(Pocket-lint) – We’ve already seen phone launches from the likes of Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus and even Apple this year, but we’re still waiting on Sony Mobile and additions to its Xperia line.
With a successor to the Sony Xperia 1 III expected, here is everything we have heard so far. Rumours are calling it the Xperia 1 IV, though there has been the suggestion that Sony might change up its name strategy again so while Xperia 1 IV is what we are referring to it as in this feature, it might be called something else when it arrives.
Either way, this is what we know so far about Sony’s next Xperia flagship.
Sony Xperia 1 IV release date
Rumours have claimed the Sony Xperia 1 IV will arrive in May 2022, which is a little later in the year than its predecessor did.
The Sony Xperia 1 III was announced in April 2021, though it wasn’t available to order until July 2021 and it didn’t ship until August 2021. The Xperia 1 II meanwhile, was announced in February 2020 so there isn’t really a set timeline for the flagship Xperia devices anymore.
In terms of price, it has been reported that the Xperia 1 IV will cost between $1400 and $1600.
Sony Xperia 1 IV design
- Tall and slim
- Flat edges
- IP68
- Black, Matte Green
Sony hasn’t changed up the design for its flagship Xperia smartphones too much in the last couple of years. Since the move to the 21:9 aspect ratio, we’ve seen long, slim and narrow devices across the range.
Leaked renders of the Xperia 1 IV show flat edges, bezels at the top and bottom of the display and a neat, pill-shaped vertical camera housing on the rear – far more inconspicuous than its competitors.
The physical fingerprint sensor within the power button appears to be present for the Xperia 1 IV again, along with a dedicated camera button. The often-omitted 3.5mm headphone jack also appears to be there, but it looks like the Google Assistant button won’t be.
Sony has long offered IP68 water and dust resistance on its devices – long before others did – so we’d expect this for the Xperia 1 IV, along with a glass back and metal frame.
It’s claimed the colour options will be Black and Matte Green.
Sony Xperia 1 IV display
- 6.5-inches, LTPO?
- 21:9 aspect ratio
- 4K, 120Hz, HDR
Based on the reports, the Sony Xperia 1 IV will have a 6.5-inch display, which is the same as the Xperia 1 III. It’s said it will be an LTPO display and it is expected to have a 21:9 aspect ratio again, like previous versions of the Xperia 1 offer.
Resolution hasn’t been mentioned but Sony steered clear of the Quad HD+ trend, moving straight to a 4K resolution on its flagship smartphones so we would expect the same from the Xperia 1 IV.
We’d also expect a 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR.
Sony Xperia 1 IV hardware and specs
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- 12GB/16GB RAM
- 5000mAh battery
- 30W or 45W charging
It’s been claimed the Sony Xperia 1 IV will run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which would make sense. Sony has long been a Qualcomm supporter, using its flagship chipsets in its devices so opting for the SD 8 Gen 1 in the Xperia 1 IV is very plausible.
There’s said to be 12GB and 16GB of RAM variants, as well as 256GB and 512GB storage, with microSD likely supported. A 5000mAh battery is also claimed to be under the hood of the Xperia 1 IV, though there are contradicting reports surrounding the fast charging support capabilities.
Some rumours claim the Xperia 1 IV will offer 30W fast charging, like the Xperia 1 III, while others have said the new flagship will bump this up to 45W.
Sony Xperia 1 IV camera
There aren’t many rumours surrounding the Xperia 1 IV cameras at the moment, but it has been said there will be a telephoto sensor on board.
The Xperia 1 III has a triple 12-megapixel setup, so it’s possible the Xperia 1 IV will follow suit, but at the moment, we don’t know.
Sony Xperia 1 IV rumours: What’s happened so far?
This is everything we have heard so far about the Sony Xperia IV.
19 April 2022: Sony Xperia 1 IV leaks hint at price, design features and name change
A number of leaks surrounding the Xperia 1 IV have been rounded up by NotebookCheck, including information on the name of the device, price and some of the design aspects and specs.
28 February 2022: Leaked Sony Xperia 1 IV renders reveal all
Leaker OnLeaks in partnership with GizNext, presented a detailed look at the upcoming Sony Xperia 1 IV.
Along with the renders, a number of other key specs were detailed in the leak.
And here comes your very first look at the #Sony #Xperia1IV! (360° video + stunning 5K renders + dimensions) #FutureSquad
On behalf of @GizNext -> https://t.co/fzIpWA09tE pic.twitter.com/qu976w90aJ
— Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) February 28, 2022
31 January 2022: Sony Xperia 1 IV launching in May with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, fast charging?
Leaker ZackBucks on Weibo claimed the Sony Xperia 1 IV could be revealed in May 2022, and a number of specifications were revealed.
Writing by Britta O’Boyle.
