At the last edition of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Japanese manufacturer Sony launched its new Xperia 1 smartphone. It is a high-end phone with an ultra-long screen with a 21:9 ratio -dimensions used for filming movie hits- and promises a whole experience for lovers of the seventh art. The device features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.
In a Mobile World Congress dominated by flexible phones and 5G, Sony wanted to differentiate itself. Mitsuya Kishida, president of Sony Mobile Communications, said the company felt the need to meet the technological demands of professional filmmakers in both sound and vision, adding:
“Our new Xperia will offer genuine technologies with a multitude of professional-grade features to create entertainment experiences that are only possible with Sony.”
Xperia 1: the first smartphone with OLED 4K HDR display
Sony continues to bet on the consumption of multimedia content through the cell phone, for this reason, this new device adds new technologies that are focused on it.
The Xperia 1, has a 6.5-inch 21.9 ratio panel and is the world’s first 4K HDR OLED cell phone display. This means that, with this display, the video game and movie experience is far superior. It records videos in 24 frames in the best cinematographic style, accompanied by a hybrid image stabilization system.
In addition, the high-end phone comes equipped with three cameras consisting of three 13-megapixel sensors and wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Kishida announced that the device has special software for video editing and claims that it is capable of capturing in RAW format. However, to achieve this, it must be done through third-party applications since the brand does not provide its own apps for this purpose.
The Xperia 1 Not quite convincing?
While the Xperia 1 may have a great chance in the niche they are looking for, analysts at MWC were not entirely surprised with this launch. This is thanks to the fact that in the midst of foldable phones and 5G networks, Sony’s announcement did not stand out.
Ben Wood of CCS Insight commented that the phones were well designed, but still didn’t stand out much amidst the multitude of new products presented at the show and stated that:
“We are not convinced that the 21:9 ratio is sufficiently differentiated despite Sony’s strong credentials in content.”
In addition, analyst Paolo Pescatore at PP Foresight said:
“The new devices were a step in the right direction, but Sony continues to face monumental challenges competing with rivals that are launching new devices, rich in new features and at incredible prices.”
Finally, the Xperia 1 is expected to hit the global market during spring 2019 in Spain, Mexico and Colombia in four colors; black, white, gray and purple. In the US, it will only be available in white and purple. Pricing is still to be confirmed.
