Leaked renders of Sony’s next flagship show a radical redesign

Nobody would’ve blamed Sony if it had quit the smartphone market after the horrible 2025, which brought disappointing sales and difficult issues with the Xperia 1 VII. However, the company was already confirmed to work on a new flagship, which has now leaked in surprising new renders.

Xperia 1 VIII may have a new camera design

Newly leaked renders of what is supposed to be the Xperia 1 VIII reveal that Sony could be preparing a big redesign for its flagship. However, the images, shared by user Super_Freak_ on Weibo, have gathered some controversy (translated source) because of some unusual details in the depiction of the device.

The most obvious change is the new square camera island on the back, which may replace the vertical layout of previous Sony flagships. One detail that has sparked questions about the authenticity of the renders are the several tiny holes around the camera lenses.

Another major departure from previous models is the noticeable punch-hole cutout for the front camera. That would be a significant change for Sony, as the company has chosen to stick to a camera inside the upper bezel of the device.

The big picture is likely authentic

Following the initial release of the images, the admin of a Vietnamese Sony fans Facebook group said that the renders were made to promote a case and don’t show the details about the Xperia 1 VIII design. Still, there will be a new camera island and a zoom camera with a much larger sensor than before.

This new sensor is the reason Sony may redesign the back of its flagship, but there’s no word about a redesign of the front of the device. The Vietnamese group admin has a good track record with previous leaks, so there’s a chance we’ll finally see Sony changing its phones.

No further details

The only other thing we’ve heard about Sony’s smartphone plans this year was the code numbers for what’s likely the Xperia 1 VIII and Xperia 10 VIII. Those are likely to launch across markets in Asia and Europe, but it’s unlikely to see them in the US.



If those renders are authentic, Sony could be among the very few smartphone brands that introduce design changes to their devices in 2026. Apple is expected to have a smaller Dynamic Island for the iPhone 18 Pro, and Google may change a small detail on the camera bar of the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro devices.

Waiting for the price

If Sony sticks to the same strategy as before and launches the Xperia 1 VIII at an exorbitant price, it’s unlikely to find more success than before. However, I won’t stop hoping for a comeback, and a major redesign is a good excuse to be unreasonably optimistic.

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