Sony has unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 VII, which integrates technologies from its α (Alpha) digital cameras, Walkman portable audio players, and ‘BRAVIA™’ televisions. A key highlight of the Xperia 1 VII is ‘Xperia Intelligence’, Sony’s suite of AI technologies designed to elevate the smartphone’s camera capabilities, audio playback, and content viewing. With the launch of the Xperia 1 VII, Sony is guaranteeing 4 major OS updates and 6 years of Security updates,.
Xperia Intelligence enhances Camera Capabilities
As always, the Xperia 1 VII comes with a power-packed camera setup. This year, it comes with a triple rear camera setup. It comes with a new 16mm ultra wide-angle lens that features a larger 48MP 1/1.56-inch sensor. Sony states that this larger sensor captures clear night shots with low noise and a wide dynamic range, comparable to full-frame cameras. The lens also minimises distortion and can capture close-up shots from about 5cm away for macro photography.
Complementing this is a wide-angle lens that offers 24mm/48mm (2x optical zoom) and is equipped with the 48MP Exmor T for mobile image sensor. Sony highlights the sensor’s low-light performance, enabling high-quality footage even when cropping the image using AI Camerawork and Auto Framing. Completing the triple camera array is a 12MP telephoto lens that provides optical zoom from 85mm to 170mm, allowing for high-resolution images of distant subjects.
On the software and AI side of things, the Xperia 1 VII introduces ‘AI Camerawork’ and ‘Auto Framing,’ two new features that transform the video capture experience with Xperia Intelligence.
‘AI Camera Work’ helps users create professional-level, stable, and framed videos. This feature keeps the subject fixed in the centre of the composition, even when the user is moving around while filming a moving subject. This is achieved through image stabilisation and posture estimation technology, ensuring the subject’s relative position remains consistent. According to Sony, this makes professional-looking video possible for even novice camera users.
‘Auto Framing’ uses AI to track the subject and automatically crops the shot to centre it on the screen. When filming a moving subject, users can simply point the camera roughly at the subject, and it will automatically capture it without having to chase it. ‘Auto Framing’ can capture two types of videos: one showing the whole scene and another cropped close-up of the subject.
An Audio and Visual Experience Powered by BRAVIA and Walkman
The Xperia 1 VII inherits sound quality enhancements from Sony’s Walkman devices. Sony has incorporated a circuit design focused on sound quality and components used in Walkman devices. This design significantly enhances the sound quality when connecting wired headphones, achieving clarity similar to listening on a dedicated music player.
For both wired and wireless connections, the high-quality enhancement technology DSEE Ultimate utilises AI to deliver high-quality sound. This technology enables compressed streaming audio sources to be enjoyed with immersive, high-quality sound. The full-stage stereo speakers of Xperia have been adjusted to deliver clearer sound across the entire frequency range.
The 6.5-inch FHD+ display of the Xperia 1 VII comes with Sony’s BRAVIA know-how and legacy. This year, Sony is adding an additional light sensor at the back of the device to improve the viewing experience in various lighting conditions. This sensor enables the adjustment of brightness and colour to suit the viewing environment. Sony claims that whether outdoors under bright sunlight or indoors in dim lighting, the phone accurately recognises the surrounding brightness and adjusts to the optimal settings. When viewing playback outdoors, the combination of an improved peak brightness display panel and ‘Sunlight Vision’ enhances visibility under direct sunlight.
Bringing the Best Performance with 2-Day Battery Life
The Xperia 1 VII is equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Sony states that the NPU, CPU, and GPU have each been improved by over 40%, supporting fast AI processing, high-performance gaming, and reduced battery consumption. When the Xperia 1’s “Processing Optimization” is turned on, it achieves up to 10% power savings for specific uses such as social media, web browsing, and online video viewing. Sony claims this enables up to two days of active use. The device supports up to four OS version upgrades and six years of security updates.
The Xperia 1 VII includes accessibility features for camera use, such as horizontal measurement information provided through sound and vibration. The Android ‘TalkBack’ feature incorporates Sony enhancements for ease of use, such as reading the menu in order of usage frequency.
Sony has also focused on environmentally conscious design. The product box and internal tray use Sony’s Original Blended Material, achieving a completely plastic-free packaging solution. Approximately 84% of the materials used for some components inside and outside the device include environmentally conscious plastics such as SORPLAS.
Pricing and Availability
The Xperia 1 VII will be available in Slate Black, Moss Green, and Orchid Purple in Malaysia from mid-July 2025.
The Xperia 1 VII is currently on pre-order in other regions. Pricing in Europe starts at €1,499 (RM7,191.30) and £1,399 (RM7,984.37). Pre-orders in the UK come with a set of Sony’s popular WF-1000XM5 headset worth £238.
A dedicated Style Cover with Stand for Xperia 1 VII (sold separately) is also available. The cover can be used in both vertical and horizontal orientations. It features a grip and stand, and comes with a ring strap. The cover is available in three colors that match the device. Sony states that the cover uses approximately 78% environmentally conscious resins, including SORPLAS.
