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The Sony Xperia 1 VI is now official. Sony’s new flagship smartphone. The device was announced today, during the company’s press event in Japan. Thanks to a bevy of leaks, we knew exactly what to expect out of it. The timing is kind of unfortunate, as it’s in the middle of Google I/O. We don’t really get Sony’s logic there, but it is what it is.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI has been announced, and it includes a new display aspect ratio
The new Xperia flagship makes one notable design change. It has a different display aspect ratio than its predecessor. This one comes with a 19.5:9 display, compared to 21:9 panels in the years prior. Sony seems to be moving away from the 21:9 display aspect ratio, at least on its flagships. This handset measures 162 x 74 x 8.2mm, and weighs 192 grams.
With that being said, the phone itself looks basically like the Xperia 1 V. It still has that understated design without a display camera hole or anything like that. It’s made out of metal and glass and has flat sides all around. Its front and back sides are also flat.
There is the indented pattern on the sides, for grip purposes, and all the physical keys sit on the right-hand side. The power/lock button sits below the volume up and down keys, while the camera shutter is located further below. Do note that the fingerprint scanner is built into the power key.
Sony also traded a 4K display for a fullHD+ one
The Sony Xperia 1 VI also doesn’t come with a 4K display, unlike its predecessor. Sony opted to switch to a fullHD+ panel here. It’s a 6.5-inch LTPO AMOLED display that offers an adaptive refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz. It also offers a 240Hz touch sampling rate. As already mentioned, the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9, and the display is flat. HDR content is supported, and this panel is 1.5x brighter than the previous one.
The phone is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, as expected. Sony also includes Game Enhances and FPS Optimizer features, and you’ll also get a vapor chamber for cooling on this phone. Sony is offering 12GB and 16GB RAM variants (we’re not sure if both will launch globally), and that’s LPDDR5X RAM. In terms of storage, 256GB and 512GB storage models are on offer. The storage is also expandable.
Three cameras sit on the back of the phone, and ZEISS is included in the picture too
There are three cameras included on the back. The main one is a 48-megapixel unit with an Exmor T lens and ZEISS optics. It has a focal length that ranges from 24mm to 48mm. A 12-megapixel ultrawide camera is also here, with a 16mm lens equivalent. The third camera on the back is a 12-megapixel telephoto unit with telemacro capability. In terms of focal lengths, it covers everything from 85mm to 170mm.
A 5,000mAh battery sits on the inside here, while the phone supports both wired and wireless charging. We’re still not sure about the exact charging details, but it’s possible that aspect remains unchanged compared to the Xperia 1 V (30W wired, 15W wireless). Android 14 comes pre-installed on the device. Sony is guaranteeing 3 major OS updates and 4 years of security updates.
Stereo speakers are included, as is an audio jack
The Xperia 1 VI does come with a set of stereo speakers. It supports 360 Reality Audio, Hi-Res Audio, Hi-Res Audio Wireless, DSEE Ultimate, and LDAC. Snapdragon Sound is also supported, and there’s even an audio jack at the top of the phone. The phone is also IPX5/IPX8/IP6X certified. It’s water and dust-resistant.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI was announced in Black, Khaki Green, Platinum Silver, and Scar (red) colors. The last color will remain exclusive to Japan. The Sony Xperia 1 VI will become available to purchase from early June for €1399 / £1299.
