The most iconic compact flagships in the history of Android were arguably Sony's “Compact” smartphones. These came with the same full power as the big phones, yet sub-6-inch displays, which made them very popular with people who would do anything to avoid the huge screen craze.
Of course, the definition of what makes a phone “compact” is no longer the same as five years ago, and a six-inch or smaller screen might be the threshold these days. The Sony Xperia Pro-C has had some details leaked and it might be a return to that direction for Sony.
The Sony Xperia Pro-C Is Rumored To Come With A 6-Inch Display And A Flagship Chip
Coming just days after the release of the Sony Xperia 1 VI launch is yet another Sony leak, and this time, it's into the Sony Xperia Pro-C, which is coming as a successor to the Sony Xperia Pro-I which was launched all the way back in 2021 and was marketed as a professional-grade camera phone. The Sony Xperia Pro-C is expected to have much of the same focus, but we already know it is going to make one major change.
The Xperia Pro-I had a 6.5-inch display with flagship internals, but thanks to Insider Sony on X, we know that the Sony Xperia Pro-C is going to drop the screen size significantly to 6.0 inches (so can we say the C stands for Compact?). It is expected to have a 2K resolution and a special anti-reflective coating on it (something like what Gorilla Glass Armor on the Galaxy S24 Ultra achieves perhaps).
Now, once upon a time, a 6-inch screen would hardly be considered compact, but consider how hard it is to find an Android device with a screen that small in 2024, especially not one expected to ship with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. After all, this month, Sony launched the Xperia 10 VI with a 6.1-inch display, but it has a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1. Small phones shouldn't be relegated to the realm of less power.
The device is expected to have a base configuration of 12GB/256GB, with a 5,000 mAh battery and 45W fast charging. The main camera is a 50MP unit with a 1-inch sensor and f/1.8 lens with OIS. It'll also support 12-bit RAW and 14-bit DCG RAW. You'll get two other 12MP cameras, with one supporting 4K/120 and the other coming with a 20mm lens. There's no additional info on whether these will be ultrawide or telephoto units though.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact In 2018 Was Sony's Last Attempt At A Compact Flagship
Asus was pretty much the last company making proper compact flagships, as 2023's Zenfone 10 had a 5.9-inch screen and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but this year, it seems they've abandoned that with the Zenfone 11 Ultra. However, before that was a thing, every other year of Sony flagships typically saw a Compact. It wouldn't compromise on the most important specs but would bring a smaller body.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact was launched in February 2018 and it was the very last compact device that Sony released, with a 5-inch screen (sounds bafflingly small these days, doesn't it?).
The Sony Xperia Pro-C is going to cost an arm and a leg, I'll bet, but hopefully, it will remind the company that some people like small phones and there's a market there.
