Sony will soon be releasing a new flagship smartphone which is expected to be named Xperia 1 IV. Here’s everything we know about it so far, from camera hardware to performance specs and more.
We dubbed the Sony Xperia 1 III “one of the most interesting phones” we’ve reviewed in 2021, and it was named one of the best Android phones of the year. No wonder, then, that there is so much interest in the launch of its successor, known for the time being as the Sony Xperia 1 IV.
In the article below we’ve gathered all the available information about the device ahead of its launch, so read on to find out what Sony could be coming up with as a fourth – including the latest rumors on camera tech, internal specs and more.
release date
So far, the only rumor we have regarding the launch date suggests that May 2022. Sourced from a reliable leaker on Chinese social media site Weibo (via Notebook Check), it appears to be at least a reasonable guess based on previous entries in the series. Here’s where the previous three handsets were announced:
Note that you may not be able to buy the devices for a few months after they are released. The Xperia 1 III wasn’t available until August, four months after it was announced.
design
One thing that sets Sony’s latest smartphone collection apart from the competition more than anything else is its distinctive design. With a 21:9 aspect ratio that’s said to be ideal for widescreen content, and retaining a 3.5mm headphone jack and SD card slot, it’s clear why it won over some fans.
However, according to Twitter tipster The Galox, something about this design could change in the next iteration of the series. With no further details other than “improved design,” we’ll just have to be on the lookout for more rumors ahead of launch, but this points to an unexpected shock.
camera
The aforementioned Weibo source gave us some information about the camera system of Sony’s next smartphone: the ultrawide sensor appears to be completely unchanged, but the telephoto and main wide-angle snappers are said to both receive upgrades.
Sony Xperia 1 III camera module
In our review, we described the Sony Xperia 1 III’s ultrawide sensor as “good, if not quite as sharp as some of the competition,” so we were hoping it would be picked up again. Our most urgent request, however, would be for the Xperia 1 IV to improve its low-light shooting, so there’s still hope for significant improvement in that department.
performance
Sony’s previous flagships have all come with Qualcomm’s latest top-of-the-line Snapdragon chipset, so it’s hardly surprising that the same is being rumored for the Xperia 1 IV.
Apparently it will arrive with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 on board, so it should be able to deliver strong performance; In addition, it should have at least 12 GB of RAM and a maximum of 16 GB.
battery
The other spec we got an early hint about is the battery, and this is where big improvements could be made. According to reports, not only will the capacity be increased (by 500 mAh for a total of 5,000 mAh), but it seems that the charging system will also be revised. This time we can expect 45W fast charging (instead of 30W) and the device is also said to support Qi wireless charging.