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Rumor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Sony IMX989 will team up to form the Android flagship smartphone combo to beat in 2023

The IMX989. (Source: Sony)
The IMX989. (Source: Sony)
The Xiaomi "13 Ultra" is currently believed to become the first premium smartphone to launch with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 top-end SoC and Sony's ground-breaking 1-inch sensor for mobile devices, the IMX989. However, according to a reliable source, it will hardly be the only device on the market with the same specs in the near future, a prospect that might allow its class-leading camera spec to start appearing in new devices starting at under US$600 in China before too long.
5G Android Leaks / Rumors Smartphone Phablet

According to the eminent leaker Digital Chat Station, Xiaomi has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered smartphone with the Sony IMX989 as a main image sensor ready to go. Given the latest rumors, this device might launch as the "13 Ultra", the top-end SKU of its upcoming flagship series. However, it may not have this unique combination of putative specs to itself for very long.

The tipster now also asserts that Xiaomi has no kind of monopoly on the sensor, and that 13-series rivals from different OEMs that also incorporate it with the 8 Gen 2 are on the way.

As for the IMX989 itself, Digital Chat Station also predicts the release of additional handsets with the sensor that will drop top-end processing specs to fall into the 3999-4999 yuan (~US$580-725) category instead.

One example of such a premium mid-ranger might be the rumored Honor X40 or X40 Pro, part of an allegedly upcoming Android smartphone series with extra-large main camera sensors as unique selling points.

The leaker has yet to hint at a release date for such devices, although a proliferation of 8 Gen 2/IMX989 flagships might help make the prospect a reality that much sooner.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2022 09 > Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Sony IMX989 will team up to form the Android flagship smartphone combo to beat in 2023
Deirdre O'Donnell, 2022-09- 3 (Update: 2022-09- 3)