Sony Xperia 5 II release date, features, rumours and price

 

Sony Xperia 5 II release

 Sony Mobile typically announces two flagship smartphones a year, one around February time and the second around September time. In 2019, these devices were called the Xperia 1 and the Xperia 5, with the company also launching the mid-range Xperia 10. 

For 2020, we've already seen the successor to the Xperia 1 in the Xperia 1 II and rumours are now in full swing surrounding the more compact model - the Xperia 5 II. 

Here is everything we have heard about the Xperia 5 II so far. 

Release date and price

• 17 September 2020
• At least $799/£699

In the past, Sony has used trade show IFA to reveal its latest smartphone but it seems the company has chosen to avoid the virtual show this year and will opt for its own event. The company has officially confirmed it will be revealing a new Xperia product on 17 September, though it hasn't said it's the Xperia 5 II. Given the volume of leaks, it can only be the Xperia 5 II.

In terms of price, the Xperia 5 cost $799 in the US and £699 in the UK. It's possible the Xperia 5 II could see a price increase like the Xperia 1 II did however, as it is expected to be 5G.

Sony Xperia 5 II release

Design

• 158 x 68 x 8mm
• IP68 water and dust resistant
• Glass and metal design

There have been some fairly extensive leaks surrounding the Sony Xperia 5 II that we pretty much know exactly what it will look like thanks to leaker Evan Blass and Android Headlines.

Blass tweeted a number of press renders of the devices, along with what look like marketing shots revealing some of the key features, like the Dual Shock controller support. Offering a similar design to the Xperia 5, the Xperia 5 II appears to feature slightly rounder corners and edges.

It looks like there will continue to be slim bezels at the top and bottom of the display. The camera housing on the rear appears to sit in the top left corner - as it did on the Xperia 5 - and there's a headphone jack at the top, which there wasn't on last year's model. There will be dual front facing speakers.

It also looks like it will be waterproof - as many would expect from a Sony device. Measurements are claimed to be 158 x 68 x 8mm, which is 0.2mm slimmer than the Xperia 5.

 

Display

• 6.1-inch, Full HD+
• 120Hz, OLED
• 21:9 aspect ratio

According to reports, the Xperia 5 II will feature a 6.1-inch display, making it  smaller than the 6.5-inch Xperia 1 II. It's said the display will offer a Full HD+ resolution and boast a 120Hz refresh rate. That may actually go one better than the Xperia 1 II, which had a "motion blur" feature rather than specifically talking about a faster refresh rate.

It's also claimed to be an OLED screen and the aspect ratio is no doubt 21:9. If all the leaks are accurate, the Xperia 5 II's display specifications are the same as the Xperia 5, except for the increase in refresh rate.

Sony Xperia 5 II release

Specs and hardware

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G
• 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, microSD
• 4000mAh, fast charging

The Sony Xperia 5 II is said to be running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G processor, supported by 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. There's also said to be microSD support for storage expansion, as is typical for Sony devices. 

The battery capacity is claimed to be a decent 4000mAh and fast charging is also expected to be on board. As yet, there is no word on whether the Xperia 5 II will offer wireless charging. 

In terms of software, reports have claimed the Xperia 5 II will get software upgrades up to Android 13, which would mean three years of updates - the same as Samsung promised for its latest Note 20 series.

Cameras

• Triple rear camera
• 12MP ultra wide + 12MP wide + 12MP telephoto

Based on the reports, the Sony Xperia 5 II will have a triple rear camera like its predecessor. It's claimed there will be a 12 megapixels ultra-wide sensor (f/2.2, focal length 16, 124 degree field-of-view), a 12-megapixel wide sensor (24mm, f/1.7 aperture, 82 degree field-of-view) and a 12-megapixel telephoto (70mm, f/2.4, 3x zoom) lens. 

The camera will offer real-time eye tracking autofocus, as well as 20fps burst shooting with focus and exposure tracking.

If true, the ultra-wide sensor is even wider than the 120 degree lens in the Samsung Note 20 Ultra. Nothing has been mentioned on the front camera as yet.

Sony Xperia 5 II release

Sony Xperia 5 II rumours: What's happened so far?

Here's everything we have heard so far about the Sony Xperia 5 II. 

7 September 2020: Evan Blass leaks a promo video for the Xperia 5 II

Evan Blass has shared a video of the forthcoming Sony phone, confirming a number of the previously-leaked details.

2 September 2020: Sony Mobile confirms 17 September product reveal on Twitter

Sony has tweeted from its official Twitter account that a new Xperia product will be unveiled on 17 September. It hasn't said it will be the Xperia 5 II but that's what is expected.

1 September 2020: Sony Xperia 5 II could get Android 13

Rumours suggest the Sony Xperia 5 II could get upgrades up to Android 13, which would mean Sony is offering three years of software upgrades, like Samsung promised on the Note 20 series.

Sony Xperia 5 II release

28 August 2020: Sony Xperia 5 II full press images leaked

Serial leaker Evan Blass published several images of the Xperia 5 II on his Twitter account. The images not only show full press renders of the device but what appear to be marketing images too.

Blass's Twitter account is private but below are a couple of the images he shared.

28 August 2020: The incoming Sony Xperia 5 II has been totally revealed in huge leak

Android Headlines published a report revealing the design and specifications of the Sony Xperia 5 II.