Sony has never been the go-to brand for budget phones, certainly not in the flagship space, and the Xperia 5 IV is no exception. That being said, polls last week suggested the phone could have broad appeal as long as the price is more palatable.
Half of voters like the phone, but don’t want to give up $1,/€1,050/£950 select one up. By comparison, last year’s Mark 3 model was nearly the same price at $1, 0001/€1, 000/£618. That’s nothing compared to Apple’s price increase for the new 14 series, which now lacks a bootable mini membership (iPhone 14 mini can still be purchased at a lower price).
Going back to Mark 3, when we surveyed you last year, the percentage of people who thought it was too expensive was smaller, and a lot of people were getting ready to buy it. However, judging by this year’s Xperia 1 IV polls, the general consensus is that the price is too high. Maybe a sign of the times?
The Xperia 5 IV isn’t as much value as Sony would like for a number of reasons. Limited software support is a big deal – something Sony doesn’t do well compared to Android makers, let alone Apple.
The choice of the original Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is another story, especially given the arrival of the Mark 4 (later this month) and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (to be announced in November, Phones will be released soon) there will be a gap.
The regression in the telephoto camera sector is not and should not be ignored. Also, while most people like the absence of punch holes and notches on the Xperias, not everyone likes the Sony21:9 aspect ratio.
But no one can knock the Mark 4 for no 3.5mm jack or microSD slot, or even wireless charging support now. That’s why a good20% of voters are ready to buy a phone, even if it’s expensive.
