Sony’s next smartphone looks like an old Xiaomi flagship

Sony appears to be releasing yet another Xperia flagship during IFA 2017. After introducing the Xperia XZs earlier this year, Sony will announce a new successor that’s expected to be called the Xperia XZ1.

If you’re hoping that Sony will do something drastic when it comes to design, get ready for some disappointment.

CompareRaja has gotten exclusive renders from reputable leakster, @Onleaks, which offers clear views of the Xperia XZ1 in every angle. As shown below, Sony is still sticking to its flat slab Omni-Balance design with some minor tweaks around the sides. Unlike its current Xperia XZ and XZs, the corners are now rounded like its new XZ Premium but without any noticeable seams along the sides.

Somehow this reminds us of the Xiaomi Mi 3 that went on sale here in 2014. Based on another leak, the Xperia XZ1 body appears to be made from a single block of aluminium which should make it feel more premium to hold.

The button placements including a dedicated camera button remain unchanged and you still get a flat display with thin bezels along the edges. A tool-less SIM/microSD tray slot is visible on the left side which is similar to previous flagships.

Over at the rear, the camera bump looks more protruded than before and Sony has shifted its additional flash and sensors horizontally to the top to make it distinctively different from previous XZ models.

According to CompareRaja, the XZ1 will still maintain a 5.2″ screen (likely Full HD) and its internals are now upgraded to a Snapdragon 835 processor with Android 8.0 running out of the box. Sony’s water resistance of IP68 is still retained and so is its 19MP main camera that’s capable of shooting 4K videos. Meanwhile, the front is said to be a 12MP selfie shooter. On the previous flagship, Sony had introduced its Motion Eye camera with 960fps slow-mo capabilities and we hope to see more improvements for its camera experience.

IFA 2017 is happening in two weeks time and we’ll definitely find out more when it is officially announced. In case you missed it, you can now get a Sony Xperia XZ and XZs at a lower price with up to RM500 off.

[ SOURCE, VIA ]