Bottom line: Designed to be a shrunken down version of the flagship Xperia 1 II released earlier this year, the Xperia 5 II is still taller and narrower than most phones on the market and is expected to release on September 17. According to leaked specs, the device will pack pretty much every 2020 flagship feature, including a high refresh-rate display, high-end SoC, triple cameras, as well as the return of a not-so 2020 feature: the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Sony's Xperia lineup of tall and narrow phones might not be to everyone's taste, but they're instantly recognizable thanks in part to the top and bottom bezels and unique, boxy dimensions that make them stand out from the crowd, literally. And while many fans have long yearned for a proper, modern Xperia compact flagship, they're likely going to be left unconvinced by Sony's upcoming, smaller version of the Xperia 1 II.
According to leaks from Android Headlines, the new Xperia 5 II would still be a noticeably tall device at 158mm, as it continues to stick to Sony's design mantra of making "cinematic" 21:9 aspect ratio phones.
Even if its size doesn't fit the bill (or pockets), the mark two is shaping up to be a decent upgrade over its predecessor. The 6.1" OLED display will now refresh at a buttery smooth 120Hz with 240Hz touch sampling. Underneath will be Snapdragon's 865 SoC, alongside 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage with microSD expansion. Battery capacity also sees a jump from 3,140mAh in the Xperia 5 to a 4,000mAh pack with USB-C Power Delivery support for fast charging.
The phone's camera setup is also expected to benefit from Sony's Alpha division. With a trio of 12MP lenses (ultrawide, wide and telephoto), it's slightly different from the Xperia 1 II and can reportedly shoot 4K HDR video at double the frame rate of its bigger sibling at 120fps.
As with all Xperias released in 2020 (1 II, 10 II and L4), the upcoming 5 II will also feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, following a brief period of absence when Sony hopped onto that trend. It's a welcome addition for audiophiles who'll find it much more useful than Sony's rather annoying "Dynamic Vibration" rumbling feature.
We'll find out more about the Xperia 5 II as it approaches release, including its price. Though it's unlikely to go into four figures like $1,200 Xperia 1 II, expect to see a slightly lower price tag in the $800-$900 range.