The Xperia PRO-I is Sony’s answer to professional videographers and photographers everywhere. We’ve talked through all of the official details earlier today, but the first hands-on with the device has already arrived courtesy of GSM Arena. You can see a selection of pictures of the Xperia PRO-I in the flesh below. In addition, head over to their site to see the first camera samples from Sony’s latest camera smartphone powerhouse. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Sony has formally unveiled the Xperia PRO-I (XQBE62/B), a successor to the Xperia PRO that was released earlier this year. The ‘I’ in PRO-I stands for ‘imaging’ and Sony describes the phone as a “camera with full smartphone capabilities” – looking at the some of the raw specs you can understand why. This phone features a 1.0-type Exmor RS sensor and F2.0/F4.0 dual aperture on the main camera.

Like the Xperia PRO, the PRO-I caters to professional content creators, offering photographers, videographers and cinematographers the ability to shoot, edit and send with a single device.

We didn’t expect an Xperia PRO successor so soon, but remember the PRO was announced in February 2020, sharing much of the same hardware as the Xperia 1 II (Mark 2). It was likely delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic hence hitting shelves a year later than planned. So whilst it may seem a bit of a raw deal for Xperia PRO owners with their phone becoming outdated so quickly, Sony probably always had the PRO-I in development for launch around now.

It is worth noting the language that Sony is carefully using to describe the sensor – it is a 12MP ‘1.0-type’ sensor, rather than a 1-inch sensor. Sony says the sensor is based on the 20MP RX100 VII’s 1-inch sensor, so Sony has effectively just used part of this sensor (12MP out of 20MP). This means that while the sensor is not physically as large as that in the RX100 VII, the pixel pitch is the same at 2.4µm.

The Xperia PRO-I has a 12MP triple lens camera system and 3D iToF sensor bringing fast autofocus.
The PRO-I features ZEISS Tessar optics with a glass aspherical lens, helping to deliver less peripheral image distortion and more intense contrast and sharpness.

All three lenses support phase-detection auto-focus. The main 24mm lens has duel aperture of F2.0 / 4.0, a rarity in modern smartphone cameras. It also offers 16mm (F2.2, 1/2.5-inch sensor, 124-degree fov) ultrawide and 50mm (F2.4, 1/2.9-inch sensor, 48-degree fov) telephoto lens options. Sony has an 8MP 1/4-inch sensor for front-facing selfie camera duties, with a 78-degree field-of-view.

The PRO-I features a larger textured camera button than seen on most Xperia phones, featuring the same shutter switch module as the Sony RX100 series. Long-pressing the shutter will also open Photography Pro and start shooting immediately. A separate shortcut key is also available which you can assign to an app of your choice.

One of the underrated features missing in Xperia smartphones in recent years is a built-in lanyard hole to attach a wrist strap. This makes a return in the PRO-I and we’d love for it to make a comeback on future consumer Xperia models.

For an extra cost, Sony has the “Vlog Monitor for Xperia PRO-I” to complement the phone. As the name suggests, this is targeted for vloggers who want to shoot themselves in the best possible quality available on the phone. The Vlog Monitor features a 1/4-20 UNC type mounting point on the bottom of the holder, which a shooting grip can screw into, such as the Bluetooth-enabled Sony GP-VPT2BT.

The PRO-I has a 4K HDR OLED 120Hz Refresh rate display and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset with 12GB RAM, 512GB internal storage with microSD memory card support. Connectivity options include 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, a 3.5mm headphone jack and USB 3.2 Gen 2.

Other features include IP65/68 dust and water resistance and the use of Corning Gorilla Victus Glass. It will pack a 4.500mAh battery and a 30W charger XZQ-UC1, providing 50% of charge in 30 minutes. The Xperia PRO-I has dimensions of 166 x 72 x 8.9 mm and weighs 211 grams.

The Sony Xperia Pro-I will be released in early December 2021 and will cost £1,599 in the UK. The Vlog Monitor will cost an extra £169, as well as a premium anti-microbial leather case for £69. The phone is also expected to launch in Europe for €1,800.

In the US, the Xperia PRO-I will cost $1,800 with the Vlog Monitor and Style Cover Case in Leather costing $200 and $90 respectively. Pre-orders open on 28 October 2021.

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Sony is preparing to launch a new VR headset that will be compatible with the Xperia 1 II and Xperia 1 III flagships. The news comes from the same leak that brought us the Xperia PRO-I earlier today. Judging from the leaked pictures the VR headset will come with 8K 360-degree video support. We’re not sure why Sony are pushing such a headset, so we’re intrigued to see if it has any dedicated software to make the most of it. You can check out some more images below.

Via Weibo.

The post Sony prepping VR headset for Xperia 1 II and 1 III with 8K 360° video support first appeared on Xperia Blog.

