactly the same date: May 15. Not just that, but it will also become available in Japan on the same day. That's the good news. The bad news is that the global release is said to only be happening in July, unfortunately. Of course, as this is nothing but a rumor at this point, we can't be sure of its accuracy, however we wouldn't be surprised if it did pan out, as Sony has in the past had very significant lead times from announcement to global availability of its devices, so it wouldn't be a first. Sony Xperia 1 VII leaked image The Xperia 1 VII looks practically identical to its predecessor, and has recently been spotted in the Geekbench database with the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC at the helm, unsurprisingly. This was paired with 12GB of RAM, the exact same amount as the Xperia 1 VI. The phone should launch with Android 15, even though Google plans to release Android 16 by the end of June. The 1 VII measures 161.9 x 74.5 x 8.5mm, making it a tiny bit shorter, wider, and thicker than its predecessor. That said, the screen size is rumored to remain unchanged: 6.5". Sony Xperia 1 VI Source (in Japanese) | Image source
