The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is the anti-flagship flagship: headphone jack, microSD, and thick bezels in 2026

Sony launched the Xperia 1 VIII in Japan and Europe, pairing a retro design with top-tier flagship hardware.

It features a 6.5-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Android 16, and triple 48MP rear cameras.

Rare enthusiast-friendly extras return, including a 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD support, and a dedicated camera shutter button.

The phone aims to stand out against rivals like the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL while keeping premium pricing.