Sony's new Xperia phone shares design similarities with Google's Pixel.

When Google released the Pixel 6 on October 28, 2021, its rear horizontal camera bar was a novel design. While Google has modified it since then, the horizontal bar on the back housing the cameras has remained. Other manufacturers have adopted this idea, including Apple with the iPhone 17 Pro, and now another is using a similar rear camera bar design.

Last month, there were reports of a rear camera redesign for the Sony Xperia 10 VII. Sony has now introduced the phone, and photos show the mid-ranger featuring a Pixel-like horizontal camera bar on the rear. Pre-orders began yesterday, with the release set for next Friday, September 19th. It will be available in the U.K., Europe, and Japan, but not in the U.S.

The Xperia 10 VII is the first Sony phone with horizontally aligned rear cameras since the original Xperia 10 in 2019. It costs £399 or €449 and features a 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It runs on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, has 8GB of RAM, and offers 128GB of expandable storage via a microSD slot.

Additionally, the phone includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, front-facing stereo speakers, and a 5,000 mAh battery that Sony says will last two days. Color options are white, charcoal, and turquoise.

Sony has struggled to succeed in the smartphone market, despite incorporating features like 4K displays, microSD support and the 3.5mm jack. Sony's success with products like the Walkman, PlayStation, and video cameras makes its smartphone struggles puzzling.

Sony continues to operate with a market share of less than 1%. One issue is the company's lack of a U.S. carrier partnership. It performs better in Japan, with 3% to 6% of smartphone sales, but still lags behind Apple and Samsung.

Those interested in purchasing an Xperia model not officially sold in the U.S. may find it on sites like Amazon, Newegg, and Best Buy.

The Xperia 10 VII is the successor to the Xperia 10 VI, which received mixed reviews. While its display and speakers were praised, its lack of wireless charging, camera system, and high price were criticized, resulting in a score of 5.4 out of 10.

Despite Sony providing image sensors for many top phones, the Xperia line's cameras have not been top-ranked like those of the iPhone, Galaxy, and Pixel.

Earlier this year, reports indicated Sony had outsourced the production of its flagship phones to a third-party manufacturer. The identity of this company is currently unknown.

In other news, after a year of development, "Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips" will be released in a few months. Follow the link for more details.