technology
Sony Launches Xperia 1 VIII With Larger 48MP Sensor and Square Camera Module
The Xperia 1 VIII marks the first major aesthetic change to Sony's flagship line since 2020, featuring a chunky square camera module and a significantly larger telephoto sensor. The device launches in Europe and Asia starting at £1,399 but will not be sold in North America. It includes upgraded cameras with AI assistance, new speakers and a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.
May 13, 5:41 AM·2m read1 source
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Sony released the Xperia 1 VIII smartphone, the first in its flagship line to depart from the vertical camera arrangement that has defined the series since 2020. The new model features a chunky square camera island. The three lenses are laid out in a square block together with the flash and a Sony logo.
This raised island slopes toward the phone's edge. The Xperia 1 VIII is available in black, silver, red, and gold colors. The gold color is exclusive to Sony’s online store. A subtle texturing appears on the camera island, the frosted glass back and the aluminum edges, along with a knurled finish on the dedicated camera shutter button.
Sony retained several signature features. 5mm headphone jack, a microSD slot and a combined IP65/68 resistance rating.
The most substantial hardware change sits behind the new camera island. 56-inch-type, almost four times larger than the Xperia 1 VII’s sensor. 8 aperture and 48-megapixel resolution.
To accommodate the larger sensor, Sony dropped continuous optical zoom, a feature present on its last four flagships. The main and ultrawide cameras are both 48-megapixel and unchanged from the previous model. Software improvements accompany the hardware.
The Xperia 1 VIII has a new RAW multi-frame processing pipeline, improved bokeh and updated macro shooting incorporated into the default camera mode that supports autofocus. It also features an AI camera assistant that suggests filters, framing, lens choice and fine-tuned tweaks such as brightening the photo’s subject but not its background.
