Sony hopes its latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 VIII, will win over serious snappers with an AI-powered camera assistant, and a significantly upgraded telephoto camera.
Available in four colours inspired by raw gemstones – Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red and Native Gold – the handset also adopts what Sony calls its new ORE design language, featuring textured surfaces intended to improve grip while creating a more distinctive appearance.
Photography, though, remains the headline attraction. The new AI Camera Assistant powered by Xperia Intelligence, is able to anaylse both subject matter and environmental conditions, suggest colour treatments, lens options and bokeh effects. All recommendations are based on Sony’s Creative Look imaging profiles, developed through its Alpha camera programme; these can be applied with a single tap.
The camera hardware itself has also received a substantial upgrade. The telephoto camera now uses a 1/1.56-inch image sensor, approximately four times larger than the sensor found in the previous Xperia 1 VII. The larger sensor promises to improve image quality in challenging lighting conditions while capturing finer detail from distant subjects.
The new AI Camera Assistant powered by Xperia Intelligence, is able to suggest colour treatments, lens options and bokeh effects…
AI Imaging, Walkman audio and two-day battery life
Sony says all three rear cameras, offering focal lengths equivalent to 16mm, 24mm and 70mm lenses, now benefit from enhanced low-light performance, with image quality approaching that of a full-frame sensor in terms of noise reduction and dynamic range. RAW multi-frame processing is applied across all lenses, combining HDR expansion with advanced noise reduction to preserve detail in both shadows and highlights while maintaining accurate colour reproduction.
Away from the camera system, Sony continues to emphasise the Xperia’s credentials as a multimedia device. The Xperia 1 VIII retains the dedicated two-stage camera shutter button favoured by photographers, while the increasingly rare 3.5mm headphone jack remains in place for wired listening.
Sony says the audio circuitry draws on technologies developed for its Walkman music players.
The handset also features newly developed stereo speakers, with matched left and right driver units designed to deliver deeper bass, improved treble extension and a broader soundstage for music, films and gaming.
Power comes from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform, which Sony says delivers a 20 per cent performance improvement over its predecessor. Battery life is rated at up to two days, while additional power-saving measures have been introduced to reduce consumption during everyday tasks such as navigation and browsing.
The 256GB model is priced at £1,399, while the 1TB Native Gold edition, available exclusively through Sony in selected markets, will sell for £1,849.
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Sony hopes its latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 VIII, will win over serious snappers with an AI-powered camera assistant, and a significantly upgraded telephoto camera.
Available in four colours inspired by raw gemstones – Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red and Native Gold – the handset also adopts what Sony calls its new ORE design language, featuring textured surfaces intended to improve grip while creating a more distinctive appearance.
Photography, though, remains the headline attraction. The new AI Camera Assistant powered by Xperia Intelligence, is able to anaylse both subject matter and environmental conditions, suggest colour treatments, lens options and bokeh effects. All recommendations are based on Sony’s Creative Look imaging profiles, developed through its Alpha camera programme; these can be applied with a single tap.
The camera hardware itself has also received a substantial upgrade. The telephoto camera now uses a 1/1.56-inch image sensor, approximately four times larger than the sensor found in the previous Xperia 1 VII. The larger sensor promises to improve image quality in challenging lighting conditions while capturing finer detail from distant subjects.
AI Imaging, Walkman audio and two-day battery life
Sony says all three rear cameras, offering focal lengths equivalent to 16mm, 24mm and 70mm lenses, now benefit from enhanced low-light performance, with image quality approaching that of a full-frame sensor in terms of noise reduction and dynamic range. RAW multi-frame processing is applied across all lenses, combining HDR expansion with advanced noise reduction to preserve detail in both shadows and highlights while maintaining accurate colour reproduction.
Away from the camera system, Sony continues to emphasise the Xperia’s credentials as a multimedia device. The Xperia 1 VIII retains the dedicated two-stage camera shutter button favoured by photographers, while the increasingly rare 3.5mm headphone jack remains in place for wired listening.
Sony says the audio circuitry draws on technologies developed for its Walkman music players.
The handset also features newly developed stereo speakers, with matched left and right driver units designed to deliver deeper bass, improved treble extension and a broader soundstage for music, films and gaming.
Power comes from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform, which Sony says delivers a 20 per cent performance improvement over its predecessor. Battery life is rated at up to two days, while additional power-saving measures have been introduced to reduce consumption during everyday tasks such as navigation and browsing.
The 256GB model is priced at £1,399, while the 1TB Native Gold edition, available exclusively through Sony in selected markets, will sell for £1,849.
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