Sony unveils Xperia 1 VIII

Sony has announced the Xperia 1 VIII, its latest flagship smartphone focused on photography, audio, and AI-powered camera features.

The device introduces a new AI Camera Assistant powered by Xperia Intelligence. Sony said the feature can suggest color tones, lens options, and bokeh effects depending on the scene and subject.

The Xperia 1 VIII also features an upgraded telephoto camera with a larger 1/1.56-inch sensor. Sony says all three rear cameras support improved low-light performance and enhanced dynamic range.

The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and supports up to two days of battery life. Sony also retained features such as the dedicated camera shutter button and 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Xperia 1 VIII comes in Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, and Native Gold color options.

Pricing and availability

• 12GB + 256GB – €1,499 / £1,399
• 16GB + 1TB – €1,999 / £1,849

Sony said pre-orders begin on May 13 in select markets. Pre-orders will include Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones in participating regions.

No Philippine pricing and availability have been announced.

Sony Xperia 1 VIII specs:
6.5-inch LTPO OLED
2340 x 1080 resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
120Hz refresh rate
HDR BT.2020
Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
3nm octa-core processor
Adreno 840 GPU
12GB / 16GB RAM
256GB / 512GB / 1TB UFS storage
microSDXC card support
Triple rear cameras:
48MP f/1.9 main camera, OIS
48MP f/2.8 periscope telephoto, OIS, 3.5x-7.1x zoom
48MP f/2.0 ultrawide
12MP front camera
Dual nano-SIM + eSIM
5G, 4G LTE
Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth 6.0
GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
NFC
USB Type-C 3.2
3.5mm headphone jack
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
IP65/IP68 dust and water resistance
Android 16
Up to 4 major Android upgrades
5000mAh battery
30W wired charging
15W wireless charging
Reverse wireless charging?
162 x 74 x 8.3 mm
200g
Graphite Black, Iolite Silver. Garnet Red. Native Gold