This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
Could this be the new Xperia 1 VIII? | Image by OnLeaks
I've been a Sony fan for ages, and my all-time favorite phone is still the Xperia Ray. But even I must admit that Sony is not killing it when it comes to smartphones lately.
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After the reboot in 2019 with the launch of the Xperia 1, the company has been on a real rollercoaster.
On one hand, we had things like the iconic 21:9 aspect ratio, microSD card slot, and an innovative variable zoom system. But on the other hand, the outdated design, niche features, far-from-polished UI, and steep price have been hindering Xperia sales for the past couple of years.
The mobile department turned a profit back in 2021 for the first time in almost five years, but later on the company had to axe the compact Xperia 5 line, and the flagship Xperia 1 model was also in a state of uncertainty.
The good news is that the Xperia 1 VIII will most likely make it to the stores around the world, judging by the latest leaks and rumors. But there are a couple of things Sony should fix if the Japanese company wants to keep the Xperia brand afloat.
Unmistakably Sony
Could this be the new Xperia 1 VIII | Image by OnLeaks
The biggest problem with Xperia phones is also their biggest strength, surprisingly. The design has always been very different from what modern smartphone trends dictate. It's like Xperia designers live in a vacuum chamber deep inside some Sony secret R&D lab, with no connection to the outside world.
It's a weakness because the smartphone world now follows trends, and brands move in unison more or less when it comes to design. As much as I like to see crazy, different, and unique designs, people don't like change and quickly get used to a certain design.
Whether it's the flat sides, the punch-hole camera, the glass sandwich, or even the way the UI looks, "different" often means strange, foreign, and something that requires a learning curve.
How would a modern Xperia phone look, then? That's a very tough question. But I feel the old angular design, as much as it's a Sony staple, appeals to a very small, very niche audience.
What areas should Sony improve in order for the Xperia phones to succeed?
Where's my Sony UI?
The Xperia UI has always been pretty vanilla | Image by PhoneArena
For generations Xperia phones proudly wore the flag of almost untouched vanilla Android. This had and still has merit, but the UI is part of the identity of many smartphone brands, and Sony lacks one at the moment.
To add insult to the injury, the software support is much shorter even on flagship Xperia 1 models, compared to the big competitors from Apple, Samsung, and Google. Some of the midrange models that cost three times less have longer support than the Xperia 1 devices. That's a real problem.
And to finish with the software side of things, there's almost no AI in Xperia models. Not one that you can actively use and communicate with. Sony says that it's all happening in the background (which might be the case), but this approach robs the brand of a huge marketing tool. And speaking of marketing…
Officially announced now, available in a couple of months' time
Waiting for the next Xperia phone to hit the stores | Image by Artsper Magazine
That heading might be a bit harsh, but one of the key issues with Xperia phones was the poor marketing decisions. There used to be (and still is to some extent) a big gap between the official announcement of the next Xperia flagship and the moment you could actually buy one and hold it in your hands.
In the most severe cases this gap was spanning several months. By the time the latest Xperia hit the stores, all the hype had died out, and people had long forgotten about the device. But even if hardcore Xperia fans were willing to wait, the next issue hit them like a ton of bricks.
Sony announces its Xperia 1 devices around May, and if this time around the Xperia 1 VIII hits the shelves a week later, this could make a real difference.
How much exactly!?
The base price of the Xperia 1 IV | Image by Sony USA
Sony flagships are notoriously expensive. One of the Xperia 1 iterations launched at $1,599, touching foldable phones' territory. Now, phones are expensive gadgets, no arguing here, but the price of most Xperia flagships drops almost like clockwork a couple of months after the initial release.
Why not start with a more aggressive and competitive pricing in the first place? Why wait to see abysmal sales figures to then try and mend the situation afterward?
It's an easy fix that won't cost much (however counterintuitive that might be). The Xperia 1 VIII could try it, as Sony might not have much to lose at this point.
Conclusion
Xperia phones hold a special place in my heart. They feature top hardware that many other brands license and use (Apple phones largely use Sony camera sensors, for example). I also genuinely believe that the smartphone world will be a better one with Xperia in it.
The Xperia 1 VIII could fix all this with a couple of simple steps. Try using a more modern design (just to see where this would lead), get up to date with the software (both support and UI), and lower the prices at launch.
What do you think are the areas Sony should improve in order for the Xperia smartphones to become a hit?
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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