Sony is likely to release an Xperia 1 III at some point in 2021, and here’s what we know about the phone.
2021 has proven a busy year for phone launches already, and the Sony Xperia 1 III could join the roster of new releases in the coming months. The Sony Xperia 1 III’s predecessors were all launched around February time, and so with the Samsung Galaxy S21, Xiaomi Mi 11 and OnePlus 9 launches out the way, it’s likely to be the next big smartphone launched in 2021. This is the newest iteration of Sony’s premium smartphone, likely to come with impressive specs, useful features and a mighty price. The ‘Sony Xperia 1 III’ name might look confusing on paper, but that’s almost definitely what the phone will be called. Sony uses a ‘Mark’ naming scheme for its phones, similar to its cameras, so the Xperia 1 ‘Mark 3’ would represent the third of its line, preceded by the Xperia 1 II and Xperia 1. We’ve heard a few leaks and rumors surrounding the Sony Xperia 1 III, so we’ve collected them all below for your perusal. Below that, we’ve compiled a wish-list of features we’d like to see in the phone. There are plenty of ways the Sony Xperia 1 II could be improved upon – TechRadar gave it a 4-star review, so there’s certainly room for Sony’s next flagship phone to up its game. Sony’s last phone was the Xperia 5 II, an improvement on its Xperia 5 from the year before, and that new device is currently the company’s best smartphone. Only time will tell if the Xperia 1 III steals that crown, or falls short of expectations. Recent leaks suggest April 14 as a potential release date, and Sony has now confirmed that it’s announcing something on that date, and while it hasn’t said what, it has hinted in teaser videos that it might be the Sony Xperia 1 III. That said, it took Sony three months to bring the Xperia 1 II to shop shelves after its announcement, so we may have to wait a few months after announcement to be able to buy the Xperia 1 III. When it comes to cost, leaks hint at a price of 8999 Chinese Yuan, which roughly converts to $1,370 / £995 / AU$1,810. That’s remarkably high, but is to be expected given the price of its predecessor ($1,199.99 / £1,099 / around AU$1,840). We’ve heard plenty of Sony Xperia 1 III design rumors, and it sounds pretty similar to its predecessor in terms of looks. Check out this video of the phone, which shows both sides of it, and we’re sure you’ll agree with us. Those pictures do show something rumored to be a ‘shortcut’ button, which we’ve previously seen on the Sony Xperia Pro, giving you quick access to your favorite apps.
