The Sony Xperia 1 V hasn't been unveiled, but with leaks, rumours and speculation beginning to surface, we're anticipating the flagship Android phone will appear in the not-too-distant future.
So what are the obvious things we can expect from the speculative Sony device? Going off the prior iterations including the Xperia 1 III and Xperia 1 IV, we're anticipating that trademark 21:9 4K display, top-of-the-line specs and a camera system that should appeal to amateurs and pros alike.
A recent leak including renders of the device (from OnLeaks and GreenSmartphones (opens in new tab)) has shed some light on what we can expect from the device, here's what to expect from the Sony Xperia 1 V...
Sony Xperia 1 V rumours at a glance
- Mostly unchanged design
- 6.5-inch 4K 120Hz display, 21:9 aspect ratio
- Headphone jack remains
- Expected to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Camera upgrades will form majority of the new features
Sony Xperia 1 V: release date rumours
Unlike Apple and Samsung Sony doesn't follow a strict pattern with its flagship phone launches. On top of that, Sony doesn't usually launch all of its Xperia 1s in Australia, so we'll just be looking at potential launch dates in the UK and the US.
Looking back to the Xperia 1 II, it was first announced in February 2020 and went on sale in June in the UK, and July in the States. Moving onto the 1 III, it was announced in April 2021 and didn't go on sale until August of that year in both the UK and the US. Finally, onto the most recent device, the 1 IV, it was announced in May and went on sale in June in the UK and then not until September of last year in the United States.
This makes it hard to predict the Xperia 1 V's release date, as Sony seems to be fairly fluid with its announcements and launch dates when it comes to these phones. Out of the three prior generations, the Spring launch, Summer release pattern comes up twice - could this be the same for the Xperia 1 V?
Sony Xperia 1 V: price predictions
The Xperia 1 line has slowly crept up in price over the years, generally going up by £100 year-on-year since the 1 II. The latest 1 IV cost £1299 / $1599 / around AU$2300, meaning we could either see the 1 V launch at the same price or perhaps slightly higher.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | UK pricing | US pricing |
| Xperia 1 II | £1099 | $1199 |
| Xperia 1 III | £1199 | $1300 |
| Xperia 1 IV | £1299 | $1599 |
Sony also seems to keep the previous models around for some time after the latest device launches, so we could see price reductions come to the Xperia 1 IV and possibly even the 1 III; both of which feature excellent specifications and are still great choices, as long as you don't mind having a phone that isn't the latest generation.
Sony Xperia 1 V: design
The Xperia 1 V hasn't been launched yet, but there have been plenty of leaks suggesting it won't be vastly different from its predecessor. The most legitimate looking come from OnLeaks and GreenSmartphones. Much like the previous devices in the range, this Xperia 1 features an uncanny resemblance to its predecessors.
The 1 V features the same flat aluminium rails and frosted glass back panel of the 1 IV, complete with a returning headphone jack (nice), USB-C connection and side-mounted combination lock button and fingerprint scanner, based on the leaks we've seen. You'll also find the same vertical camera stack, featuring a triple-lens array. Also returning is the SIM card and micro-SD tray which can be easily removed without the need for a SIM tray ejection tool - very handy.
According to the early "leaked" renders, this new Xperia 1 device will apparently be slightly smaller than the 1 IV, which should make this new Sony flagship slightly more pocketable and easier to navigate with one hand. It's not clear how Sony is planning to shave off some bulk from the phone's body, as it still seems to be sporting the same 6.5-inch display as the IV.
There do appear to be some other minor changes between the IV and V, such as Sony moving the camera flash into the camera housing for a general tidier look to the rear panel, as well as a slightly larger camera bump. Other than that, we anticipate another game of spot the difference when we get the Xperia V side-by-side with the Xperia IV.
Sony Xperia 1 V: specs
Like the latest Xperia 1, iPhone 14 and Galaxy S23 Ultra phones, the 1 V is expected to get a fairly big power boost.
We expect the Sony Xperia 1 V to use the latest and greatest processor from Qualcomm, which is of course the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. We recently used this processor in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and it provided lightning-fast performance, so the Sony should be a top performer if it features the chip. There is also a rumour that the Xperia 1 V will feature 16GB of RAM, which seems overkill for an Android phone.
Getting onto the camera, it looks like Sony will equip the 1 V with the same 12MP main and telephoto lenses, but it will upgrade the ultra-wide lens to 48MP. The front camera will most likely also come in at 12MP which is also carried over from the previous device.
Onto the Xperia 1's headlining feature, the display. We expect Sony to continue the trend of equipping these phones with one of the best displays on the market. That's a 6.5-inch OLED 4K 120Hz panel, which looks particularly stunning when combined with the Creator Mode display setting when we tested it on the 1 IV. We commended the Xperia 1 IV's display as its 21:9 aspect ratio and excellent overall performance makes it perfect for watching supported widescreen content.
Sony Xperia 1 V: name
Sony has opted for a fairly unintuitive naming schema for its various smartphones. The 1 signifies the top of the range, the 5 is an upper mid-range device and the 10 is a more budget-oriented option. Each of these is accompanied by a roman numeral signifying which version of the handset you're using - higher equals newer. Based on the previous models, we expect Sony to bestow the V moniker onto this device as it is indeed the fifth phone in the series.
- 2019 Sony Xperia 1
- 2020 Sony Xperia 1 II
- 2021 Sony Xperia 1 III
- 2022 Sony Xperia 1 IV
- 2023 Sony Xperia 1 V (speculative)
- 2024 Sony Xperia 1 VI (TBC)
Sony Xperia 1 V: early thoughts
The Xperia 1 V is looking like another spec bump iteration on an already fantastic device - much like the 1 IV's approach last year. With the past model offering a screen that's made to watch movies on and a host of AV-friendly features, we have high hopes for the 1 V.
However, there is always the possibility of a further price increase looming over this device. Considering the 1 IV is a premium device with a premium price tag to match this could make it an expensive option. An increase in price with minimal AV upgrades is certainly not our favourite combination, so stay tuned for our full review when the device finally launches.
MORE:
Read our full Sony Xperia 1 IV review
And check out our full review of the Sony Xperia 1 III
Read our list of the best Android phones
