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Sony‘s latest compact flagship smartphone, the Xperia 5 V, won’t arrive in the US. The company recently confirmed that it has no plans to launch the device in North America. The Xperia 1 V, which debuted a few months back, will remain the only flagship Sony phone in the region this year.
In a statement to Android Police, Sony said that it “will not [be] carrying the Xperia 5 V in the North American market this year.” The Japanese firm didn’t make it clear if the device is planned for a 2024 release in the US. However, that’s unlikely as the market will welcome new models from several other brands over the next few months. Consumer interest in the Sony phone, which is already quite low, may die down by the time we step into the new year.
This doesn’t come as a surprise, to be honest. Sony isn’t among the best Android OEMs anymore. No doubt it still makes great hardware, particularly the cameras. However, Xperia phones leave a lot to be desired in the software department. The company’s software support and update policy isn’t the best either. No wonder it doesn’t sell many phones outside its home country of Japan. The figures have been constantly declining in recent years.
As such, it makes sense for Sony to not launch the Xperia 5 V in the US. It’s still a bummer for the most loyal Sony fans, though. The phone in question is one of the best compact Android flagships out there. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the device features a vibrant 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED panel, IP68 dust and water resistance, 48MP main camera with 4K video recording, 12MP selfie camera with 4K video recording, stereo speakers, and more.
Sony will continue selling the Xperia 1 V in the US
In its official statement, Sony added that it wants to focus on improving the sales of the Xperia 1 V in the US. This phone was released in late July and packs slightly better specs than the Xperia 5 V. It gets a 6.5-inch 4K display, a telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, and a few other upgrades.
However, The Xperia 1 V’s price tag of $1,400 is a bit too high. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $200 less while giving you better specs in many areas, though the Sony phone trumps it in some areas. The Xperia 5 V would have been a great affordable alternative for Americans looking to buy a new phone from the Japanese firm this year. It’s available in Europe for €999 and in the UK for £849.