The Xperia 1 VII has been beset by issues since its launch earlier this year. (Image source: Sony)
The vultures have been circling Sony Xperia smartphones for a while. The last to feature 3.5 mm jacks in a modern flagships, Sony’s Chief Financial Officer has now attempted to quash rumours that the company plans to pull out from the smartphone market altogether like LG before it.
Sony has moved to reassure fans about its Xperia series following recent speculation about the smartphone brand’s future. Speaking during the company’s August 7 earnings briefing, Sony Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Tao Lin described Xperia as ‘a very important business for us’ and confirmed that the company intends to continue developing smartphones under the brand going forward.
Quoted by CNET Japan, Tao Lin explained that Sony still sees the smartphone as a foundation for future innovation across its other communication technology businesses. In other words, Sony considers Xperia smartphones a cog within its broader businesses. With that being said, Tao Lin decided against confirming whether the Xperia 5 would be returning to the Xperia lineup.
As it stands, Sony appears to have no interest in challenging the likes of Apple or Samsung in the US with the Xperia 1 VII. Potentially, the company could return to the mid-range market with the Xperia 10 VII though, which was spotted in late spring as the XQ-FE44. Currently, the Xperia 10 VII is anticipated to arrive this October. Please see our Xperia 1 VII launch article for full details about Sony’s most recent flagship smartphone.
Alex Alderson – Senior Tech Writer – 12924 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018
Prior to writing and translating for Notebookcheck, I worked for various companies including Apple and Neowin. I have a BA in International History and Politics from the University of Leeds, which I have since converted to a Law Degree. Happy to chat on Twitter or Notebookchat.