Google Pixel 8a suddenly has new rival from Sony's latest Xperia 10 – it looks great

While the big headlines this week have gone to Google I/O's announcements, Sony's keenly timed reveal of its latest Xperia handsets seems in no way accidental. Especially when we're talking about the just-announced Xperia 10 VI. 

While the smaller and cheaper Xperia doesn't warrant the same headlines as the entirely design-shifted Xperia 1 VI flagship, what the Xperia 10 VI clearly does have is its sights pinned firmly on Google's affordable phone – the Pixel 8a.

That's because both handsets have a 6.1-inch display – although the Xperia sticks with a 'tall' 21:9 aspect ratio as a point of difference – and Sony has brought its latest affordable handset up to date with a more recent processor choice too. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 platform here isn't likely to surpass Google's Tensor G3 – as found in the Pixel 8a. 

Where the Xperia 10 VI looks most akin to its Google competitor is with the new bright colour palettes. Sony has also added a blue option, somewhat lighter than Google's equivalent hue, in addition to the typical black and white options. It makes this plastic-framed handset look like a great affordable phone. 

Sony being Sony, however, the Japanese brand has doubled down on some key areas that you don't really see from any other manufacturers now. The Xperia 10 VI features a 3.5mm headphone jack, for example, while its wireless connectivity includes DSEE Ultimate and LDAC for top-notch audio quality. Best crack out a pair of the best wired headphones, eh?

Elsewhere the Xperia 10 VI features a 5000mAh battery with "two-day battery life", an IP68 rating for water- and dust-resistance, and a dual rear camera offering 16mm wide-angle and 26mm main camera (that offers a 52mm digital crop zoom mode too). A checkbox of must-have features for many an Android phone today, so it looks as though Sony's got its ducks in a row when it comes to competing in 2024's competitive market.