Sony is reportedly set to bring back its “Compact” line of phones in 2021 with a new Xperia Compact model.
Well-known tipster OnLeaks has shared what he says are images and early details of the Xperia Compact, Sony’s revival of a small phone line it dropped after 2018’s XZ2 Compact. The device would have slightly larger dimensions than its Apple rival, but its 5.5-inch screen and overall diminutive body could make it appealing next to the behemoths that define the current Android landscape.
The new device, according to noted phone leaker OnLeaks, who has also posted renders of the upcoming phone over at Voice, would feature dimensions of 140 x 68.9 x 8.9 mm (5.5 x 2.71 x 0.35 inches), making it just a bit bigger than the iPhone 12 mini (which measures 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4 mm or 5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29 inches).
The new Xperia Compact is also said to offer an 8-megapixel selfie camera in a teardrop notch, a dual-camera setup with a 13-megapixel main camera on the back, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a side-mounted fingerprint reader integrated into the power button. Notably absent are any details on specs, however.
It’s not certain when Sony would release this easier-to-grab phone, although history suggests it might be announced in February and ship in the spring.
It’s also unclear whether there’s actually a market for smaller flagships. Apple’s iPhone 12 mini, while offering virtually identical specifications to the larger iPhone 12, has reportedly seen lackluster sales compared to the larger models on offer. There are additional reports that Apple is shifting production away from the smaller model to focus more on the full-sized phones.
