Sony Xperia 1 III goes on sale in China while Japan's NTT Docomo confirms a high price tag is incoming for the rest of the world

Xperia fans around the world looking forward to getting their hands on the newest flagship from Sony better be prepared to part with a princely sum for the phone. The Xperia 1 III price has not been officially revealed in key markets such as the US and Europe yet, but it has been listed for buyers in China and now Japan. Of course, you have to take into account the regional market differences, taxes, logistics, etc. when it comes to smartphone pricing, but you can bet your bottom dollar the Sony Xperia 1 III is going to go for top dollar.

The Xperia 1 III is now on sale in China in two storage configurations: 256 GB and 512 GB. The entry-level device costs 8,449 yuan (US$1,334/€1,090/£938) while the higher-end model, which comes in black and purple colors whereas the cheaper model only comes in black, has a price tag of 9,499 yuan (US$1,491/€1,218/£1,048). Meanwhile, in Japan, the Docomo company has listed a price of 154,440 yen (US$1,411/€1,153/£992) for the 256 GB version of the Sony Xperia 1 III. There’s also a note stating that the phone is scheduled for release after July, and customers in Japan can plump for a grey-colored model in addition to black and purple.

So around the US$1,400-1,500 mark seems likely as a price tag for the Xperia 1 III further afield, with an end-of-August release date for markets such as North America and Europe also seeming more probable now. The 2021 Sony flagship certainly offers a lot to interest a prospective owner, such as its 4K 120 Hz OLED display, Snapdragon 888 processor, and variable telephoto lens (70 mm – 105 mm), but considering the state of the smartphone market and the increased competition at the premium end from OEMs such as Xiaomi that can be more aggressive with their pricing, ~US$1,500 might be simply too much to ask.

Buy the Sony Xperia 1 II on Amazon