Why people aren't buying Sony Xperia phones.

Sony Xperia smartphones look so good on paper. So why is it that we don't recommend them? Here's our answer to that and a brief 2023 review of the Sony Xperia 1 IV.

[noobmaster]

"When was the last time you saw someone using a Sony phone?"

Me watching on a Sony phone: 😭😭😭😭

[Mark-zjmy]

The reason why they don't sell is that their phones are simply not available at retail stores and operators, only at Sony shops where a lot less people walk in...

[madhurjo.karmaker]

And if they actually have to make their exposure big, they will start removing useful things like headphone jack, microSD slot and things like that. If Sony starts removing useful things to win people's hearts, it will be the final nail in the coffin.

[phabyoautrey]

I have had all the latest Xperia and I'd have a lot to say. The Xperia 1 V is spectacular in every way. I agree with the problem of short update support but this phone takes wonderful photos in auto mode, but it gives the best in manual mode. Xperia 1 IV had overheating problems, it's true, but after 2 patches the problem was completely fixed. I would add that with the Xperia 1 V I get 10 hours of screen use, but not at 120hz. I should give it a try. Sony batteries are formidable because after several years they still last a very long time. They have excellent long-term durability. Photos at night now look beautiful, and the audio from videos I record at concerts or in noisy places is incredibly clear. I conclude by saying that the audio jack, the SD card support, the dual-level shutter button, no punch holes are something that I hope they keep in their phones. And speed and responsiveness, god, it's something you have to try! I hope they improve the marketing and extend the years of support!

[LetsBringThePain]

Title needs a fix - "You're right to not walk by a Sony Xperia. Here's why you should buy it". Sony Xperias are actually great 💪

[RoderickMonroe]

Whats funny is I have used most of the foldables, the iphone 15 pro max, the Onplus open, s23 Ultra ect. I keep coming back to the Xperia 1v! I love this phone. It has everything I need. and the size is perfect.

[gwstmar]

These phones don't sell in the US because Sony doesn't try to sell them here. You can't find them in the carrier stores, and they rarely advertise.

[zdanee]

Not all phones under the sun needs to be built for the same people with the same aesthetics same apps and same features. I hate when reviewers take a phone, realize it's not a Samsung or an iPhone and immediately come to the conclusion that everyone should get an iPhone instead or maybe a Samsung if you are old, because the cameras, and phones are actually just cameras with a texting feature attached. I'm sure you've all been very successful in college and learned a ton of stuff to do videos on the internet, but imagine someone wants a phone with flagship SoC and does not take photos at all or once in a blue moon. I feel reviewers are extremely biased, and manufacturers found a great loophole to become user-hostile in the name of "progress" based on their biased feedback, and the average user is left without a choice.

I currently use an LG V60, old phone, yet to this day there is not a single device that has all the features I use on a daily basis on my V60, hence there is no replacement for me. I use the desktop mode every day. Great, Samsung has that, but I also use software that only runs on Snapdragon, and Samsung is selling only it's Exynos garbage over in the EU and has the gall to sell it more expensive too. So, I could go with Motorola, but their flagship lacks expandable storage, which would be fine if they were to sell 512 GB or 1 TB models, but they don't. Also the headphone jack. Sure, I could embrace the dongle life, but frankly I lived the dongle life back in the Nokia days, and miss me with that sh1t! It's not even about listening music on the go, I can use a pair of wireless beans if there are no alternatives, but a lot of times I need to test some sound equipment and I need something to play music from, do you really want me to carry around a decades old iPod? Phones peaked around a decade ago, currently all you can buy is trash.

[matheusguedesba]

The absence of LG in the market is noticeable; in my view, their final releases (Velvet and Wing) were impressive. I would easily use them, but there was a lack of a cohesive mobile ecosystem and software refinement/updates. Sony seems to sacrifice sales to do things their own way, but when their home country prefers iPhones over Xperias, something really needs to be seriously reconsidered.

[impulsesystems]

Auto-nada. The screen, the headphone jack, the SD card slot, the dual SIM, the camera apps and audio recording, the shutter button, I love it all. I bought the 1V as a camera, not as a phone.

