Sony Xperia X Series 2017 news, rumors, and release dates

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

Sony had quite a 2016, but its 2017 looks to be even more exciting. So far, we’ve seen the Sony Xperia XZs, XZ Premium, XA1, and XA1 Ultra.

Despite those releases, rumor has it potentially even more phones are right around the corner — and we’ve already started hearing about them. Sony reportedly has three other handsets in the pipeline: the Xperia XZ1, XZ1 Compact, and X1. Although we don’t know much about them just yet, it’s believed they could debut at this year’s International Franchise Association Conference in Berlin in September.

While initial reports suggested Sony was also prepping a successor to last year’s Xperia X and X Compact, the company confirmed during its yearly investor meeting that it will be discontinuing that line to focus instead on true flagships and midrange models. The Xperia X was positioned as Sony’s “Premium Standard” family — devices offering nearly high-end internals without the high-end price tag.

Here’s everything we know about Sony’s upcoming devices, as well as pricing and availability information for those that have already been revealed.

Sony Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact

The Xperia XZ1 is pegged to be Sony’s next flagship, and leaked specifications, courtesy of German site Review.ge by way of Playfuldroid, would support that claim. The XZ1 will reportedly feature a 5.2-inch 1080p display, driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip. The device will pack 4GB of RAM as well as a 3,000mAh battery, according to the rumors.

In classic Sony fashion, the XZ1 is expected to launch alongside a smaller device packing similar power. The XZ1 Compact, as it’s called, will feature the same processor and memory as its larger sibling, only with a 4.6-inch 720p display and a 2,800mAh battery.

Both of these devices are rumored to launch at the upcoming IFA Conference in Berlin, alongside yet another product: the Xperia X1.

Sony Xperia X1

The X1 is purported to complement the XA1 and XA1 Ultra released earlier this year as another of Sony’s midrange offerings. The primary difference may be the silicon powering the device: while the XA1 and XA1 Ultra pack MediaTek’s Helio P20 processor, the X1 will reportedly receive Qualcomm’s just-revealed Snapdragon 660. With 4GB of RAM, the X1 could be much more powerful than those two phones.

Otherwise, the X1 will reportedly contain a 5-inch 1080p screen as well as a 2,800mAh battery. All the phones expected to launch at IFA have been linked to new camera technology that will allow “full pixel continuous shooting,” according to the Review.ge report.

Sony Xperia XA1

Sony Xperia XA1

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

While the Xperia XZ series is Sony’s flagship lineup, the Xperia XA is decidedly more midrange. The Xperia XA1 has a 5.0-inch display with a 720 x 1,280 resolution, and under the hood it’s powered by a MediaTek Helio P20 processor, coupled with 3GB of RAM. When it comes to storage, the phone features 32GB — however it does have a MicroSD card slot for more storage if you so choose.

Then comes the cameras, and the rear-facing camera has a 23-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, while the front-facing camera’s sensor sits in at 8 megapixels.

The Xperia XA1 will cost $300 unlocked, which is quite pricey for its features — especially when you consider cheaper competitors like the new Moto G5. It will release in the United States on May 1, and can be pre-ordered immediately from Amazon and Best Buy. Other retailers, such as Fry’s and B&H, will also carry the device. You can read our first take hands-on report here.

Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra

Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra is a slightly higher-powered version of the standard XA1, however the two phones share many of the same specs. For example, the device does feature a MediaTek Helio P20 processor, along with 4GB of RAM. When it comes to storage, the phone offers 32GB — although once again you’ll get a microSD card slot to add as much as 256GB of storage.

Once again, the camera has a 23-megapixel sensor, while the front-facing camera has been upgraded to a 16-megapixel shooter. There is currently no word on the XA1 Ultra’s availability yet, but it should arrive sometime in the summer. Here’s what we thought of the phone when we got our hands on it.

 Sony Xperia XZs

Sony Xperia XZs

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Xperia XZs may not be as high-powered as the Xperia XZ Premium, but it still has quite a lot to offer. For example, the phone features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 — which is Qualcomm’s 2015 flagship processor. Sony has coupled that chip with 4GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of storage.

The rear-facing camera on the Xperia XZs is the same 19-megapixel shooter as the XZ Premium, while the front-facing camera comes in at 13-megapixels. The display on the phone may not be as important as the XZ Premium, but it’s still relatively nice with its 1,080 x 1,920 5.2-inch display. The phone is available as of April 5, and costs $700. Check out our hands-on report here

Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Sony Xperia XZ Premium (left) Sony Xperia XZs (right)

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Sony launched the Xperia XZ in September but soon launched a follow-up at MWC in the form of the Xperia XZ Premium. The new device has quite a lot to offer in the specs department, and could come at a decent price for a flagship, too.

Under the hood, the device features the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, making it one of the first devices to do so. Accompanying that chip, the device offers 4GB of RAM and a nice 64GB of storage — however that storage can be upgraded with the MicroSD card by up to 256GB. The rear-facing camera sits in at 19-megapixels with an f/2.0 aperture, while the front-facing camera comes in at 13-megapixels, also with an f/2.0 aperture.

When it comes to the display, the phone has a 5.46-inch screen with a resolution of a massive 3,840 x 2,160 and a 807 pixels-per-inch.

We don’t know exactly when the phone will be available for purchase beyond “late spring,” nor do we know how much it will cost.

Article updated on 05-24-2017 by Adam Ismail: Added rumors about the XZ1, XZ1 Compact, and X1, as well as news that Sony will not release new Xperia X models.