Sony Xperia 1 VIII with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC and 48MP telephoto sensor launched globally
Today, Sony has officially introduced its all-new Sony Xperia 1 VIII smartphone in the global market.
Your world. Brought to life. Introducing the new Xperia 1 VIII. Refined under a new ORE design and powered by a vastly larger telephoto sensor, Xperia 1 VIII answers the desire to capture for every kind of creator.https://t.co/hJdg2QjOdF#SonyXperia #Xperia1VIII #NextXperia pic.twitter.com/Bxq4laiYzd
— Sony | Xperia (@sonyxperia) May 13, 2026
Sony Xperia 1 VIII: Features
The smartphone features a 6.59-inch OLED display that comes with FHD+ screen resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut, Creator mode and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC paired with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage.
It runs on Android 16 OS, and the company has promised 4 OS upgrades and 6 years of security patches. The device is backed by a 5000 mAh battery. The phone features a 48MP main camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera and a 48MP periscope telephoto camera on the rear side, while on the front it features a 12MP selfie camera. The telephoto camera has been completely revamped with a larger, more advanced sensor. With improved light-gathering performance, it delivers clearer and brighter images even in low light.
The new AI Camera Assistant with Xperia Intelligence helps you bring your vision to life. Using subject, scene and even weather recognition, it suggests various expressive options with different adjustments of colour, exposure, bokeh and lens to create your most memorable photos ever. The device is powered by Alpha, BRAVIA and WALKMAN, plus the new ORE design.
Other features include: NFC, USB Type-C port, Bluetooth 6.0, WiFi 7, Qi Wireless charging, dual SIM, Game enhancer, FPS optimiser, IPX5/IPX8/IP6X rating, Hi-Res audio, LDAC, 3.5mm audio jack, 360 Reality Audio certified, full-stage stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, fingerprint sensor, dedicated shutter button, Snapdragon Sound, vapor chamber cooler, Snapdragon Elite Gaming, RAW multi-frame processing support and AI features.
The Xperia 1 VIII uses paper materials and Sony’s Original Blended Material in packaging. The device follows the accessibility laws, such as the European Accessibility Act, and includes a range of accessibility features.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII: Availability
The 256GB variant comes in Graphite Black, Garnet Red, and Iolite Silver, and the 1TB variant comes in Native Gold colour. It is available for pre-order in selected regions via Sony’s official website. The 256GB variant is priced at €1499/£1399, and the 1TB variant is priced at €1999/£1,849.
Consumers pre-ordering the device will get a free pair of WH-1000XM6 wireless noise-cancelling headphones and 50% off phone cover XQZ-CBGE only at the Sony Store online.
