Sony Xperia 1 II Launches In The US In July, Preorders Start June

Sony has announced that pre-orders for its new Xperia 1 II smartphone will start in the U.S. on June 1, and the devices will start shipping on July 24.

The new Xperia 1 II (pronounced “mark two”) is Sony's latest smartphone offering designed for photographers, cinematographers, cinephiles (those who love to watch movies and videos anywhere), mobile gamers and practically anybody who wants a top-performing handset.

The main feature here is the camera array

The Verge noted that the device features a 12MP triple-array camera that's loaded with features. While it doesn't have a 108MP sensor like the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Xperia 1 II is capable of shooting up to 20 frames per second in “burst mode.” Sony said this allows users to capture “hundreds of moments” in a very short period of time.

The device can also make up to 60 autofocus and auto-exposure calculations per second. This means users won't have to worry about blurred shots, even when taking photos of fast-moving scenes. The Xperia 1 II can also focus on the subject's eyes, whether the subject is human or animal, real fast.

The three lenses also offer three different focal lengths: 16mm (for those wide angle shots), 24mm and 70mm (for stunning close ups). The 3D iToF sensor helps the device determine distance accurately.

Other interesting features

Sony equipped the Xperia 1 II with a 6.5-inch 4K HDR OLED display. The 21:9 aspect ratio means that it is taller than any other phone in the market today, yet is not as wide as other handsets as well. An 8MP front-facing camera sits at the top bezel.

The Xperia 1 II is powered by a Snapdragon 865 processor, but the U.S. version will only support 4G (the Europe version has 5G). It has a 4,000mAh battery, which can be charged using USB PD wired fast charging or Qi wireless charging. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is perfect for those who love wired headphones. It also has IP65/68 water resistance.

Sony is selling the Xperia 1 II for $1,199 in the U.S. Those who pre-order between June 1 to 28 will get the acclaimed WF-1000XM3 noise-canceling earbuds for free.