Sony is due to announce a successor to the Xperia PRO it has been revealed. The handset will be called the Xperia PRO-I and will very much be catered to the professional photographer/videographer. The model will have a number of accessories catered to it including a VLOG Monitor. It will be compatible with the Sony Shooting Grip With Wireless Remote Commander (GP-VPT2BT).

Given the price of the current Xperia PRO, you can bet the Xperia PRO-I is not going to be cheap. It won’t be targeted for the normal consumer market, but it will be great to see some of the tech in future Sony flagships (particularly that 1-inch camera sensor). Sony will reveal all details during its live webcast on YouTube tomorrow.

Via Weibo.

Thanks Adi and TLGADSilv137!

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Out of nowhere, Sony has announced that there will be a new Xperia product announcement livestream scheduled for 26 October. The event can be watched on Sony Xperia’s YouTube channel and will take place at 12pm JST on 26 October (4am in UK, 5am in mainland Europe) equivalent to 11pm EST in US on 25 Oct.

There’s no hint on what Sony could be teasing here. Sony has released all of its expected smartphones that it normally launches in the year, the Xperia 1 III, 5III and 10 III. Given the slow route to retail for some of these handsets due to supply/chip shortages , it would be a surprise to see a new flagship being announced.

Equally, we’re not sure why Sony would pre-announce a new event a couple of weeks ahead of time, if it were just a budget/mid-ranger phone. So this points to something meaningful. Whether it is a phone at all is also up for debate. We’re intrigued to see what Sony has in store. What are your best guesses?

Thanks Adi, tlgadsilv137 and wimpiedb!

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Sony Japan has formally unveiled the Xperia Ace II (SO-41B) which will be released through carrier NTT docomo on 28 May 2021. Sony fans have longed for a new product in its Compact line-up, however this is a more budget-oriented device and will be a Japan exclusive, much like its predecessor.

The Xperia Ace 2 has a 5.5-inch HD+ (720 x 1496) 18:9 display and is powered by a Helio P35 chipset with 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage and microSD memory card support. Yes, the phone has a teardrop notch, but it doesn’t seem too intrusive. This is a 4G only phone and should have great battery life with a 4500mAh capacity. Sony says the battery should not deteriorate over three years.

Camera duties are taken care of by a 13MP rear shooter along with a 2MP depth sensor. The front-facing selfie camera has a 8MP sensor. The phone is IP65/IP68 dust and water resistant and the front display uses Corning Gorilla Glass 6. Other features include a fingerprint sensor on the power button, a 3.5mm headphone jack along with a dedicated Google Assistant key on the side.

The phone has dimensions of 140mm x 69mm x 8.9mm and weighs 159 grams. It will be available in three colours at launch (Black, White and Blue). The phone will launch at a price point of 22,000 yen (£142, €165, $202).

Would you like to see this phone see a global launch? Let us know in the comments below.

Xperia Ace II hands-on images

Hands-on images via Engadget Japan.

Via Sony Japan.

The post Xperia Ace II announced for Japan, launching end of May 2021 first appeared on Xperia Blog.

Sony has opened pre-orders in Europe for the Xperia 10 III (Mark 3). The Sony eStore in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain have all gone live with pre-orders, with the phone costing £399 in the UK and €429 across mainland Europe. As is a tradition, Sony has a pre-order promotion where it is bundling a free pair of Sony WH-CH710N noise cancelling headphones worth around £100.

We have put links below of all regions where pre-orders are live on the official Sony Store, but Sony has confirmed that other regions will also open pre-orders soon including all countries in Scandinavia. In Sweden it will cost SEK 4,490, in Finland it will cost €449, in Denmark it will cost DKK 3,500 and in Norway it will cost 4290 kroner.

Who plans to pre-order? Let us know in the comments below.

Xperia 10 III (Dual-SIM) pre-orders now available at Sony eStore Europe

UK: £399
Freebie: Sony WH-CH710N noise cancelling headphones
Colours: Black/White/Blue
Shipping: 12 June 2021

Germany: €429
Freebie: Sony WH-CH710N noise cancelling headphones
Colours: Black/White/Blue/Pink
Shipping: 11 June 2021

Italy: €429
Freebie: Sony WH-CH710N noise cancelling headphones
Colours: Black/White/Blue/Pink
Shipping: 11 June 2021

Spain: €429
Freebie: Sony WH-CH710N noise cancelling headphones
Colours: Black/White/Blue/Pink
Shipping: 14 June 2021

Thanks Diogo, Josip and Michael!

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Sony launched the Xperia PRO – a HDMI equipped souped-up version of last year’s Xperia 1 II (Mark 2) – in the United States and Japan earlier in the year. The phone is aimed at creative professionals such as videographers and photographers, hence the price point of $2,499 in the US.

There was no indication that we would see the Xperia PRO launch in other territories, however Sony has now announced the smartphone will be launched in selected European countries. The Xperia PRO will exclusively be heading to the UK, Germany and the Nordic regions.

