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Over the past few years, Sony has aligned mobile efforts with its focus on the camera-to-viewership pipeline. Now, we have clearer ideas of what the Japanese manufacturer will show off in its product launch event tomorrow.
Sony begins its Android 11 rollout with Xperia 1 II update
Right on schedule... three months after release
Sony used to be one of the quickest manufacturers around when it came to releasing major Android updates, but the company has definitely slowed down in recent years. Sony didn't start rolling out Android 10 until December of last year, and now its Android 11 schedule is starting off on the same foot.
Sony shares timeline for bringing Android 11 to its latest Xperia phones
The rollout will start next month
When Android 11 was officially released back in August, it brought a lot of neat new features to phones. But as usual, the update hasn't rolled out to many existing handsets yet due to how different OEMs handle the upgrade process. Now Sony fans have something to look forward to, as the company has announced when a few Xperia devices will begin to see Android 11's goodies headed their way.
As smartphones have converged on the "flat glass slab" form factor, companies like Samsung and OnePlus have risen to the top. Sony, on the other hand, has not. The $1,200 Sony Xperia 1 II is the company's latest attempt to sell you a phone, but it feels more like a vanity project for Sony than a viable product. It's got dazzling specifications, but that's not enough to make a phone competitive these days.
Sony Xperia 1 II now available in the US for $1,198, bundled with WF-1000XM3 buds
B&H is the only retailer that has it in stock
There are a few unusual things about the Xperia 1 II, including the super-tall display and the stupid name, but arguably the most unusual thing is the price. Back when B&H first put the One-Two up for pre-order, we were amazed at that $1,198 price, and thought that Sony might be reconsidering the price when the number was taken down. However, Sony confirmed that price a few days later, though it did mention it'd be throwing in a free pair of WF-1000XM3s for pre-orders.The Xperia 1 II is definitely expensive, but it at least has flagship-level specs. It has a massive 21:9 4K OLED display, a 5G-enabled Snapdragon 865, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage with microSD expansion, a triple rear camera setup, and a 4,000mAh battery with USB-PD charging. It also has an IP65/68 rating and a headphone jack with hi-fi audio. Part of the reason the price is so high is no doubt the 5G development cost, but at least Sony is throwing in a pair of WF-1000XM3 noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds, which go for 8 if purchased separately, in your choice of black or silver.
Sony no longer offering WH-1000XM3 headphones as part of Xperia 1 II orders in Europe and UK
You'll have to settle for a cheaper freebie instead
When pricing for the Xperia 1 II was announced last month, a lot was made of its high $1,200 price tag in the US, with some hoping it was a mistake. Sony confirmed that this was no error, but in line with Sony's pricing in recent years, its latest flagship makes more sense as a purchase in other regions. In Europe, where it retails for €1,200/£1,100, pre-order offers have included a free pair of the excellent WH-1000XM3 ANC over-ear headphones, but they've all run out now so the deal has been downgraded to include a cheaper set.
Sony confirms an ambitious Xperia 1 II $1,200 price tag, shipping July 24
Pre-order through June 28 get free WF-1000XM3 ANC earbuds to take the sting away
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The Xperia 1 II, with its 4K HDR OLED display and 5G-capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, is going to cost every penny we thought we would and a couple dollars more. Customers who intend on reserving a device in the month of June will find themselves handsomely rewarded when the phone finally ships on July 24 — yep, that's going to be a while from now.
Sony pulls down outrageous pricing for Xperia 1 II just a day after it went up — could it get lowered?
B&H had listed the phone at $1,198
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It's been a while since Sony introduced us to its 5G-capable Xperia 1 II — maybe the past 3 months have just been a huge mic check one, two for the company. However, that phone has come back into the spotlight at B&H Photo where the retailer is accepting pre-orders and displaying quite the dear price for it.
Sony unveils 5G flagship Xperia 1 II and mid-range Xperia 10 II (Update: Xperia Pro with HDMI input)
The company’s flagship has a headphone jack again
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- Sony is not yet sharing any details about US availability nor pricing, but we have learned that it intends to sell the Xperia 1 II for just about €1,200 in Europe, making our wishes for a sub-$1,000 price tag seem pretty darn unlikely.
Sony's smartphone design language has long stagnated, but last year, the company stepped up its game with the Xperia 1 and 10, coming with 21:9 displays and slightly more rounded corners than Xperia devices of old. Today, the company has released the follow-ups for these two phones, the Xperia 1 II and 10 II (speak: Xperia 1 mark 2), stepping up both handsets' cameras and resurrecting the headphone jack on the high-end device. It's also Sony's first to come with 5G.