Sony Xperia 1 IV and Xperia 10 IV official: everything you need to know

Sony brings its new Xperia 1 IV top device on the market. It comes with an improved camera setup, 360-degree sound and special functions for live streaming and music recording. The device will be available for purchase from €1,399 in mid-June. The brand also launches Xperia 10 IV midrange device.

Sony Xperia 1 IV

Sony is once again expanding its portfolio of Xperia devices. The Xperia 1 IV will be during an online launch presented together with the lighter Xperia 10 IV. According to the brand, the Xperia 1 IV is a versatile flagship for consumers looking for a phone that can do it all. It comes with a whole host of improvements: from the screen to the camera setup, better sound and a focus on live streaming and sound recording. Prices and specifications can be found at the bottom of the article.

The Xperia 1 IV has a narrow 21:9 ratio design that is typical of Sony phones. Furthermore, the power button on the side, the special physical shutter button for the camera and the 3.5 mm audio jack. The device has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. The Xperia 1 IV has an IP68 certification, which means that it is water and dustproof.

4K display and camera features

The screen is half brighter compared to the previous generation of flagships, according to Sony, and the 6.5-inch OLED panel supports HDR and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The panel also has a sensitivity which, according to Sony, makes it very suitable for gaming. The resolution is again 4K, but the phone only uses that maximum resolution in specific apps. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 should provide good performance and Sony uses 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

This time, the Xperia 1 IV has a larger 5,000 mAh battery that will last for three years without starting to wear out. The charger is again a 30W one, but for the first time it does not come in the box. Sony therefore follows competitors such as Apple and Samsung and, in its own words, does so for ecological reasons. The box in which Sony delivers its Xperia 1 IV has also been reduced by half.

The Xperia 1 IV features three lenses: a 16mm ultra-wide lens, a 24mm wide lens, and an optical telephoto zoom (85–125mm). According to Sony, it is the first true optical zoom lens and all lenses have a 12MP ‘Exmor RS for mobile’ image sensor with which you can take images in up to 4K and at 120 frames per second. There is also the option to play back images with 5x slow motion. According to Sony, artificial intelligence is used to make the autofocus work faster and also to recognize objects. Those smart functions should also improve the quality of portrait photos with the bokeh effect in combination with the telephoto camera. The ZEISS T* coating also contributes to accurate rendering and contrast by reducing reflections for all camera lenses.

Special features for live streams

The 12 MP selfie camera also uses exactly the same sensor, so it can also film in 4K at 120 fps. Furthermore, with the Xperia 1 IV, as with its predecessors, you can adjust advanced settings in the Photograpy Pro and Videography Pro apps.

Sony’s phones and its camera apps have been optimized for live streaming features for the first time, and Sony also notes that more and more users are following live streams on a weekly basis. In the past year, 85 percent of consumers have followed a live stream. It is therefore releasing a Vlog Monitor accessory that you can use with the phone so that you can film yourself with the main camera and view the feed at the same time. The Xperia 1 IV can also function as a vlog monitor itself along with Sony’s Alpha cameras.

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The Xperia 1 IV makes sharing gameplay easier with the “RT record” feature. A gamer can record about 30 seconds before pressing the button. When players use Game Enhancer with the new Xperia 1 IV, they can also livestream their gameplay. Gamers can view their audience’s comments, including during the live stream, so they can interact with followers in real time. The new Xperia 1 IV, on the other hand, also makes live streaming via a PC easier. The unit mixes the sounds including the player’s voice, game music and voice chat with other players and sends it to a PC via a single cable connection.

Record 360 degree sound and audio

And then there are the audio functions that the Japanese brand likes to unpack. The phone supports 360-degree sound, or Sony’s 360 Reality Audio that works in tandem with the brand’s headphones. The manufacturer also wants to improve the quality of sound played by music streaming services with the Xperia 1 IV, which works with Sony’s so-called DSEE Ultimate algorithm. The new phone is also equipped with a pair of stereo speakers that support Dolby Atmos sound effects.

Sony has also equipped the Xperia 1 IV to make better sound recordings and that works with its own Music Pro app. The intent of that app is that it processes music with powerful servers via the cloud so that it is more closely related to sound recorded in a music studio. The cloud processing removes unwanted noise from the recorded sound using sound source separation technology. She then reproduces the frequency response of condenser microphones. When vocals and acoustic guitar are combined at the same time, Music Pro can separate the vocal sounds and guitar sounds and mix them in any desired balance. Sony’s cloud processing is a service that users can subscribe to in exchange for a monthly fee.

Sony Xperia 10 IV

As we are used to from the Japanese manufacturer, there is also a cheaper smartphone in the high middle segment every year. The Xperia 10 IV has a smaller 6.0-inch OLED screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio. The panel should be one and a half times brighter compared to the Xperia 10 IV. As is always the case with this series, the housing is given a high-quality finish. It consists of Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back and an IP68 protection.

Sony has used a Snapdragon 695 chipset under the hood, which is a processor with 5G modem for midrange devices. There is 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. The battery is a 5,000 mAh model and the phone also comes without a charger.

Sony equips the Xperia 10 IV with three cameras on the back: a 12 MP camera with 27 mm main lens, an 8 MP telephoto camera with 54 mm lens and an 8 MP sensor with 16 mm wide-angle lens. The main camera comes with optical image stabilization and according to the brand, photography in difficult lighting conditions has been improved, as has the quality of the digital zoom. Just like the flagship, the Xperia 10 IV will have support for 360-degree sound.

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Buy Sony Xperia 1 IV

The price of the Xperia 1 IV has increased by 100 euros if we compare with its predecessor. The phone will be available from mid-June for 1,399 euros. The phone comes in a black and purple color. Sony also releases a cover with kickstand.

• Sony Xperia 1 IV – 1,399 euros

Buy Sony Xperia 10 IV

The smaller midrange phone from Sony has increased in price by 70 euros. You pay 499 euros for the Xperia 10 IV and it will also be in the shops in mid-June. This smartphone comes in a black and white shade.

• Sony Xperia 10 IV – 499 euros

Specifications

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