The Xperia Z, released in 2013, wasn't the first Xperia, but it was definitely one of the most memorable ones and arguably helped shape future flagship offerings from Sony. Since then, Sony has changed its branding several times, initially to the Xperia X line and then to a number-based naming scheme, but even through those rebrands, Sony devices have kept their DNA. If you think a new Sony phone is for you, and you've been waiting on new 2022 models for your next phone purchase, you're in luck — the Xperia event is on the horizon.

The company has confirmed (via GSMArena) that a new Xperia product announcement will occur on May 11. At that event, we're expecting to see the unveiling of the Xperia 1 IV, its next flagship. We've been getting leaks for some time about that phone, and the event tagline asks us if we're ready for "the next ONE" after showing a slideshow of previous Xperia 1 phones. That's one not-so-subtle hint to the Xperia 1 IV if I've ever seen one.

If rumors and leaks end up being accurate, this should be a mostly identical device to the Xperia 1 III, changing things like the frame and some internals. For example, we expect this phone will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

We've also seen leaks for other upcoming Sony phones, like the Xperia 5 IV and the 10 IV. Just like in previous years, the former is expected to be a smaller phone with an equally powerful flagship chip, while the latter will be its offering for the mid-range space. It's logical to think that those phones could also be announced at that event, but at least for now, Sony is only teasing the 1 IV, so that's the phone you should expect.

You can tune into Sony's event on May 11 at 4 PM Japanese time, 9 AM in Central European Time, and 3 AM in standard Eastern time. Oddly, that's the same date as Google I/O 2022 kicks off, so expect a variety of tech announcements over that day.