Sony’s newest Xperia flagship, the Xperia 1 VII, may be the first in the series not built directly by the company. According to a report from Japanese site Sumaho Digest, Sony quietly removed references to “smartphones” from the manufacturing sections of its China and Thailand websites in mid-May, hinting that production might have shifted to a third-party partner. This aligns with Sony’s recent practice of outsourcing manufacturing for its midrange models.
Build Quality and Pricing Remain Consistent
The Xperia 1 VII is set to launch at the end of June. Early reviews from GSMArena and Stuff don’t note any significant differences in build quality compared to previous in-house models. Outsourcing production could allow Sony to reduce costs by tapping into larger-scale manufacturing facilities. Despite this, the Xperia 1 VII is priced even higher than its predecessor, retailing at £1,399 in the UK—£100 more than the Xperia 1 VI.
Sony has not revealed plans for a US release and notably skipped the market for its last flagship. If the Xperia 1 VII does come to the US, the price would likely be $1,500 or higher.
What The Author Thinks
While outsourcing production may help Sony save on manufacturing expenses, it risks diluting the brand’s reputation for premium build quality, which is a key selling point for Xperia phones. In a competitive flagship market, maintaining control over manufacturing processes can be crucial for innovation and quality assurance. Sony will need to ensure its partners meet high standards to keep loyal customers satisfied.
Featured image credit: Maurizio Pesce via Flickr
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