Massive Sony Xperia 1 VI leak uncovers details on its battery, camera and more

Summary

• Sony’s Xperia 1 VI is shifting focus to a more mainstream audience with changes like a new screen aspect ratio and improved camera interface.
• The Sony Xperia 1 VI will feature three cameras on the back with various focal lengths and advanced technology for content creation.
• Expect the Sony Xperia 1 VI to come with a high-capacity battery, improved display, and powerful internals geared towards professional and gaming usage.

Sony’s flagship Xperia 1 series of smartphones has always been a point of contention among Android fans. Its 2024 flagship — the Sony Xperia 1 VI — doesn’t seem to want to change that, as per a new leak. Ahead of its May 17 launch, a bunch of official-looking marketing images have surfaced, leaving little to the imagination.

The company’s hyper-focus on creating a phone tailored for professional users hasn’t particularly sat well with the rest of the industry. Sony seems to be taking a few steps in a different direction with the Xperia 1 VI, with changes such as a more mainstream screen aspect ratio and an easier camera interface. However, we will have to wait until next week to find out what the final positioning will be.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t make a few guesses. Notable leaker Evan Blass took to X to share some more details of the Sony Xperia 1 VI, specifically in areas such as the camera, screen, and battery (via Android Authority). Here’s what we learned.

Sony’s Xperia 1 VI is all about the content — whether creating or consuming

The photography-focused Sony Xperia 1 VI will have three cameras on the back, covering a range of focal lengths. The primary sensor will be capable of 2x lossless digital zoom, while the ultra-wide lens will have a 16mm focal length. The unique telephoto lens with true optical zoom will once again be present, covering the 3.5–7x zoom ranges. It will have Zeiss optics as well as Sony’s Exmor T for Mobile stack.

The display will come with Bravia tuning (borrowed from the TV division) as well as a Sony Pictures Core processor. Unlike previous models in the series, the Sony Xperia 1 VI is expected to move away from a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio for the screen. There should also be an improvement in the panel’s brightness, touch sampling rate, and variable refresh rate. On the audio front, it will offer wired and wireless Hi-res output, 360° spatial sound, LDAC, and DSEE Ultimate. As always, the headphone jack is still around, making it a complete content consumption experience. Interestingly, we also notice a higher emphasis on the gaming experience in these images.

The battery on the Sony Xperia 1 VI is rated at 5,000mAh with support for reverse wireless charging as well. There’s also an indication of some cooling structure, but it’s unclear if it’s a vapor chamber or something like a graphite sheet.

Other expected specifications include a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 at its heart with 12GB of RAM. We could see some integration with Sony smart TVs or the PlayStation as well.

The Sony Xperia 1 V had a launch price of $1,400 — putting it in the ultra-premium smartphone segment. We will find out next week if the Sony Xperia 1 VI is any cheaper, thanks to its choice of components, or if it will continue to be a niche offering.