Xperia 1 III release date possibly delayed and camera configuration reveals Samsung to Sony sensor switch
Although Sony officially launched the Xperia 1 III back in April, anxious fans have still not been able to get their hands on the device yet. The press release at the time of launch simply offered a time frame of “this summer” in regard to shipping the smartphone to customers in the US, while other markets would likely be around the same time. Sometime in June or July would have been a fair estimate, but it now seems possible future Sony Xperia 1 III owners will have to wait a bit longer.
According to a screenshot shared on Reddit, the Sony Xperia 1 III could be released by the end of summer. A customer service rep for the company in Sweden offered up a specific release date for that country at least: August 31. It’s likely going to be the same deal for the rest of Europe and the US, with AndroidNext pointing out that a Swedish press release for the Xperia 1 III originally stated “the beginning of summer” for purchase availability.
In the meantime, the camera configuration details for the Xperia 1 III have been shared thanks to a leaked image taken from a retail demonstration unit. Four of the five sensors are identical to those found on the Xperia 1 II:
- Front: Samsung ISOCELL S5K4H7
- Rear: Sony Exmor RS IMX557 (wide)
- Rear: Sony Exmor RS IMX363 (ultra wide)
- Rear: Sony IMX316 (ToF)
However, Sony has decided to switch out the telephoto sensor, which was a Samsung ISOCELL S5K3T2 in the predecessor, and replace it with a camera from its own range: the Sony IMX663. According to at least one source, this could be considered a reasonable improvement for the Xperia 1 III, especially when taking photos in low light.
