Sony slaps a 4K HDR OLED screen on the Xperia 1

Like Peter Crouch, Sony’s new flagship phone is long in the body and its talents could go criminally overlooked. The ultra-wide, 6.5in 4K HDR OLED 21:9 aspect ratio display requires physically deep pockets, but delivers a cinematic experience by playing Hollywood content in the format it was natively created. It also enhances gaming, allowing you to watch walkthroughs while playing, and multitask effectively with side-by-side apps. A triple lens 12MP camera with tech trickled drown from its acclaimed α (“Alpha”) range is joined by Dolby Atmos speakers, a Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB RAM, up to 512GB storage, Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and back, and a 3,300 mAh battery – although you can kiss goodbye to wireless charging and it can’t do the ‘robot’. The Xperia 1, sporting Sony’s simplified smartphone naming strategy, ships with Android 9 in late spring for £849 and comes in black, purple, grey and white.

James Day

About

You’ll find me covering every area of consumer electronics and technology alongside new and inventive ways to campaign for the return of the MiniDisc. A borderline audiophile, I DJ digitally to a mildly acceptable standard at weekends and tend to surround myself with smart home tech at all other times. In short, I’m hackable and likely to be wearing headphones and distracted while it’s happening.

Areas of expertise

Consumer electronics, audio kit, smart home devices and fondly remembered forms of removable media