Sony Unveils Xperia 1 VIII with Design Overhaul

Sony unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 VIII, featuring a major design overhaul and enhanced camera capabilities tailored for photographers and videographers. The device, announced in May 2026, is now available for preorder in Europe and Asia, with a planned release in June.

The Xperia 1 VIII introduces a square camera module on the rear, replacing the vertical arrangement of prior models. This raised, sloping island houses a triple 48-megapixel setup: a 16mm ultrawide with f/2.0 aperture, a 24mm main Exmor T sensor with f/1.9 aperture and Hybrid OIS/EIS stabilization, and a 70mm telephoto with a 1/1.56-inch sensor that is four times larger than its predecessor. Officials highlighted RAW multiframe processing across all lenses to improve dynamic range and low-light noise reduction. A new AI Camera Assistant analyzes scenes to suggest optimal settings, such as lens selection, filters, color tones, and bokeh effects, drawing from Sony's Alpha camera "Creative Look" profiles. Users can disable the feature for manual control. The telephoto drops continuous optical zoom but gains better low-light performance and natural bokeh, with macro shooting now integrated...