[rachelanne]

I am still using Sony XZ2 which I bought in 2018. I remember in December 2022 while at Canada Wonderland at -10 C, I could still take pictures and videos. Battery performance wasn't affected while my husband's samsung drained rapidly 😂.

[ilijazafirov]

I am using a Sony (previously Sony Ericsson) phone for about 20+ years, my last one Xperia 1 III purchased a week after they came out in Japan a bit over 2 and a half years ago. I like the phones because yes they have always had to have everything available software and hardware, they are durable and since ages ago i never had to worry if my phone gets wet or even dropped during rain, taking a shower with, or even go across the river with it while submersed in water. That security is what attracts me the most despite all the bells and whistles they have.
Their sales can also be redirected to Sony shrinking the availability across the world, and the availability across the size of people's pockets as well. While Sony had their phones available across all the markets in different price groups, for different people 20 years ago, now they barely release a few phones and they are all in the top half or trying to compete on the top of the flagship space. This is one of the things i dont like. Another thing is, they seem to have adjusted their views to the Japanese life and companies, so every year there is a new phone, 2 years later the phone stops being sold, 3 years later they can't even repair it. Maybe luckily the resemblance of the Xperia 1's may have brought better repairability, however 5 years ago when i came to Japan i purchased XZ premium, 2 years later being unable to replace it they gave me Xperia 1 (the first model) as a replacement. Their warranty services offered by providers make the phones in Japan 20-40% more expensive than elsewhere in the world, despite being a Japanese
I do love my 1III though, it is still as snappy and seamless as the first day it arrived despite being over 2 and a half years old, but i don't like the bloated camera apps and functions, they really should have added an AIO camera app that does it all by few simple clicks. Also missing the compact phones, sad they didnt dig that and use it out of the Japanese minimalistic point of view...

[etcarief]

What Sony should do instead :
- Camera : Focus more on Auto shooting
- Software : Make it support longer, work on the experience to make it more friendly

[kovspbru]

I don't get "software support" rants. Have you ever used a device on its last year of support ? Bugs, lags, all sort of weird behavior - and all that is supposed to help ?
What's the point of having latest Android if you don't get latest features, and loose performance ? It's Android, it never mandates latest version to use apps.

Yes, I get it - you want updates in general. For a current gen phone - of course, I get it. But for old devices - sometimes it's better to avoid updates at all !

[XieRH]

1:15 the latest generation (xperia 1 V) have sadly removed the notification LED

In general its the sales and marketing which determines how much or how little customers get the phone. The vast majority of people buying phones aren't really going to care about the UI aesthetics or how many years of software updates the phone will get. They just care about what's available in the stores they visit and generally what's available there is mostly iphone and perhaps 1-2 big android brands. I mean heck if the UI and software updates were such critical features for consumers, brands like poco and redmi would have flopped years ago.

LG is the best example of a brand that actually made fairly good phones but totally botched their sales/marketing to the point where they exited the smartphone market after years of sales declined.

[Gyrator]

2 years of Android updates and 3 years of security updates is unacceptable at the prices they charge. I'd buy one if they supported them longer.

[erick-gdwo]

In my country (Indonesia) there are 2 reasons,
1.
Back then when the phones were available, the after sales service were so poor, almost all spare parts weren't available so they had to be brought from Japan and took so long.

2.
Sony decided not to sell mobile product in our country due to our local law to have some percentage of local parts inside the phone, whether software or hardware.

[ladanhm]

When I wanted to buy my Sony Xperia 1 V I compared it with iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung S23 Ultra and Sony was better in every aspect. I understand differences in taste, but believe me, THERE ARE people who prefer Sony phones. The only problem with Sony is that they have fallen behind in marketing.

[reedmelicher]

I love my Sony. Completely worth it. I just wish the flashlight was brighter. And I miss photosphere from my old pixel

[dtay]

Looks like I'm in the wrong because I own a 1 mk iv and love it. Yea the update cycle is terrible but they've kept the features i value most like the headphone jack and expandable storage.