Sony Xperia 1 VIII spotted with earlier than expected release on the cards
It seems that rumours that Sony was preparing to update the Xperia 1 series were true. To recap, Qualcomm confirmed in October that Sony was one of the Android OEMs that had signed up to use its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, as well as Samsung, Xiaomi and OnePlus, among others.
While Sony did not elaborate further, various signs emerged in the months afterwards to suggest that the company was developing not just the Xperia 1 VIII but also the Xperia 10 VIII. However, it was not until the start of this month that Xperia 1 VIII render images emerged online. Now, The Walkman Blog has spotted Sony certifying a new smartphone with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US.
Currently, we cannot verify whether 'PY7-30515Z' relates to the Xperia 1 VIII or the Xperia 10 VIII. Sony's release schedule indicates that PY7-30515Z is more likely the former than the latter though, with the Xperia 10's annual refresh only occurring in September 2025. Incidentally, the PY7-30515Z has appeared on the FCC about a month earlier than the Xperia 1 VII surfaced on the same platform.
As a result, we would not rule out Sony unveiling the Xperia 1 VIII before its predecessor's first birthday on May 13. Whether this translates into Xperia 1 VIII shipments beginning earlier in the year than the Xperia 1 VII is unclear for the time being, too. Setting that aside, the FCC confirms that Sony's new 5G and Wi-Fi 7 compatible smartphone retains a 3.5 mm jack. Reportedly, the Xperia 1 is set to receive a full redesign for its eighth generation.
Source(s)
FCC via The Walkman Blog
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