Sony Xperia 1 VIII Launch Date Confirmed: Expected Specifications, Features and Price

After the Sony Xperia 1 VIII Amazon listing leaked prematurely yesterday, the brand has officially taken to its official X account to confirm that the smartphone will launch on May 13, 2026, at 4:00 CEST (or 7:30 PM IST). It will be unveiled at the brand's Minato headquarter in Tokyo, Japan.

Image Credit: X/ @sonyxperia

Sony Xperia 1 VIII Design and Specifications (Leaked)

Now, while Sony has not revealed anything officially yet, their teaser image aligns with the Xperia 1 VIII design leaks that we have seen so far. It shows a clear shift from the iconic pill-shaped triple camera arrangement to a an inverter triangular camera deco. The leaked design of the Xperia 1 VIII is reminiscent of the OnePlus 10 Pro from 2022.

Image Credit: OnLeaks x MyMobiles

Also, along with the change in design, the camera specifications are also expected to differ. The Xperia 1 VIII is expected to bring a triple 48 MP setup with a 24mm main camera sensor, a 16mm ultra-wide lens and a 70mm telephoto camera. It is completely different compared to the 52 MP + 50 MP + 12 MP arrangement on the Xperia 1 VII.

It is also going to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset since Sony confirmed the same back in 2025. As for the rest, it will likely retain the tall 19.5:9 aspect ratio and feature a 6.5-inch 120 Hz Full HD+ OLED display.

A key addition this time could be a dedicated physical button to summon Xperia AI. At launch, the smartphone will reportedly be available in Graphite Black, Iolite Silver and Garnet Red colourways. However, we will know for sure next week when the phone will actually go official. So, stay tuned.