"No change in status" for Xperia phones, Sony confirms, doubling down on a niche strategy for creators and audiophiles.
Sony Group Corp. has confirmed its commitment to its mobile division for 2026, stating there will be "no change in status" for Xperia phones, following a challenging period for the division in 2025.
According to multiple sources, the company is developing two new models: the flagship Xperia 1 VIII and the mid-range Xperia 10 VIII. Reports have emerged from GSMA IMEI database entries, FCC filings, and leaks regarding the devices' specifications and launch timeline. A separate announcement has detailed the official launch of the Xperia 1 VIII for specific markets.
Corporate Confirmation and Market Strategy
- Official Statement: During a February 2026 earnings call, Sony's CFO Lin Tao stated there would be "no change in status" for Xperia phones, reaffirming the company's commitment to the mobile division after a difficult 2025.
- Market Position: Reports indicate Sony is pursuing a niche strategy targeting specific user groups, including creators, audiophiles, and cinephiles.
Development Indicators
- Database Entries: GSMA IMEI database entries have listed model variants for the Xperia 1 VIII (prefixes XQ-GE) and Xperia 10 VIII (prefixes XQ-GH), suggesting broad regional support.
- FCC Filing: The Sony Xperia 1 VIII has appeared in a filing on the website of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which can indicate a product is nearing release.
Reported Launch Timeline for Xperia 1 VIII
Note: Information from a Vietnamese Sony fan group on Facebook suggests the following timeline, though this source is not typically considered an official channel.
- Global Announcement: The device is reported to be unveiled globally in May (reports vary between 2024 and 2025 as the year).
- Market Release: A release in Vietnam is reported to follow in July (year varies by source).
Official Launch Announcement (Xperia 1 VIII)
An official announcement has confirmed the launch of the Xperia 1 VIII with the following details:
- Availability: Pre-orders are open in Europe, with a market release expected in June 2025.
- Regional Exclusions: No North American release is planned.
Key Features
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
- Display: 6.5-inch OLED.
- Rear Cameras: The main, ultrawide, and telephoto lenses are 48-megapixel. The telephoto lens uses a 1/1.56-inch-type sensor, reported to be approximately four times larger than the sensor in the previous model.
- Camera Design: Rear cameras are arranged in a square camera island.
- AI Camera Assistant: A new feature that provides suggestions for filters, framing, lens selection, and subject adjustment.
- Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack; full-stage stereo speakers tuned in collaboration with Sony Pictures and Sony Music.
- Battery: 5,000mAh with 30W charging.
- Storage & RAM: Up to 16GB RAM and 1TB internal storage.
- Expandable Storage: microSD slot.
- Durability: IP65/68 dust and water resistance rating.
- Software Support: Four years of OS updates and six years of security patches.
- eSIM Support: According to a leaker (Chunvn888), all variants of the Xperia 1 VIII are expected to include eSIM support. In contrast, the previous Xperia 1 VII model offered eSIM only on a specific European variant (XQ-FS54).
Pricing and Colors
- 12GB RAM / 256GB Storage: £1,399 / €1,499
- 16GB RAM / 1TB Storage: £1,849 / €1,999
- Colors: Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, Native Gold (the Native Gold color is an online exclusive).
Mid-Range Model: Xperia 10 VIII
The Xperia 10 VIII is reported to be in development but no official announcement or detailed specifications have been released. Leaked reports suggest the following potential features:
- Processor: Expected to utilize a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6-series processor.
- Display: A 6.1-inch OLED screen, potentially with a 120Hz refresh rate.
- Camera: A triple camera system.
- Key Attributes: The device is expected to focus on compact design, long battery life, a headphone jack, and expandable storage.
Discrepancies in Reporting
It is important to note that multiple sources providing information on the Xperia 1 VIII's launch timeline contain conflicting details. Specifically, the year for the putative global launch (May) and Vietnamese market release (July) is inconsistently reported across different articles, with some sources stating 2024 and others 2025. This information originated from a Vietnamese Sony fan group on Facebook, a source whose reliability is noted by some outlets as unconfirmed.