Xperia 1 VIII is Sony’s latest camera nerd phone, but I’m wary of all the AI tuning
- Sony launched the Xperia 1 VIII featuring a redesigned raised camera island in four colors: Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, and Native Gold, with preorders beginning May 13 including a WH-1000XM6 headphone bundle.
- An exciting telephoto camera upgrade drives the redesign, with Sony claiming the 1/1.56-inch sensor is four times more powerful than its last-gen option, featuring an f/2.8 aperture and 70mm focal length for improved low-light shooting.
- Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor with 12GB or 16GB of RAM, the device introduces an AI Camera Assistant powered by Xperia Intelligence, providing creative guidance for users based on Sony's unique imaging philosophy.
- Software support includes four operating system upgrades and six years of security updates, trailing Samsung's seven-year commitment, while the phone runs Android 16 with up to 2TB expandable microSD storage.
- Pricing starts at £1,399 for the 256GB version in select markets, with the 1TB Native Gold variant costing £1,849; Sony targets Asia and Europe, declining to sell flagship Xperia phones in the United States.
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16 Articles
Photo: Courtesy Sony Sony officially introduced the new Sony Xperia 1 VIII, its flagship smartphone for 2026 that is committed to artificial intelligence, cameras inspired by the Alpha line and multimedia functions inherited from BRAVIA and WALKMAN. The device seeks to compete directly with the most advanced premium phones on the market thanks to a focus designed for content creators, photography lovers and users looking for a high-level multime…
As in the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the fast Snapdragon chip is also rolled out in the Xperia 1 VIII. Although the zoom is dropped, Sony buys two ports, which currently hardly offers a top phone. This article has been sorted under Sony, Technology, Sony: This is how long Xperia phones get Android updates.
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