According to Sony, the new Exmor T image sensor on the Sony Xperia IV is 1.7 times bigger than its predecessor, which enhances the camera's ability to capture light and color. This makes the phone an ideal companion for creators.
The fifth iteration of Sony's flagship smartphone series, the Xperia I V(Opens in a new window), was introduced today. The Xperia I has long used the same core design language, which means that all of the new features are hidden under the glass-and-metal chassis.
Sony claims that the key enhancement over the Xperia I IV is a brand-new, two-layer transistor pixel stacked CMOS image sensor called Exmor T for mobile. It is 1.7 times larger than the sensor in the I IV's camera and provides twice the low-light performance and three times the amount of color saturation when fitted to the phone's main camera. Simultaneously, Sony is employing new image-processing techniques to reduce noise while also increasing dynamic range to what it claims is the equivalent of a full-frame camera.
Because of the upgraded sensor, the Xperia I V is a photo and video beast. It has three cameras set in a vertical column on the phone's back panel. The primary camera produces 48MP photos, which are binned down by four to create 12MP jpegs. It features a 24mm effective lens size. The ultrawide camera features a 12MP sensor and a 16mm effective lens size, while the telescopic telephoto camera features a 12MP sensor and an 85mm-125mm effective lens.
In addition to its impressive camera hardware, the Sony Xperia IV also boasts an array of sophisticated apps for capturing photos and videos. The Photo Pro and Video Pro apps offer a range of features, including eye-tracking focus, 30fps continuous shooting, Creative Look filters borrowed from Sony's Alpha cameras, and S-Cinetone for capturing accurate skin tones and textures. The Product Showcase Setting is particularly appealing to vloggers as it enables the camera to maintain focus on a product in the presenter's hand instead of the presenter's face. Moreover, new microphone placement and vertical video capture tools will likely delight TikTokers.
In terms of its overall design, the Sony Xperia IV appears largely similar to its predecessors. The phone's aspect ratio is 21:9, resulting in a tall and narrow screen. The frame is constructed from aluminum, while the front and rear glass panels are made of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The phone is available in black, silver, or green.
Sony refers to the display's 3,840 by 1,644 pixel resolution as "4K." The 6.5-inch panel features a 240Hz touch sampling rate, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an astounding 643ppi pixel density. The phone has 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Up to 1TB microSD memory cards are supported. The gadget has an IP68 designation for water and dust resistance, but it also has a 3.5mm headphone socket and a side-mounted fingerprint reader.
The Sony Xperia IV offers a comprehensive range of modern connectivity options, including Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6E, and GPS/GLONASS. While the phone's 5G support is limited to sub-6GHz, the spec sheet indicates that it supports a healthy number of mid-band frequencies. The phone also houses a 5,000mAh battery that can easily power the device through a full day of use.
Currently, the Sony Xperia IV is available for pre-order, and it is expected to start shipping in the US in late July. The phone is priced at $1,399, and customers who pre-order will receive a free pair of Sony Linkbuds worth $180.