Sony Xperia 1 VIII Leaked Renders Hint at Major Design Update Including Redesigned Rear Camera Module

Sony Xperia 1 VIII is said to be in the works. Sony is yet to confirm its existence, but we are already getting a good idea of what to expect from the Xperia smartphone. A new leak suggests that Sony is going to drastically change the design of the rear camera module on the Sony Xperia 1 VIII. The upcoming phone is likely to feature a larger sensor and a hole-punch display design. The handset is likely to succeed the Xperia 1 VII, which was launched in May last year with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

Sony Xperia 1 VIII Design (Anticipated)

Chinese publication SumahoDigest has shared leaked renders of the Sony Xperia 1 VIII. The renders suggest a departure from the design of last year's Xperia 1 VII, with the new model featuring a square-shaped rear camera module. The camera unit appears to house three sensors along with an LED flash, marking a clear shift from Sony's usual vertically placed rear camera layout.

On the front, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII appears to have a hole-punch display design, again different from the existing design language. Sony previously embedded the front camera within the top bezel of the Xperia series phones. The renders also show multiple small cutouts around the rear camera module. These openings could be used for housing a microphone or autofocus sensors.

Photo Credit: Facebook/ Sony Fans Vietnam

However, following the leak, a Vietnamese Sony fan Facebook group claimed that these renders were created to promote a phone case and may not accurately reflect the final design of the Xperia 1 VIII. That said, the handset is likely to come with a redesigned camera island and a zoom camera. Sony is likely to pack a telephoto lens in the new phone with a much larger sensor compared to the existing model.

It should be noted that Sony has not shared any information on the Sony Xperia 1 VIII yet, so this piece of information should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Sony Xperia 1 VII was released in European markets in May last year with a price tag of GBP 1,399. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and has a triple rear camera array headlined by a 1/1.35-inch 48-megapixel sensor. It features a 6.5-inch screen and has a 5,000mAh battery with 30W charging support.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)