2020 was a pretty good year for Sony. Aside from the next-gen console and excellent headphones, the brand has also released some compelling smartphones. The high-end Xperia 1 II was aimed at the premium media, while the Xperia 5 II stripped the formula down to something more affordable and general. Both are notable improvements over previous generation phones from Sony.
Sony has its hands full keeping up with the pace of PlayStation 5 orders. Aside from more inventory on his new slot machine, we want to see a lot more of the Japanese giant in 2021 as well. Speaking of PS5, we're focusing on Sony's phones and other tech products here. Look forward to our special PlayStation wish list.
1. A finely polished Xperia 5 II
The Sony Xperia 5 II made our five best smartphones of 2020. It's a solid buy for customers looking for a balance between price, features, and a leaner form factor. If you are a media lover or a mobile gamer this is even more appealing. The Xperia 5 II is a better buy than the more expensive Sony Xperia 1 II for most consumers. It's almost great, but has a few minor issues that Sony could really start patching in 2021.
My problems with the Xperia 5 II are mostly focused on the different software parts of the phone. While the clean Android interface is great, the inconsistent themes, settings, and features in the additional apps are awkward. Similarly, on the cameras, the Pro app is powerful, if not a little complicated, while the Standard app lacks some very basic features. I wouldn't mind more modern camera hardware, AI smarts, faster charging and sticking to the headphone jack. A slightly more competitive price wouldn't hurt either.
Continue reading: Sony Xperia 5 II review | Sony Xperia 5 II second opinion
Even so, the Xperia 5 II is Sony's best phone in a long time. It's worthy of the success that has long eluded the brand's recent phone efforts. More of that with a few minor tweaks, and I'll be very excited about the Xperia 5 III.
2. A premium camera phone
While we're creating a wish list for next-gen Sony smartphones, we really want the brand to expand their photo capabilities to compete with the best in the business.
While the Xperia 1 II and 5 II take some great pictures and offer top-notch workmanship, their hardware isn't entirely up to date. Sony's triple 12MP sensors provide consistency across lenses and features like burst shooting rather than the latest sensor technology . Sony Semiconductor develops the IMX line of image sensors that are used by most smartphone brands. These include the 50MP IMX700 from the Huawei P40 series and the 48MP IMX689 from the Oppo Find X2 Pro - - two of the best shooters of 2020. We want Sony to put their best sensor hardware into a next generation Xperia handset.
See also: Mega shootout for smartphones 2020 - the best camera phones tested
Between the in-house Sony sensors, the high-end Alpha brand, and Zeiss lenses, the company can leverage a lot of photo technology. A real photo powerhouse from Sony in 2021 would be pretty exciting.
3. PlayStation Now for Android
A shiny new generation of consoles may have grabbed the cloud gaming services spotlight. But taking your games with you wherever you go is probably still a core part of the next generation experience. Many companies already have their own attitude towards cloud games. The list includes Amazon Luna, Google Stadia, Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox's Cloud Gaming Beta with Game Pass, Steam Link and Cloud Play Beta, and Sony's PlayStation Now.
Many of these services are still in development, but the general trend is to support as many devices and platforms as possible. PlayStation Now is currently supported on PS4 and Windows PCs. General web browser support would be a good next step for a wider range of PC platforms. However, we really want to be able to play PlayStation titles on our Android smartphones while we're on the go. Make it happen, Sony!
Linking up with future Sony Xperia smartphones also seems like an easy commercial gain. Aside from the spirited remote play support, Sony has not yet used its PlayStation brand for modern smartphones.
4. Market these phones
Tech enthusiasts may follow and even like the latest Sony smartphones, but the general public is pretty much in the dark. The company's mobile phone advertising strategy is surprisingly quiet. This is especially true when compared to the marketing department for PlayStation and headphones. Despite its position as a major technology brand, consumer awareness of Sony phones in some markets is way behind Apple, Samsung and even Google.
Part of the problem is that Sony's phone sales are quite small compared to most of its competitors. This makes it difficult to justify a large advertising budget. Of course, Sony has its audio, gaming, and other multimedia endeavors that it could capitalize on. Either way, smaller brands and emerging companies with a fraction of the Japanese company's resources have caught the industry's attention.
Sony's smartphones are increasingly worth considering, and it would be really helpful if potential consumers knew they exist.
5. LC3 + audio support
Sony headphones are some of the best in the business. We are obviously looking forward to further improvements with the anticipated Sony WF-1000xM4 and finally the successor to the best-selling Sony WH-1000XM4. Good hardware is only part of the audio equation, however.
One less discussed, but equally important audio feature we'd like to see is support for the latest LC3 + audio codec from Bluetooth SIG. While this is in some competition with Sony's proprietary LDAC codec, LC3 + promises a significant improvement in audio quality over the current standard SBC standard from Bluetooth. The support would provide consumers with a choice of high quality Bluetooth audio options and ensure support for a wide variety of playback devices.
The new Bluetooth LE standard that includes LC3 + also supports true wireless earbuds, lower power consumption, and broadcast audio for audio sharing. The latter allows anyone to share audio with an unlimited number of nearby Bluetooth devices.
They tell us: what would you like to see from Sony in 2021?
2020 was a pretty good year for Sony and we are hoping for bigger things in 2021. But that's enough of my wish-list, now we want to know what you think! Fill out the survey below to let us know what you would most like to see next from Sony.
If there is still anything left to see from Sony in the next twelve months, drop us a line in the comments below.
