Sony Xperia XR News and Specs Rumors: New Sony Smartphone Likely to Be Released This September; What We Know So Far
Looks like there's going to be a new addition to the smartphone market, as Sony gears up for the upcoming IFA trade show this September with possibly its newest flagship handset.
Rumors and leaks report that Sony might just release a new Xperia XR smartphone at the IFA conference this September 2016. It was earlier referred to only as model F8331, though the name XR isn't quite certain yet.
Sony had announced a new series of smartphones called the X series, while confirming that the Z series have come to its culmination. As such, there will be no Z6 coming.
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The X series, Sony announced, will be the beginning of a new chapter for the company's flagship line, and will be all about improving Sony user experiences through camera, battery and hardware upgrades.
How the phone would be like
Whether this rumored Xperia XR will be the successor to the Xperia X Performance is unclear. The model, Android Headlines reported, is either a 5.1" or a 5.3" Full HD, with a 23-megapixel rear camera and running on Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and 3GB of RAM. If the specs were accurate, then it could be the next iteration, or it can be a standalone flagship-class device.
The device also appears to run on Android Marshmallow 6.0.1. In a report from GSM Arena, hardware updates on the Xperia XR include a USB-Type C change in port, which, if true, will be the first of its kind in a Sony device. The 3.5mm headset jack is still there, though.
While Sony generally keeps to its trademark Omnibalance design, the new handset seems to have shaken things up. The top and bottom are flat, with a new, more rounded design. It also looks thicker than the average Sony handset, and sports a new camera layout and dual-LED flash, all held together with a brush-metal finish.
So far, however, other specs and features on the Xperia XR is kept tightly under wraps.
When it would likely be released
Given Sony's history of releasing new phones during the Mobile World Congress and the IFA, it's likely that the phone, if finished and developed, would debut during the latter trade show.
The Japanese company's invitation to its IFA event in Sept. 1 teases many new devices, including the rumored Xperia XR (which look nothing like the leaks, although it makes no sense to put it out together and spoil the release), as well as the Playstation VR.
