In the early days of Android, when I was still daydreaming about owning my very first Android smartphone, Sony was one of the brands that I always had an eye on. The Xperia devices at that time, to me, were the best example of classy modern devices.
Unfortunately, Sony seemed to fall off the stage, similar to companies like HTC and LG and they were no longer much of an option for me when phone shopping. However, Sony has still been making phones (though the mainstream appeal isn't like before) and this year's Xperia 1 VI has made me realize the company has what it takes to take its place back at the top.
Sony Was Pretty Cool Back In The Early Days Of Xperia
The first Sony device that I remember strongly considering selling a finger or two for was the Sony Xperia S. It was everything a man like me could ever want back then. I remember how amazing 32GB of internal storage seemed to me at the time, and who could resist a massive 4.3-inch 720p display?
Honestly, back then, the device was quite a looker, and even now, it's hard to say that it lacks aesthetic appeal. It makes me long for the days when smartphones' fronts weren't all identical: screens with a punch-hole cutout at the top.
Then there were the early Xperia Z flagships, too; remember those? The Sony Xperia Z3 and Z5 were so desirable to me then, fighting with high-end competition from HTC and Samsung. Sony was at its very best back then, even allowing it to make such notable (and somewhat risky moves) as fitting the first 4K screen in a mobile device in the form of the Xperia Z5 Premium. They even had a Compact line of flagships, which will certainly be missed by many in our current times.
Unfortunately, The Cameras Stopped Matching Up
However, at a point, Sony started to drop out of smartphone conversations. Back then, I had a conclusion as to why they were no longer being favored as much, and I think I mostly stand by the same conclusion. At a time when smartphone cameras were being heavily scrutinized and they had so much space for improvement, Sony's modules weren't following the upward trend as fast.
Back then, I was very big on getting a smartphone with great cameras, and Samsung, Apple, and Huawei were making bounds year after year. Sony was making improvements too, but there was still much to be desired. I always found that to be rather ironic, considering Sony is the manufacturer behind the camera sensors that many of its competitors use, and they somehow managed to do better than the Japanese company itself with them.
Sticking To Your Guns Instead Of Following Trends Can Be A Big Mistake In The Smartphone World
Innovation was also a big thing at the time (I guess it still is, though there's less space for mind-blowing inventions), and once one company set a trend, it was important for the others to follow what was considered to be trendy at the time. For instance, shaving off the bezels, getting rid of the headphone jack, and fitting multiple cameras (the Pixels bucked the multi-camera trend for some time, but only off the power of superior hardware).
Sony was obstinate when it came to making changes. If I'm not mistaken, no Sony smartphone has a punch-hole cutout. They've kept a top bezel big enough for a selfie cam (though the Xperia L4 did have a teardrop notch). For most consumers who want fashionable and modern devices, this wasn't the move, especially when there wasn't enough compared to the competition to make it worth overlooking (after all, there have been some hideous Pixel devices, but they made it work, thanks to the software and camera experience).
Bucking the trend also meant Sony sticking to the headphone jack a lot longer than others, so trying to maintain your DNA isn't always a bad thing.
Recent Xperia Phones Haven't Been Popular Choices For The Average Consumer
Sony never stopped making smartphones, but it sure did seem that way. Many of their newer smartphones haven't been marketed the same way Google, Samsung, Apple, OnePlus, and other smartphones tend to be.
Again, in the 2020 decade, phones that decide to stick with sizable forehead and chin bezels will always have a bit of an uphill battle in a world where the first thing a non-power user sees is the design. Personally, I'm not averse to a little bit of chunkiness up top and bottom, but only if there's enough besides that to make things worth it.
Sony hasn't had that for the most part, especially considering that their recent flagships have made strange choices tailoring them towards a content-creating enthusiast audience. I like nice cameras, but I don't consider myself a content creator, so I don't need a 21:9 4K display or three separate apps for photo/video. The price tags certainly didn't help either.
Sony Might Have Made Its First Winning Phone In A Long Time, And It Could Be The Start Of A Resurgence
However, last month, Sony unveiled its Sony Xperia 1 VI, the sixth-generation flagship in its current run. On paper, this phone made many changes that brought it back down to earth, where regular consumers live. For instance, it dropped down to a FHD+ display, flattened the aspect ratio to something more like the others, and consolidated its camera experience into a single app. However, it maintained its design so the bezels on the top and bottom remain.
However, I think this might be the first really big winner of a smartphone from Sony in an extremely long time, and if they stick with this flagship formula with international releases, they might be back in the game. Early reviewers have talked about how the cameras are excellent and properly flagship-grade, as well as how the device has extremely impressive battery life for a mere 5,000 mAh battery (in fact, it ranks second on GSMArena's new battery rankings).
I think Sony's Xperia 1 VI is at a point where you can ignore the downsides because of its very strong upsides. This is the first time I've considered upgrading to a Sony device in a long time, so that means something, and I'm going to be ecstatic if the company keeps the streak going.
Maybe this will be their way back into the flagship club and, from there, into the clubs with the midrange and budget phones, too, just like in the old days.
