Sony has been making smartphones since 2008, and it’s set to continue that run with its latest Xperia 1 flagship.
Called the Xperia 1 VIII, it’s the first visual refresh for Sony smartphones in some time. It starts with the cameras, which now live in a square block instead of a vertical island.
Those cameras comprise of a 48-megapixel main sensor, 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor. The telephoto sensor in particular got a lot of love this time around, with the 1/1.56-inch-type sensor much larger than what you’ll find on an iPhone or Galaxy smartphone.
As with other smartphones, the cameras on the Xperia 1 VIII also get an infusion of AI. The camera app suggests different filter options based on the environment you’re in. It also suggests how to frame your shot and whether to use the main, ultrawide, or telephoto sensor.
All of these suggestions show up before you take a photo, but you can turn it all off if it’s too annoying.
Other upgrades include the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, and new stereo speakers. The 5,000mAh battery remains the same as its predecessor, but optimizations should help you squeak out a bit more use.
The Xperia 1 VIII starts at 1,499 euros (~$1,765) for the version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Although it’s available in Europe and Asia, there are no plans for a North America launch.
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