technology news: Leaked Sony Xperia 5 images suggest a smaller flagship, but not a Compact model

Sony Xperia 5 Leaked in Three Colors WinFuture

Towards the end of August, we found some leaked promotional photos of what looked to be either a Sony Xperia 1.5 or even a Sony Xperia 2. However, according to Roland Quandt from WinFuture, what we saw might have been a Sony Xperia 5.

Quandt declared as much on Twitter, where he referenced an article on WinFuture that shows leaked press renders of what looks to be a new Sony Xperia flagship. In that article, Quandt thought (as we did) that it was a follow-up to the Sony Xperia 1. Now, he thinks this is actually something else entirely.

It's possible that Sony could be planning a go-between for the ultra-high-end Sony Xperia 1 and the mid-range Sony Xperia 10. The Sony Xperia 5 could have some flagship features but ultimately cost less than the Xperia 1.

Check out the leaked press renders as well as the leaked promotional images of the device below:

#gallery-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-2 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-2 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

According to Quandt, the device above has a 6.1-inch display, which is slightly smaller than the massive 6.5-inch display on the Xperia 1. This will, unfortunately, dash any hopes that this device could be a smaller, "Compact" variant of the Sony Xperia 1. The image of the model with the device in her hand can attest to that.

Still, a not-quite-premium flagship from Sony could be an interesting move. One of the chief criticisms of Sony's smartphone strategy is how incredibly expensive its devices are, especially when you see other brands offering similarly-spec'd devices for much less cash. A cheaper phone with most of the bells and whistles of the Sony Xperia 1 — including that insane 21:9 display — might do well.

What do you think? Is a Sony Xperia 5 something you would buy? Let us know in the comments.