First new Sony Xperia 2020 images leak... and it's still got the headphone jack

Sony Xperia, while not having quite the zealous cult following of Apple or Samsung, is still incredibly popular. The slender, tall 21:9 display is perfect for watching movies on, making the most recent Xperia 1 the phone of choice for those who love to stream on the go. 

Although all's been quiet since the Xperia's current-gen range of devices were released last year, new renders from a reputable source show a possible design for a  next-generation phone, to be released in 2020. 

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Leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer of Slashleaks provides a render of a new Sony Xperia phone, along with corresponding specs of the design. Hemmerstoffer doesn't disclose his source for the information the render is based on, but if true, Sony has made a few intriguing choices when it comes to the phone's design. Check it out below: 

The specs provided include a 6.6" OLED display (bigger than any other screen in the current Xperia lineup) and dual firing front speakers, essential if the Xperia wants to keep its crown as the best movie-watching phone around. 

It seems to be a high-end device, with specs such as a triple rear camera array with time-of-flight sensor, an 8MP front-facing selfie camera and side-mounted fingerprint sensor, but – intriguingly – it retains an old-fashioned 3.5mm headphone jack. 

Beloved technology of musicians everywhere, the headphone jack has quickly become archaic (for smartphones, anyway) in just a few short years. But if these renders are anything to go by, Sony could be walking back the decision to only equip its smartphones with its USB-C connector.

Why is this important? Because it represents Sony sticking to an area of technology that's very fondly remembered, when all of its main rivals have abandoned it. Although Xperia has become synonymous with mobile movie-watching, plugging back into the headphone jack might make it the go-to phone for wired audio fans too. 

Whereas you pay a premium for Bluetooth technology in headphones, a good pair of wired headphones are timeless and are often packing as-good-or-better sound quality than their modern counterparts. 

If this leak holds water (sorry), could this mark a wider return to the headphone jack for other Android devices? If Sony do indeed go ahead with the design, it will be an interesting, if odd, backwards trend. Watch this space.

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