Pre-orders have opened today (6 May) with the phone shipping from 10 May. Pricing is just as high as seen in other regions, with the phone set to cost £2,299 in the UK and €2,499 in Europe (a full list of prices in Scandinavian countries can be seen below).

In the UK, the Xperia PRO will be exclusively sold through Wex Photo Video – one of the largest photography specialist retailers in the UK. A pre-order promotion includes some additional kit if the phone is pre-ordered before 13 May. This includes a Sony ECM-W2BT Wireless Bluetooth Microphone worth over £200, a Manfrotto MH492LCD-BH Micro Ball Head and Manfrotto PIXI Universal Clamp. So some worthwhile goodies there if you were planning to buy the phone anyway.

The Xperia PRO has a number of key differences over the Xperia 1 II including an HDMI micro connector (Type D) to allow direct camera connectivity, support for 5G mmWave, a dedicated shortcut key to quick launch apps of your choice and a 360-degree antenna design for optimal signal strength. The other specs are pretty much the same as the Xperia 1 II.

Xperia PRO pricing in Europe

UK: £2,299
Germany: €2,499
Sweden: SEK 24,990
Denmark: 18,990 kr
Norway: 24,990 kroner
Finland: €2,499

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Sony’s mobile business has turned a corner, reporting its first profit in years. Sony’s FY2020 results were published earlier today, highlighting its financial performance for the 12 months to 31 March 2021. Sony’s Xperia smartphone division delivered operating income of 27.7 billion yen ($254 million) in that period.

The news took Sony by surprise too, saying that the performance “exceeded our initial expectations” on the results call earlier today. Sony has delivered this performance through cost cutting and by increasing the average selling price (ASP) of their phones, rather than by selling more phones.

The number of units shipped during the year was marginally lower than the prior year at 2.9 million units (FY2019: 3.2 million). The fourth quarter performance was exactly in line with the prior year with 400k units shipped.

So Sony still has work to do in this regard. It will be interesting to see what impact Sony’s new Mark III phones will have on volumes on launch, however given their release dates, we won’t see their impact until the company’s fiscal Q2 report due in late October. Sony has not given any forecasts on how many Xperia smartphones it expects to sell this year, nor the financial performance of mobile.

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Sony’s new 2021 mid-range champion was announced earlier today in the form of the Xperia 10 III (Mark 3). The Mark 2 was a good all-rounder and Sony has built on that by adding a faster chipset, 5G connectivity, a bigger battery (+25% over last year’s model) and camera improvements.

The Xperia 10 III will be armed with the QualComm Snapdragon 690 5G chipset, 6GB RAM and 128GB of UFS internal storage. This compares to the Xperia 10 II (Mark 2) that had a Snapdragon 665 chipset, 4GB RAM and eMMS storage. The Mark 3 will once again support external microSD memory cards.

One of the biggest improvements is the sizeable jump in battery to a 4500mAh capacity solution – the 10 II Mark 2 used a 3600mAh battery. Even with the higher battery demands of a 5G chipset, the bigger battery will be welcome and should provide decent endurance for most users. Sony also claims a three-year healthy battery life using Xperia Adaptive Charging, as seen with the 1 III and 5 III.

With a bigger battery comes a slight change in dimensions and weight to account for this. The 10 III weighs 169 grams, which is a big increase from the 151 grams of the 10 II. However, dimensions are very similar (154 x 68 x 8.3 mm vs. 157 x 69 x 8.2 mm for the 10 II).

While Sony keeps its triple rear camera (12MP + 8MP + 8 MP) setup from last year, it has made some improvements. The main camera (12MP 27mm 1/2.8-inch F1.8 FOV 75-degree) has a brighter F1.8 lens, compared to F2.0 on the Mark 2.

The ultra-wide camera (8MP 16mm 1/4-inch F2.2 FOV 120-degree) and telephoto camera (8MP 54mm 1/4-inch F2.4 FOV 45-degree) are mostly similar to that found on last year’s model. The same applies to the front-facing selfie camera (8MP 1/4-inch F2.0 FOV 78-degree).

Auto mode now features animal detection, adjusting shutter speed and ISO Sensitivity to capture photos with less blur. The Mark 3 supports 4K video recording, including 720p 120fps slow motion recording.

Sony uses the same display as last year, which is a 6.0-inch 21:9 Full HD+ (1080 x 2520) resolution HDR OLED wide display. This has a traditional 60Hz refresh rate (120Hz reserved for Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III), as well as a 120Hz touch scanning rate.

Other features that carry over from last year includes IP65 and IP68 dust and water resistance, Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6 on front and back, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, DSEE, LDAC and Hi-Res audio support. Bluetooth has been updated to v5.1 (v5.0 used in last year’s model).

The Xperia 10 III will launch in early Summer 2021 with Android 11. The phone will be available in four colours (depending on region) which includes Black, Blue and White and Pink.

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