The Sony Xperia 1 hasn't quite got the same clout in smartphone circles as other flagships, such as the iPhone 11 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S20, but it's still a cracking phone in its own right as well as "the best phone in the world for watching movies on" – at least, according to our review.
The Sony Xperia 2 (or Sony Xperia 5 Plus, as it could be called), which was rumoured to be unveiled at the now-cancelled Mobile World Congress next week, is said to vastly improve on last year's flagship while retaining classic features such as its slender 21:9 ratio, which makes it perfect for binging widescreen content on the go. However, we don't know much about its other features, such as its camera and processing capabilities.
Now, we can cross at least one of those off the list. Leaker ZackBuks took to Chinese social media site Weibo to share details on the new Sony Xperia 2. ZackBuks claims the camera setup on the Xperia will be the same as the one currently on the Samsung Galaxy S20.
For the uninitiated, that's the rectangular module seen below, sporting ultra wide-angle and 30x zoom lenses with 64MP, 12MP and 12MP sensors, as well as a time-of-flight sensor dedicated to depth perception.
A hands-on look at the Samsung Galaxy S20
It's known that Samsung makes camera sensors purchased by other manufacturers, so this is nothing new. However, it's interesting that Sony would effectively borrow the S20's impressive camera system, setting up the Xperia 2 as a direct competitor to Samsung's new flagship.
The Xperia 1's rear camera array could record up to 4K video, and Samsung's 8K technology seems like a logical step forward there. However, Sony's previous flagship limited itself to a 12MP sensor, and a 64MP main camera would be an enormous leap forward here.
Is this a simply upgrade on Sony's existing flagship, or is it deliberately intending to undercut Samsung by moving in on the Galaxy S20's turf with the same camera system at a lower price point? With Sony's reveal rumoured to be on February 24, we could find out the truth in a matter of days.
Liked this? Watch a render of a Sony Xperia flagship concept by TechConfigurations:
