Sony Xperia 1 IX Tipped to Get a Bigger Primary Camera Sensor, Redesigned Module

The Sony Xperia 1 IX’s primary camera is said to get a larger sensor

Written by Sheldon Pinto, Edited by Rohan Pal | Updated: 11 September 2026 12:00 IST

Highlights

Sony’s Xperia 1 VIII was globally launched in May
It has a three rear-facing cameras
Its successor is said to get a new primary camera with a bigger sensor

Sony’s Xperia 1 VIII has three rear-facing cameras

Photo Credit: Sony

Earlier this year, Sony launched its all-new Xperia 1 VIII smartphone, featuring a new design and updated hardware. Months later, news emerged about its successor, currently referred to as the Xperia 1 IX. The report claims Sony will offer a new primary camera sensor, something that hasn't changed in the brand's Xperia 1 series for many years. A new sensor also suggests changes to the camera design.

Sony Xperia 1 IX Tipped to Get a New Primary Camera Sensor

Just months after the launch of Sony's Xperia 1 VIII, we now have a fresh rumour about Sony Xperia 1 IX. A report by Smartphone Digest, which claims to have spotted a post about it on Weibo (now taken down), says the unannounced Sony smartphone will get a new sensor.

The primary camera sensor will reportedly be bigger in size compared to the Xperia 1 VIII's 1/1.35" type sensor. Given the larger dimensions of the new sensor, the source also claims the camera module will be redesigned. The Sony Xperia 1 VIII's camera module, which houses three cameras, does not protrude much. The report claims Sony will retain its refreshed square design but with larger dimensions. The report also notes that Sony has used the same sensor since the Xperia 1 V, so this will be a big update for the company.

Sony recently launched its Xperia 1 VIII in May this year with a refreshed design. The phone was made available in Garnet Red, Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, and Native Gold colourways. It is priced at JPY 2,35,400 (roughly Rs. 1,43,000) for the base variant.

The Xperia 1 VIII runs Qualcomm's 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and offers up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The phone also has a microSD card slot, expanding its memory up to 2TB. It has a 48-megapixel primary camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 48-megapixel telephoto shooter with a 140mm focal length. There's also a 12-megapixel selfie camera. The phone has a 5,000mAh battery with wired and wireless charging support. It measures 162 x 74 x 8.3mm, weighs about 200g, and ships with IP65 + IP68 ratings for dust and water resistance.