Sony Xperia X Series 2017 rumors and news

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Sony’s newest smartphones will likely feature great cameras at reasonable price points.

It’s that time again: After just about a year of smartphones large, compact, and every size in-between, Sony is gearing up to make two midrange additions to a familiar series. Rumor has it that a new Xperia X and Xperia XA are right around the corner, and the details have already begun to leak in earnest.

Here’s everything we know about the Xperia X and Xperia XA.

Sony Xperia XA 2017

While the Sony Xperia XA won’t be as high powered as the Xperia X, it’s still shaping up to be quite a nice device, especially depending on its price point.

Design

The design of the Xperia X remains a mystery, for now, but we do have a few looks at the Xperia XA. The most recent look comes from a leak that was picked up by Android Headlines, and it pretty much confirms previous leaks of the phone that we’ve seen, including that it looks like the device will be made out of metal. Check out the images for yourself below.

Previously, a rendering of the Xperia XA leaked on Chinese website Eprice in early 2017.

The image in question shows a smartphone very much in line with the outgoing Xperia XA. The new Xperia XA will apparently retain the series’ signature ultrathin bezels, slightly curved edges, and flat, simple look. It’ll have a volume rocker and power button in the same accented style as last year’s Xperia XA, and familiar flat plates on the top and bottom.

The renders revealed a number of potential color options, including red, purple, and blue. Assuming the new models’ pricing remains in line with last year’s entries, the Xperia XA and Xperia X will cost around $280 and $550, respectively.

Specs

The Xperia XA reportedly boasts a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a potential bump from 2GB of RAM to 3GB. Sony is expected to stick with a MediaTek processor this time around, same as last year’s Xperia XA. And if the screen resolution doesn’t change, it’ll likely sport a 720p panel.

Sony Xperia X 2017

The Sony Xperia X could end up as quite a nice device if leaks are to be believed. We’ve heard quite a bit about the new Sony Xperia X so far.

Specs

Specifications for the Xperia X leaked in January on benchmarking app AnTuTu under the code name G3221. Assuming they haven’t been doctored, Sony’s second midrange follow-up will sport a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) screen and a MediaTek Helio P20 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. It’ll have up to 64GB of internal storage, and launch running Android 7.0 Nougat.

For the sake of comparison, last year’s Xperia X featured a Snapdragon 650 processor, along with 3GB of RAM, and either 32 or 64GB of storage.

It’s too early to say what sort of imaging tech the Xperia XA will be packing, but leaks suggest the Xperia X’s cameras are largely in line with its predecessor.

The Xperia X is expected to boast a 16MP front camera and 23MP rear camera.

Last year’s model marked the debut of Sony’s Exmor RS sensor (1/2.3-inches on the rear and 1/3-inch on the front) and predictive hybrid autofocus, the latter of which helped the handset lock focus on moving subjects.

Release date and price

If history is any indication, Sony will likely unveil the new Xperia X at next month’s 2017 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It was the venue the company chose to debut last year’s Xperia X, alongside the Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA, and the company’s Mobile division has announced a press conference for February 27, during the convention’s media day.

Pricing and availability details will come later. Last year, Sony waited until the annual Computex convention in Taiwan in Junee to launch the new Xperia phones unlocked via online retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo Video, and Reagan Wireless.

Updated on 02-08-2017 by Christian de Looper: Added newly leaked images from Android Headlines.