Sony keeps things simple with its smartphone lineup these days, with just a few handsets released each year. Each of its events is more exciting as a result, especially when a new flagship phone is announced.
That’s exactly what happened at the company’s May livestream, when the new Xperia 1 IV was officially revealed to the world. We also saw the mid-range Xperia 10 IV launch, but it’s Sony’s flagship that’s the focus here.
Cameras are the priority once again, with a new variable focus length telephoto that delivers optical zoom up to 5.2x. It’s joined by what appears to be the same main and ultrawide sensors as before, but the selfie lens has been upgraded.
But there are high-end specs wherever you look, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip under the hood and a 6.5in, 4K OLED display at 120Hz. You also get 240Hz touch sampling, plus a generous 5,000mAh battery.
If you’re based in the UK or US, here’s everything you need to know about buying the phone. We have a similar guide for the Pixel 6a.
When will the Sony Xperia 1 IV be released?
Sony officially announced the Xperia 1 IV at a virtual launch event on 11 May. Here’s how to watch back the stream if you missed it.
The phone is now available in the UK, having gone on sale from 16 June – a huge improvement compared to last year’s delays.
However, the long gap between announcement and release is still evident in the US, where it won’t begin shipping until 1 September. Pre-orders are live there now.
How much does the Sony Xperia 1 IV cost?
There’s only one configuration of the Xperia 1 IV. It offers 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for £1,299/€1,399. However, the $1,599.99 RRP in the US reflects it doubling the storage to 512GB.
For context, that starting price is significantly higher than last year’s Xperia 1 III, which cost £1,199/€1,299/$1,299.
Where to buy the Sony Xperia 1 IV in the UK
The Xperia 1 is available to buy now in the UK, but you don’t have to go direct to Sony for pre-orders:
- Sony – £1,299 price includes free pair of WH-1000XM4 headphones (usually £279)
- Amazon – £1,299 for same bundle with WH-1000XM4 headphones
- Very – £1,299 for same bundle with WH-1000XM4 headphones, also available in purple
- Laptops Direct – £1,399.97, also available in purple
- AO – currently out of stock
It’s possible we’ll see more retailers selling the phone SIM-free soon. The following all usually sell Sony phones:
If you’re looking to buy the phone on contract, here are your options. Both of the following get you the free WH-1000XM4 headphones:
- EE – from £57 per month with £100 upfront for 4GB data
- O2 – from £47 per month with £30 upfront for 3GB data or £18.67 per month with £30 upfront when you trade-in eligible device
The likes of Vodafone, Virgin Media and Mobile Phones Direct have sold Sony phones in the past, but the Xperia 1 IV isn’t available there yet. Judging by past releases, it won’t be available via Three.
Where to buy the Sony Xperia 1 IV in the US
Despite the release date being so far away in the US, there are a few places to pre-order the Xperia 1 IV in the US:
- Sony – includes free pair of WF-1000XM4 earbuds (usually $279.99)
- B&H Photo – includes free pair of WF-1000XM4 earbuds
- Amazon – bundle with WF-1000XM4 earbuds or case for $1,634.98
- Newegg – from $1,399.99 for 256GB model from Taiwan
- Best Buy – no offers
No US carriers have been confirmed to stock the phone, but these three are all possible at some point:
Not quite ready to commit to buying the phone? A separate article runs through everything you need to know about the Xperia 1 IV, but the more affordable Xperia 10 IV is also worth considering.
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Author: Anyron Copeman, Senior Staff Writer
As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.