In a bold move to revive its struggling smartphone business, Sony has switched strategies and adopted a design trend that has been a hallmark of the industry for years: providing its own take on an existing and popular design.
We get it, designing a phone from the ground up requires significant time and resources that could be dedicated to other technologies. There’s also the risk that the design won’t be as popular as manufacturers hope. That’s why in the smartphone industry, only a handful of companies take the risk, and if they succeed, others quickly follow.
A Familiar Design Choice
It appears the company has now fully embraced this trend with its latest mid-range contender, the Xperia 10 VII. The new phone sports a horizontal rear camera bar that bears a striking resemblance to the Google Pixel series, a design choice that signals a clear shift away from Sony’s traditionally unique aesthetics.
Why the Change?
This change in strategy seems to be a direct response to the company’s difficulty in gaining a significant market share. The company currently holds less than 1% globally, with the majority of its sales coming from its home market of Japan.
Specs and Features
In terms of specs, the Xperia 10 VII is a respectable mid-range device. It’s equipped with a 6.1-inch OLED display with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Powering the phone is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage, all backed by a large 5,000 mAh battery.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a Sony phone without its trademark audio features, including a 3.5mm headphone jack and front-facing stereo speakers.
Price and Availability
The Sony Xperia 10 VII will be available in the U.K. for £399 and in Europe for €449. Unfortunately, for Filipino Sony fans, the company still has no plans for an official launch in the Philippines, meaning you’ll likely have to rely on third-party sellers who import the phone from neighboring countries.
What do you think of Sony copying the Pixel-style design for the Xperia 10 VII?
Let us know what you think!
