When we reviewed the Sony Xperia 1 III back in 2021, we were impressed by the innovative camera system, powerful performance and class-leading audio. Now, rumours are beginning to gather pace about its successor.

So, what refinements will the company make when it delivers the Sony Xperia 1 IV? Here’s the latest news and leaks about the new model.

When will the Sony Xperia 1 IV be released?

Sony is yet to officially announce the Xperia 1 IV, so we don’t have a release date, but we’ve seen several rumours that state the company is intending to introduce the device around April or May 2022. In the past, Sony has had a habit of announcing new phones, but not releasing them globally for a few months. With the Xperia 1 range this has been the case, as you can see from the following:

So, it could be that the rumours suggesting April/May might be for the official announcement, while the launch could be in the summer as with the previous models.

Whenever it arrives, expect the phone to be announced alongside the compact Xperia 5 IV and the cheaper Xperia 10 IV.

How much will the Sony Xperia 1 IV cost?

As these are flagship devices, they also come with flagship prices. We don’t yet know how much the Xperia 1 IV will cost, but the previous models can act as a guide. Here’s how they lined up:

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

So, if you want the Sony Xperia IV, there’s a very good chance that the price tag will contain four figures.

What are the Sony Xperia 1 IV specs?

While no official details have been released, the very reliable OnLeaks has posted renders of the design based on leaks he received. The images are hosted on Indian tech site and show that Sony seems to be sticking with the handsome aesthetics from the previous two models.

https://twitter.com/OnLeaks/status/1498192186709524482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank

This means that the Xperia 1 IV should retain a 6.5in display, presumably along the lines of the Xperia 1 III panel, that was OLED, 21:9 CinemaWide, 4K HDR, with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also looks like Sony has once again gone with a thin bezel along the top of the panel that allows for the front facing camera to be present without the need for a punch-hole aperture or notch.

There’s no embedded under-display fingerprint sensor either, as the power button on the right flank incorporates the fingerprint sensor. There’s a volume control and the report also says that the 3.5mm headphone jack will be present again on the top edge of the Xperia 1 IV. Along the bottom of the chassis there’s a SIM card tray (which should also support microSD cards) and USB-C charging port.

We’ve also recently seen another render of the new device, from graphic designer Technizo Concept, which animates the Xperia 1 IV so you can see it in all its potential glory.

Another leak from Chinese tipster Zackbucks was posted on Weibo, outlining the following specs for the internals:

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor
• 12/16GB RAM
• 256/512GB Storage
• Upgrades to the Xperia 1 III camera array
• 5,000mAh battery
• 45W wired charging + wireless charging

We’ve seen no details about the camera system yet, but as the photo and video experience on the Xperia 1 III was so good, with the revolutionary variable telephoto and dual PD sensor, that Sony doesn’t have to do much at all to deliver first-class visuals on the Xperia 1 IV.

Tech reporter @TheGalox_ posted this tweet that nods to the camera improvements and that the Xperia 1 IV will be ‘a big upgrade over the III’.

https://twitter.com/TheGalox_/status/1487076806045966339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank

As a clue to what you might see in the new model, here’s the specs from the current Xperia 1 III:

• 6.5in 120Hz 21:9 ‘CinemaWide’ 4K HDR OLED display
• 240Hz touch sampling rate
• Gorilla Glass Victus front, Gorilla Glass 6 back
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB or 512GB storage
• microSD expandable up to 1TB
• 12Mp f/2.2. 16mm 124° ultrawide w/ dual-PDAF
• 12Mp f/1.7 24mm 84° main w/ dual-PDAF & OIS
• 12Mp f/2.3 70mm 34° or f/2.8 105mm 23° variable telephoto w/ dual-PDAF & OIS
• 3D iToF sensor
• 8Mp f/2.0 78° front-facing camera (1/4in sensor)
• Android 11
• “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
• 5G
• Wi-Fi 6
• NFC
• Bluetooth 5.2
• 4500mAh battery w/ 3-years long life promise from Sony
• 30W fast wired charging
• Wireless charging & reverse wireless charging
• 186 grams
• 165mm x 71mm x 8.2mm

We’ll keep updating this article as more details become available. In the meantime take a look at our guides to the best phones coming in 2022 and best Android phones and best Sony phones to see what the Xperia 1 IV will be up against.