Huge Sony Xperia 1 IV price cut gives credence to rumor that Xperia 1 V may match Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra price tag

There have been some iffy Sony Xperia 1 V leaks and rumors appearing lately, and one of the latest is in regard to the potential price tag. There has been a report about the Xperia 1 V price before, with a post suggesting that lower “production costs” meant Sony had the option to launch the 2023 Xperia 1 at a cheaper starting point. For those not in the know, arguably the worst facet about any premium Xperia flagship is its inevitable sky-high price tag. However, a new rumor claims that Sony USA wants to target the “same level as the S23 Ultra”, which would likely mean a price cut for that particular market:

Confirmed Sony USA is readjusting the price of the Xperia 1 V to the same level as the S23 Ultra. This means a significant price reduction from the previous model, at least in the states. [sic]

The poster of this price claim (supposedly Reddit via SumahoDigest), even goes as far as saying the price change is “confirmed”. This does bring up the question of how Sony USA’s executives know what the official prices are for the Samsung Galaxy S23 range, but presumably they just read the rumors and leaks like everybody else for now. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is expected to have a starting price of US$1,199.99, which makes it look like a bargain in comparison to the Sony Xperia 1 IV that was launched at a price of US$1,599.99. If Sony wants to remain competitive in the market and place its spectacular smartphones into more hands, then it will have to refrain from launching the Xperia 1 V at a massively increased price.

While a Sony Xperia 1 V with a launch price of US$1,199.99 seems unlikely, a recent official price cut of the Xperia 1 IV does lend some weight to the idea that Sony might be prepared to finally make its latest Mark 1 Xperia more attractive to a wider audience by possibly keeping it under US$1,500. The Xperia 1 IV is currently priced at US$1,199.99 via the official Sony US store, which is a generous reduction of 25% (US$400) from the previous list price of US$1,599.99. This may also indicate that an Xperia 1 V announcement is incoming, with Sony wanting to shift as many units of the predecessor before launching the 2023 iteration. The Xperia 1 V is rumored to feature minimal design changes but one of the most intriguing leaks about the phone is that it could sport an ultra-micro-hole camera on the front.

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