Sony has officially announced the Xperia 1 VIII, its latest flagship smartphone that brings a refreshed design, upgraded camera hardware, and new AI-powered photography features while continuing to retain many of the signature Xperia features long-time fans appreciate.
At first glance, the Xperia 1 VIII introduces one of the biggest visual changes to the Xperia lineup in recent years. Sony has moved away from its traditional vertical camera strip in favour of a larger square-shaped camera module, allowing the company to accommodate significantly upgraded camera hardware. Despite the redesign, the phone still retains practical features that have become increasingly rare on modern flagships, including a dedicated shutter button, front-facing stereo speakers, microSD card expansion, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Powering the Xperia 1 VIII is Qualcommโs latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset paired with Android 16, delivering flagship-level performance with improved efficiency. Sony claims the device is capable of lasting up to two days on a single charge with its 5000mAh battery, continuing the companyโs focus on endurance alongside multimedia capabilities.
The camera system is clearly the biggest highlight this year. Sony has upgraded all three rear cameras to 48MP sensors, including a heavily improved telephoto camera featuring a much larger 1/1.56-inch sensor. According to Sony, the larger sensor allows significantly better low-light performance, improved detail retention, and enhanced dynamic range, particularly for zoom photography and portrait shots.
Sony is also introducing a new AI Camera Assistant powered by Xperia Intelligence. The feature is designed to simplify photography by intelligently recommending lens selection, colour tones, and bokeh effects depending on the shooting scenario. Drawing from Sonyโs Alpha camera expertise, the AI system aims to help users capture more professional-looking images without requiring extensive manual adjustments.
On the multimedia side, the Xperia 1 VIII continues to feature a 6.5-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Sonyโs creator-focused colour tuning. Stereo speakers have also been enhanced with improved bass and a wider soundstage, reinforcing Xperiaโs long-standing positioning as a premium entertainment-focused smartphone.
The Xperia 1 VIII will be available in several new colours including Graphite Black, Garnet Red, Iolite Silver, and Natural Gold. Pricing in Europe reportedly starts from around ยฃ1,399 (RM6456) or โฌ1,499 (RM6918) depending on the configuration, though Sony has yet to announce Malaysian availability and pricing at the time of writing.
With the Xperia 1 VIII, Sony appears to be modernising the Xperia experience with stronger AI integration and a refreshed design, while still staying true to the enthusiast-focused features that continue to set Xperia devices apart from mainstream flagship smartphones.
