Upcoming Sony press conference could introduce the Xperia XR smartphone

Sony has announced a press conference on September 1st 13:00 CEST on the day prior to the start of IFA 2016. The manufacturer is expected to announce at least one new smartphone and the latest rumors are calling it the Xperia XR. The rumors line up quite well with the recently leaked Xperia F8331 complete with clear pictures of the device courtesy of GSM Arena.

The so-called Xperia XR will likely come equipped with a 5.0-inch FHD panel, Snapdragon 820 SoC, and both USB Type-C and a standard 3.5 mm audio jack. Other details are unknown until Sony makes an official reveal of the device come next month. It is also unclear if Sony would position its new Xperia XR smartphone as a less expensive mainstream entry or as a part of the current flagship Xperia X series. Like Samsung and Xiaomi, Sony intends to focus on high-end smartphones with higher profit margins instead of cheaper offerings.

The Japanese manufacturer is currently struggling in key markets and sold its Vaio series of laptops to concentrate on fewer platforms moving forward. Its recent investment on a smartphone manufacturing plant in Thailand shows that Sony intends to stay in the smartphone market despite relatively slow sales compared to Samsung, Apple, and major Chinese competitors.

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