Teaser of Xperia 1 VIII
The official unveiling is scheduled for tomorrow. The company is still keeping many details secret, but the teaser does make it clear that the Xperia 1 VIII will have a different camera layout from previous Xperia models.
Whereas Sony stuck to a vertical camera strip for years, the new device appears to be switching to a square camera island in the top-left corner. According to earlier renders, the three cameras will now be placed in a triangle. This is an obvious change for a brand that normally stays very consistent in its design.
The expected camera setup consists of a 16 mm ultra-wide-angle lens, a 24 mm standard lens and a 70 mm telephoto lens. With this, Sony continues to target users who value photography and video features.
On the front, on the other hand, little changes. According to rumours, the device will again get a flat 6.5-inch OLED screen with no notch or camera hole. That remains one of the standout features of the Xperia series, especially now that many other manufacturers are opting for notches in the screen.
The 3.5mm headphone jack also seems to remain just present. That may sound old-fashioned, but Sony has deliberately stuck to it for years. For lovers of wired audio, that is still a major plus point. In terms of price, the Xperia 1 VIII seems to once again be in the higher end. Earlier shop listings mentioned amounts towards 1900 euros, although that probably included additional accessories, such as a set of Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. This could mean that the price of the smartphone will be lower.
Sony has been taking its own approach with the Xperia line for some time. Instead of following as many trends as possible, the brand focuses mainly on screen quality, cameras and multimedia. This may make Xperia handsets less mainstream, but rather interesting for a specific group of users.
On 13 May, it will become clear how many of the rumours are true. At least one thing seems certain: Sony is visibly making more design changes this year than we have been used to in past generations.
