The Sony Xperia 5 V was one of the highly effective compact telephones launched in 2023 and but for many people, it wasn’t even an possibility, as Sony selected to solely launch the Sony Xperia 1 V in america. Whereas there’s nonetheless a chance that the Xperia 5 V may come to the US later, it could be too late, given the arrival of highly effective new flagships just like the Samsung Galaxy S24 sequence.
It’s unclear if the US will ever see Sony’s compact flagship once more, however there are some things I’d wish to see improved. With that in thoughts, right here’s my wishlist for what I’d wish to see within the Sony Xperia 5 VI in 2024.
Sony must lastly replace its design language
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One facet of Sony’s design philosophy that stands out is its consistency. Sony seldom makes modifications, and when it does, it tends to stick to the brand new type for a few years. On the upside, this consistency helps distinguish the Sony Xperia sequence from its rivals. Nevertheless, this method can even render its design considerably stale and uninteresting.
Whereas Sony isn’t the one firm to take care of a constant design language, others like Apple, Samsung, and Google usually incorporate a couple of minor modifications each few years to maintain issues recent. Though the Sony Xperia 5 and the Xperia 5 V are clearly totally different, their aesthetic similarities recommend that there hasn’t been a lot evolution over a five-year interval.
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Sony doesn’t essentially must abandon its present metallic design so as to add pleasure to the Xperia 5 VI. A easy but efficient change could possibly be within the coloration choices. Manufacturers like Samsung and Apple use distinctive colorways for every era to make their telephones stand out, whereas Sony usually limits its palette to primarily black and white, with an occasional further coloration. It will be refreshing to see the return of Sony’s traditional purple, alongside the present inexperienced, and maybe introduce a brand new, distinctive coloration to enhance the usual white and black.
One other facet for Sony to contemplate is the Xperia 5 V’s comparatively thick bezels, that are fairly noticeable for a contemporary smartphone. Decreasing these bezels could possibly be a key design enchancment, making the cellphone seem extra trendy and glossy. Moreover, experimenting with a brand new facet ratio might additionally inject some recent vitality into the design.
Proceed bettering the digital camera expertise, and produce again the telephoto lens
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The Sony Xperia 5 V delivers a reliable digital camera expertise, although it might not totally match the prowess of rivals just like the Galaxy S24, iPhone 15, or Pixel 8 sequence. There’s room for enchancment in options resembling Evening mode, Portrait, Cinematic Blur, and AI-assisted capabilities. Sony might additionally profit from leveraging its Alpha model extra successfully, distinguishing its digital camera expertise from others.
Encouragingly, there’s a rumor from a dependable Japanese web site suggesting that the upcoming Sony Xperia 1 VI and 5 VI may introduce a “world first” function permitting digital signatures on photos, which might assist confirm if they’ve been altered. Whereas improvements like this are promising, I simply actually wish to see the return of the Xperia 5’s long-range digital camera capabilities, which have regularly worsened because the Xperia 5 III and had been notably absent within the final iteration.
I’ve all the time valued how Sony’s compact telephones preserve parity with their bigger counterparts with minimal compromises. This method is kind of distinct from Apple and Samsung, which provide a number of flagships differing in measurement and core options. Sadly, the disparity between the Xperia V fashions appears to have widened not too long ago, a development I hope Sony will handle. Higher realigning these fashions might reinforce Sony’s distinctive place within the smartphone market.
Sooner charging choices
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The Sony Xperia 5 V boasts a formidable 5,500mAh battery, which is notably bigger than what’s usually present in smartphones of its measurement. As anticipated, this leads to distinctive battery life, with the machine comfortably lasting two days on a single cost. The substantial battery measurement is a commendable function from Sony, particularly in a compact cellphone.
Nevertheless, the present 24W charging functionality feels restricted, significantly for a battery of this magnitude. This slower charging pace turns into extra noticeable when coupled with the Xperia 5 V’s warmth points, which result in throttled charging charges after about quarter-hour of use.
Addressing the overheating might possible be achieved with an up to date SoC and different optimizations. Alongside these enhancements, it’s time for Sony to contemplate enhancing the charging pace, presumably to 45W, comparable to what’s provided within the Galaxy S24 Extremely. Whereas there are faster-charging smartphones obtainable, many aren’t offered within the US, usually as a consequence of regulatory constraints. Balancing battery capability with environment friendly and speedy charging is essential for the subsequent iteration of the Xperia sequence.
Higher replace coverage
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Samsung and Google have set a brand new normal within the smartphone business by providing seven years of updates for his or her newest flagship fashions. Even manufacturers like Motorola and OnePlus are enhancing their replace commitments. In distinction, Sony persists with its coverage of offering solely two years of upgrades and patches for its units. This method, whereas presumably pushed by a want to reduce useful resource allocation to a distinct segment model, is more and more at odds with business norms.
A two-year replace cycle not solely seems insufficient however can also be changing into considerably of a humiliation, particularly when in comparison with the strides made by rivals. For Sony to take care of, not to mention improve, its credibility within the smartphone market, extending its assist to no less than 4 years of OS and safety updates is crucial. Such a change wouldn’t solely meet evolving buyer expectations but additionally align Sony with the broader development of long-term machine assist, which is changing into a big think about customers’ buying selections.
It must be launched within the US, please
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
The Sony Xperia 5 V didn’t launch within the US, with the corporate stating it wished to focus consideration on the Xperia 1 V as an alternative. It’s unclear what which means for the Xperia 5 sequence sooner or later. Sony’s method means that the corporate could view the U.S. as a secondary market, preferring to pay attention its efforts on promoting only one flagship mannequin. Alternatively, Sony could be reevaluating the necessity for annual releases of its compact cellphone within the States, presumably contemplating a technique akin to Apple’s dealing with of its funds iPhone SE sequence, which sees new fashions each two to 4 years.
Whereas the Xperia 5 V and the iPhone SE are fairly totally different of their choices, the underlying precept of much less frequent updates could possibly be a viable method for Sony. The hope is that the Xperia 5 V, or its successors, will finally make their approach again to the US market. The shortage of compact smartphones makes the absence of the Xperia 5 sequence all of the extra felt.
Will there be a Sony Xperia 5 VI?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Sony has been fairly constant over time with releasing its flagships, save for the large change it made in 2023 by opting to not launch the Sony Xperia 5 V to American audiences. Whereas we don’t know for positive if we’ll see the Sony Xperia 5 VI launch in america, we’re very assured the cellphone will exist in most main markets, which is just additional corroborated by the not too long ago leaked digital camera function we talked about within the wishlist above.
- Xperia 5 V — September 1, 2023
- Xperia 5 IV — September 1, 2022
- Xperia 5 III — October 8, 2021
As for when it would launch? Whereas it’s too early to know something official in regards to the Sony Xperia 5 VI launch date, wanting on the Xperia 5 sequence historical past it appears a fairly secure guess that we’ll see it in September or October of 2024.
Must you look ahead to the Sony Xperia V VI?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
The Sony Xperia 5 VI continues to be almost a 12 months away, so there’s no cause to attend off. If you need a compact Xperia within the US, your greatest guess could be to take a look at the Xperia 5 IV ($998 at Amazon) or look into import choices for the Sony Xperia 5 V ($799.94 at Amazon). Not involved in regards to the show measurement? The Sony Xperia 1 V ($1398 at Amazon) is out there within the US now.