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.
Apple says the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max push the company’s camera technology, battery endurance and on‑device AI further than any previous generation of smartphones. Both models centre on a redesigned 48‑megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a smaller and more capable Dynamic Island, and the new A20 Pro processor,…
Chinese technology giant TCL is stepping up its mobile game, with the brand’s new P80 smartphones embracing higher-end features without sacrificing the value proposition that helped it carve a niche in the first place. Unveiled at the IFA tech expo in Berlin, the TCL P80 Ultra and TCL P80 Pro are the first smartphones we’ve…
Sony has launched a trio of new party speakers and they’re savage. The new ULT Power Sound Tower range arrives with a completely new aesthetic and have been tuned by some of the biggest names in modern hip-hop. The new ULT Tower Max, ULT Tower 7 and ULT Tower 5 are perfect for parties, DJ…
The Luxe Review 
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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Apple says the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max push the company’s camera technology, battery endurance and on‑device AI further than any previous generation of smartphones. Both models centre on a redesigned 48‑megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, a smaller and more capable Dynamic Island, and the new A20 Pro processor,…
New TCL P80 Series brings premium features to value‑focused smartphones
Chinese technology giant TCL is stepping up its mobile game, with the brand’s new P80 smartphones embracing higher-end features without sacrificing the value proposition that helped it carve a niche in the first place. Unveiled at the IFA tech expo in Berlin, the TCL P80 Ultra and TCL P80 Pro are the first smartphones we’ve…
Sony ULT Tower Power Sound review: Next gen party speakers deliver deeper bass with a studio vibe
Sony has launched a trio of new party speakers and they’re savage. The new ULT Power Sound Tower range arrives with a completely new aesthetic and have been tuned by some of the biggest names in modern hip-hop. The new ULT Tower Max, ULT Tower 7 and ULT Tower 5 are perfect for parties, DJ…
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