Sony Xperia 1 IV Touts “World’s First True Optical Zoom Lens”

Well, that was fast. Sony Xperia 1 III was just available last August and now, there is the next-generation, Xperia I, the Sony Xperia 1 IV. Aesthetically, it looks nearly identical to its predecessor which is clean and minimal, you know, nothing fancy.

Billed as the “powerhouse in content creation”, the new Sony Xperia 1 IV touts the world’s first True Optical Zoom Lens and I believe it is the first smartphone that is capable of 4K 120 fps slo-mo video recording on all lenses – which it has 3x 12 MP. And oh, autofocus is available to all lenses too. Sweet. Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights straight from the source:

85-125mm lens offering the world’s first true optical zoom lens and 120fps high-speed readout image sensor for all three lenses to never miss the moment.
“Videography Pro,” and “External monitor” feature with live streaming.
120Hz display delivers exceptionally smooth graphics performance and 240Hz high-speed touch detection for game players is in complete control of the action.
Game assist function “Game Enhancer” can be used to fine-tune the image and audio quality and supports live streaming for real-time content sharing.
50% Brighter 4K 120Hz HDR display and Real-time HDR drive.
Further enhanced Full-stage stereo speakers and high-quality sound recording with “Music Pro.”
Powerful 5,000 mAh and long-life battery for longer use, with Snapdragon® 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform and Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus®.
Plastic-free packaging, with approximately 50% less package size compared to previous models with no charger and cable accessories. Reduced CO2 emissions by up to 36% per unit compared to conventional packaging-sized transportation.

Sony Xperia 1 IV is also Sony’s first phone to run on Qualcomm’s next-gen mobile platform, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and benefits from 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB UFS storage – which can be expandable up to a terabyte with a microSDXC card.

It gets a 21:9 aspect ratio, 120 Hz 6.5-inch 4K (3,840 x 1,644 pixels) HDR OLED display that features 240 Hz Motion blur reduction, 240 Hz Touch scanning rate, X1 for mobile, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

Other highlights include a 12 MP tri-camera setup featuring Exmor RS for mobile sensors with Zeiss Optics, a 12 MP 1/2.9” Exmor RS for mobile front-facing camera, support for Hi-Res Audio (including Hi-Res Audio Wireless), 3.5 mm audio jack, 360 Reality Audio certified, 360 Reality Audio Upmix, full-stage stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, dual SIM (nano + eSIM), GPS (A-GPS, A-GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS), Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, USB 3.2 (USB-C interface), and a 5,000 mAh battery with up to a 3-year long life and with PD fast charging support. It has wireless charging too. The device has IP65/68 water and dust resistance.

Sony Xperia 1 IV will arrive on September 01, 2022, unlocked and in a black colorway, for US$1,599.99 at Sony’s authorized dealers across stateside. The purple version is a Sony Electronics online exclusive.

Pre-orders have already begun for the device. And if you do pre-order, you will be eligible to receive Sony’s latest WF-1000XM4 true wireless noise cancelation earbuds with purchase.