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Sony Xperia 1 III renders look familiar, but it has some new tricks (Updated)
- Leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer shared renders of Sony’s upcoming Xperia 1 III flagship.
- He also said it will feature a slimmer body and periscope camera.
- The headphone jack and dual front-facing speakers will make a return, as well.
Update: February 3, 2021 (6:15 AM ET): After initial renders of the Sony Xperia 1 III broke cover last week, tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer has now released a 360-degree video. The brief clip gives us a more rounded view of the next Sony flagship. You can watch it in full below.
There’s still no word when Sony will announce its new range-topper, but Hemmerstoffer believes it will make its debut — with the Xperia 10 III and new Compact phone — in the next “few weeks.”
Original article: January 28, 2021 (11:57 AM ET): When Sony released the Xperia 1 II this past summer, it quickly stood out as one of the company’s best phones to date with its compelling mix of features, including 21:9 4K display, headphone jack and dual front-facing speakers as well as pro-oriented camera. So it should come as no surprise then that it looks like Sony plans to build on the Xperia 1 II instead of scrapping the design.
According to frequent leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer, who shared some early details on the upcoming Xperia 1 III as well as renders of the device, the main upgrade Sony fans can look forward to is a periscope camera for better quality telephoto shots. Otherwise, it looks like the phone will keep a lot of what made the Xperia 1 II unique. Like its predecessor, the phone will feature a 6.5-inch OLED display with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 4K resolution — though it doesn’t like a higher refresh rate is one of the planned upgrades. Hemmerstoffer says Sony has shaved down the frame with the new phone measuring in at 161.6 x 67.3 x 8.4mm. For context, the Xperia 1 II came in at 166 x 72 x 7.9mm. You’ll notice then Sony’s next handset is slightly thicker — likely on account of its periscope camera.
New to the outside of the phone is a dedicated shortcut key borrowed from the Xperia Pro. But as you can see from the renders, that won’t come at the sacrifice of dual front-facing speakers and a headphone jack, which should make most people happy. Hemmerstoffer didn’t have any details to share on the phone’s internals. That’s something we’ll likely learn over the next few weeks.