Sony's Xperia Fans, Rejoice—But Here's the Catch. After Sony handed over its iconic Bravia TV brand to TCL, loyal Xperia enthusiasts were left wondering: What’s next for their beloved smartphones? Well, during a recent earnings call, Sony’s Corporate Executive Officer and CFO Lin Tao assured fans that there will be 'no change in status' for the Xperia lineup. But here’s where it gets interesting—Japanese site S-Max uncovered something intriguing: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII and Xperia 10 VIII have been spotted in the GSMA IMEI database, hinting at upcoming successors to the Xperia 1 VII and 10 VII.
And this is the part most people miss: These model names follow a sequential pattern. For instance, the Xperia 1 VII and 10 VII were coded as PM-150X-BV and PM-151X-BV, respectively, with 'X' representing regional variants. So, logically, the PM-152X-BV and PM-153X-BV should be the Mark VIII successors. The flagship Xperia 1 VIII also goes by XQ-GE44, XQ-GE54, and XQ-GE74, while the mid-range Xperia 10 VIII is listed as XQ-GH44, XQ-GH54, and XQ-GH74. Yes, these model names are still as cryptic as ever, but their existence confirms that Sony is gearing up to replace the Xperia 1 VII and 10 VII, which launched in June and September of last year, respectively.
But here's where it gets controversial: For the third generation in a row, there’s no sign of an Xperia 5 model—the last one was the Mark V from September 2023. Is Sony phasing out the Xperia 5 series, or is there a bigger strategy at play? Let’s discuss in the comments.
Digging deeper into the GSMA IMEI database, we find that both phones will feature a single nano-SIM slot and an eSIM, but beyond that, details are scarce. Sony, being Sony, operates on its own timeline—new phones are launched when the mood strikes, not according to a predictable schedule. So, when can we expect these new models? Your guess is as good as ours.
Thought-provoking question for you: With Sony’s unpredictable release schedule and the absence of the Xperia 5 series, is the company focusing too narrowly on its flagship and mid-range offerings? Or is this a strategic move to streamline its lineup? Share your thoughts below!
For those eyeing the current models, the Xperia 1 VII 5G (256GB, 12GB RAM) is available starting at £1,126.00 or €1,312.46, while the Xperia 10 VII 5G (128GB, 8GB RAM) starts at £356.00 or €449.00. Check out the links for the best deals from our affiliate partners—we may earn a commission from qualifying sales.
