Sony Xperia 1 IV: Release date, Price, Specifications, and More details

The unique camera system, robust performance, and class-leading audio pleased us when we evaluated the Sony Xperia 1 III in 2021. The Sony Xperia IV is now available, with a scattering of fixes and additions to appease Sony aficionados. There are obvious improvements, such as the switch to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, but there are also more subtle improvements, such as the new Music Pro experience and continuous optical zoom from the phone's unique telephoto camera. Here's everything you need to know about it.

When will the Sony Xperia 1 IV be available for purchase?

Sony launched the Xperia 1 IV (together with the Xperia 10 IV) on May 11th, stating that it will be available "this month," however it was only available in the UK on June 16th. The anticipated Xperia 5 IV, which some are now believing has been officially scrapped, was conspicuously absent from the 11 May webcast.

What is the price of the Sony Xperia 1 IV?

Despite the largely minor hardware upgrades, Sony has decided to raise the price of the Xperia 1 IV once again, with the 12GB RAM/256GB SKU costing £1,299/€1,399 in the UK and Europe, and $1,599.99 in the US.

Here's how much the last two models cost:

• £1,099/€1,199/$1,199 Sony Xperia 1 II
• £1,199/€1,299/$1,299 Sony Xperia 1 III

Outside of more specialized phones like the Xperia Pro-I and foldable like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, Sony doesn't shy away from premium pricing for its most high-end phones, but the 1 IV is one of the most costly handsets on the market.

What are the specifications of the Sony Xperia 1 IV?

The Sony Xperia 1 III is still a formidable smartphone that brought a lot of firsts to the market. As a result, it's not surprising that the 1 IV is one of the most iterative improvements to the Xperia 1 family yet, though that doesn't take away from the innovative technologies on display. The shift to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU and an upgrade to last year's dual focal length telephoto camera, which now provides continuous optical zoom between 85mm and 125mm or 3.5x to 5.2x magnification, are the most noticeable changes. A larger battery has been added, the selfie camera (finally) has a larger 12MP sensor, the execution of the 'Full Stage' stereo speakers has been upgraded, and the headline 6.5in 120Hz 21:9 'CinemaWide' 4K HDR OLED display is now supposedly 50% brighter than last year's Mk III.

Here’s the full spec sheet, as confirmed by Sony:

• 6.5in 120Hz 21:9 ‘CinemaWide’ 4K HDR OLED display
• Now 50% brighter compared to Xperia 1 III
• 240Hz touch sampling rate
• Gorilla Glass Victus (front and back)
• Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB or 512GB storage (market dependant)
• microSD expandable up to 1TB
• 12Mp f/2.2. 16mm 124° ultrawide w/ dual-PDAF
• 12Mp f/1.7 24mm 82° main w/ dual-PDAF & OIS
• 12Mp f/2.3 85mm 28° or f/2.8 125mm 20° variable telephoto w/ dual-PDAF & OIS
• 3D iToF sensor
• 12Mp f/2.0 83° front-facing camera (1/2.9in sensor)
• Android 12
• “Full stage” stereo speakers
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• Dolby Atmos
• High-Res Audio support (wired & wireless)
• DSEE Ultimate
• 360 Reality Audio (headphones & speakers)
• Knurled dedicated shutter button
• IP65/68 dust/water resistance
• Dual-SIM
• 5G
• WiFi 6
• NFC
• Bluetooth 5.2
• 5000mAh battery w/ 3-years long life promise from Sony
• 30W fast wired charging
• Wireless charging & reverse wireless charging
• 185 grams
• 165mm x 71mm x 8.2mm

Despite the higher price, the Mk IV comes with fewer accessories in the box. As part of Sony's "Road to Zero" campaign, the new Xperia comes in all-paper packaging that is 50% smaller than the previous model, which, as you might expect, is made possible in part by the company's decision to eliminate the in-box power adapter. The Xperia 1 IV, like the 1 III before it, supports 30W PD charging (not 45W as had been rumored), with Sony offering the identical XQZ-UC1 fast charger separately.

Interestingly, Sony claims the same 50 percent charge in 30 minutes despite the switch from a 4500mAh to a larger 5000mAh battery. Wireless charging, as well as reverse wireless charging, are still options. Gamers will also welcome a significant enhancement to Game Enhancer, which now includes live streaming integration as part of its feature set, thanks to a special agreement with YouTube that allows new channels to live stream before meeting the 1000-subscriber minimum requirement.

The business also previewed the Gaming Gear for Xperia 1 IV, which is a dedicated cooling fan that can be attached to the back of the phone to assist sustain performance during lengthy gaming sessions, similar to the Asus ROG phone AeroActive Cooler and the Red Magic Turbo Cooler. However, Sony stated that the Gaming Gear is still in development with the help of professional e-sports club SCARZ and will not be available until autumn 2022 in "certain regions."

While there are a number of 'Pro' branded apps (Photo Pro, Video Pro, and so on) to compliment the camera system's comprehensive functionality, the Mk IV also saw the introduction of Music Pro.