Over 75% of Fans Urge Sony to Cut Xperia 1 VIII’s €1,499 Price
Updated
Updated · PhoneArena · May 20
Over 75% of Fans Urge Sony to Cut Xperia 1 VIII’s €1,499 Price
8 articles · Updated · PhoneArena · May 20
More than 75% of respondents in a reader poll said Sony’s best chance of selling more Xperia 1 VIII phones is to lower the price, making cost the dominant complaint around the new flagship.
The Xperia 1 VIII starts at €1,499—about $1,740—even though it packs a 6.5-inch 120Hz OLED display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, up to 16GB RAM and a 5,000mAh battery.
Alternative explanations drew far less support: nearly 11% said Sony phones are simply outdated, a little over 7% wanted better hardware, and about 6% called for a major design overhaul.
The debate highlights Sony’s niche appeal in 2026: the phone still offers a headphone jack, microSD slot and no display cutout, but enthusiasts broadly see pricing as the clearest barrier to wider adoption.
Is Sony's high price a strategic failure or a calculated move to capture a niche market ignored by rivals?
Can a new sales model fix the 'social stigma' that better hardware and unique features have failed to overcome?