Is Sony's Xperia 5 IV going to be 2022's most underrated Android phone?

When you think of the best Android phone your first thought might be the Samsung Galaxy S22 – which makes sense, since it's a great smartphone – but Sony wants to change that.

According to newly-leaked specs, Sony is planning a pretty big upgrade for its smartphone line-up with the Sony Xperia 5 IV, the successor to the camera-focused Sony Xperia 5 III.

We don't know exactly when Sony plans to let us in on the Xperia 5 IV but we might now have a better idea of what to expect, thanks to a leak on Chinese social network Weibo (via Notebookcheck.net). 

The tipster, likely relying on supply chain sources, suggests that Sony is planning on putting Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor in the smartphone alongside a decent memory bump and support for Qi wireless charging.

Perhaps most excitingly of all, the Xperia 5 IV is likely to offer a model with 12GB RAM, expanding on previous models with 8GB, alongside either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.

The device's display will measure in at 6.1-inches, which is equivalent to the iPhone 13, and there will be a 5,000 mAh battery on board, to keep you going throughout the full working day.

Depending on when Sony decides to release the Xperia 5 IV, it could even be running Android 13, the next planned update from Google.

Now, as we mentioned above, the cameras are the centrepiece of Sony's plans for the Xperia lineup and there are some upgrades detailed by the leaker. Specifically, the rear camera will include three rear-facing sensors, measuring 1/1.7 24 mm, 1/2.5 16 mm, and 1/3.5 85-125 mm.

It's not exactly clear when Sony will release the Xperia 5 IV – some have suggested we might need to wait until December 2022 – but the frequency of the rumours suggest that Sony has at least nailed down the final design and specs.

Can't wait that long? 

When we tested the Sony Xperia 5 III, we were very impressed by the device, especially the cameras, which is the main selling point from Sony. 

The 21:9 ultrawide display is also something of a rarity for a smartphone and makes the device ideal for anyone who loves watching movies on the go in cinema-style. 

The Sony Xperia 5 III might be something of an acquired taste compared the Galaxy S22 or Google Pixel 6, but if you care about the camera, it's well worth checking out. 

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