A number of OEMs had scheduled smartphone launches at the MWC 2020. However, the unfortunate cancellation of the event led to delays in phone launches.
Sony, on the other hand, hasn’t let the cancellation affect them. The Japanese phone maker has launched Xperia 1 II (read Xperia 1 Mark 2) with major upgrades under the hood. Even though the design appears to be the same as the original Xperia 1, Sony has made small but meaningful changes that improve the experience.
Design & Display
Design-wise, the smartphone looks pretty much like its predecessor, and the only difference is the placement and size of the camera aisle and more importantly, the reduction in bezel size. At the back, the Xperia 1 II comes with a quad-sensor rear camera vertically stacked on the camera housing at the left. Two LED flashlights are positioned above the aisle. It will be available in black and purple colors.
On the display front, the OEM has decided to go with Xperia 1-like 6.5-inch screen size featuring a 21:9 aspect ratio. The company has ditched the notch again and has kept true to the good old bezels to house the earpiece and selfie camera. The OLED display has 4K resolution and will come with Motion Blur Reduction, which, according to Sony, will provide the same benefits as a 90 Hz refresh rate display.
Internals
As for the innards, the Xperia 1 II will be powered by a Snapdragon 865 processor topped with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB onboard storage. It will also come with stereo front speakers, Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio, and even has an audio jack that is a pleasant addition as compared to its predecessor. Other than this, the spec sheet also mentions features like 21:9 gaming support, DualShock 4 direct connection, Elite Gaming, and Game Enhancer.
On the software front, it will ship with Android 10 with light customizations from Sony.
Cameras
This flagship will boast a quad-sensor rear camera with a 12 MP 16mm 1/2.6” sensor with Dual-PD autofocus as the main sensor joined by a 12MP 24mm 1/1.7” sensor, another 12 MP sensor, and a 3D ToF sensor. All the sensors are calibrated by ZEISS and have a ZEISS T* coating hence the camera comes with improved features like Real-time Eye Autofocus and 20fps AF/AE tracking burst. The selfie camera, on the other hand, is a mere 8 MP lone shooter.
Other than this, the smartphone also comes with a new app called Photography Pro that works similar to the Cinema Pro app that came with Sony Xperia 1. However, this one is for coming up with professional looking pictures.
Battery and Pricing
The smartphone will be backed by a 4000 mAh with wireless charging support. The smartphone will start shipping by late spring 2020 and the pricing details are yet to be confirmed.
Sony Xperia 1 II and Xperia 10 II specifications
| Specifications | Sony Xperia 1 II |
| CPU | Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 585 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 585) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (7 nm+) |
| OS | Android 10 |
| Networks | 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, 5G |
| Display | OLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 6.5 inches, 1644 x 3840 pixels resolution, 21:9 aspect ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass 6, Motion Blur Reduction |
| Memory | 8GB/256GB |
| Camera | Primary: 12 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP + 3D ToF |
| Selfie: 8 MP | |
| Connectivity | LTE, USB type-C, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, |
| Fingerprint scanner | Side-mounted |
| Battery | 4000 mAh |
| Price | N/A |
