Sony has confirmed May 13 as the launch date for its next flagship, the Xperia 1 VIII. A recent teaser video hints at significant camera redesign, while CAD renders reveal a square camera island housing three lenses arranged in a triangle—departing from the single-column layout of all previous generations. The live stream link is now available for the 2am UTC event where Sony will showcase the device.

The Xperia 1 VIII maintains Sony's design philosophy with a flat 6.5" OLED display featuring no notches or punch holes. Notably, the device retains the 3.5mm headphone jack, increasingly rare in flagship smartphones. Previous leaks suggest the phone will carry a premium price point, though this might include bundled Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, potentially making the overall package more attractive to consumers.

The triangular camera arrangement with 16mm, 24mm, and 70mm lenses represents a significant departure from Sony's established design language. This new layout positions Sony to compete more directly with camera-focused rivals in the premium smartphone market. Consumers will get their first detailed look when Sony officially unveils the device next week, ending months of speculation about the company's next flagship direction.