Sony keeps things simple with its smartphone lineup these days, with just a few handsets released each year. Each of its launch is more exciting as a result, especially when a new flagship phone is announced.
That’s exactly what happened at the company’s May 2022 livestream, when the new Xperia 1 IV was officially revealed to the world. We also saw the mid-range Xperia 10 IV launch, but it’s Sony’s flagship that’s the focus here.
Cameras are the priority once again, with a new variable focus length telephoto that delivers optical zoom up to 5.2x. It’s joined by what appears to be the same main and ultrawide sensors as before, but the selfie lens has been upgraded.
But there are high-end specs wherever you look, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip under the hood and a 6.5in, 4K OLED display at 120Hz. You also get 240Hz touch sampling, plus a generous 5,000mAh battery.
If you’re based in the US or UK, here’s everything you need to know about buying the phone. We also have a similar guide for Google’s mid-range Pixel 6a.
When will the Sony Xperia 1 IV be released?
Sony officially announced the Xperia 1 IV at a virtual launch event on 11 May. Here’s how to watch back the stream if you missed it.
The phone is now available in the UK, having gone on sale from 16 June – a huge improvement compared to last year’s delays.
However, the long gap between announcement and release is still evident in the US, where it won’t begin shipping until 1 September. Pre-orders are live there now.
How much does the Sony Xperia 1 IV cost?
There’s only one configuration of the Xperia 1 IV. It offers 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for £1,299/€1,399. However, the $1,599.99 RRP in the US reflects it doubling the storage to 512GB.
For context, that starting price is significantly higher than last year’s
Xperia 1 III, which cost £1,199/€1,299/$1,299.
Where to buy the Sony Xperia 1 IV in the UK
The Xperia 1 is available to buy now in the UK, but you don’t have to go direct to Sony to order it:
- – £1,299 price includes free pair of WH-1000XM4 headphones (usually £279)
- – £1,260.03 or £1,289.39 for
- Very – £1,299 for WH-1000XM4 headphones bundle, also available in purple
- Ebuyer – £1,299 for WH-1000XM4 headphones bundle
- – £1,399.97, also available in but no bundle offer
- AO – £1,299, no bundle offer
- John Lewis – out of stock, option to be emailed when it’s back in stock
If you’re looking to buy the phone on contract, here are your options. All of the following get you the free WH-1000XM4 headphones:
- EE – from £57 per month with £100 upfront for 4GB data
- O2 – from £42.50 per month with £30 upfront for 3GB data and EU roaming up to 25GB
- Mobile Phones Direct – £65 per month with £99 upfront for unlimited data (O2)
Vodafone and have sold Sony phones in the past, but the Xperia 1 IV isn’t available there yet. Judging by past releases, it won’t ever be available via Three.
Where to buy the Sony Xperia 1 IV in the US
Despite the release date being so far away in the US, there are a few places to pre-order the Xperia 1 IV in the US:
- – $1,599 price includes free pair of WF-1000XM4 earbuds (usually $279.99)
- – $1,598 for WF-1000XM4 earbuds bundle
- – $1,599.99 bundle with WF-1000XM4 earbuds or case for $1,634.98
- – from $1,149.98 for 256GB model from Taiwan
- – $1,599.99 for WF-1000XM4 earbuds bundle
No US carriers have been confirmed to stock the phone, but these three are all possible at some point:
Not quite ready to commit to buying the phone? Read our full Xperia 1 IV review, or learn more in our full guide to the phone. The more affordable Xperia 10 IV is also worth considering, but there’s no sign of the compact Xperia 5 IV.