Sony Mobile on Tuesday unveiled several Android handsets, including a new addition to its Xperia XA1 lineup in the form of the Xperia XA1 Plus. The company’s latest smartphone seems to be somewhere between the original Xperia XA1 and the Xperia X1A Ultra, though it’s more similar to the former in terms of size. Still, it also debuts a variety of upgrades, including a bigger battery and a higher-resolution screen, while also shipping with a range of special features that Sony is hoping will help it stand out from the numerous and constantly growing competition in the mid-range segment of the handset market.
The Xperia XA1 Plus ships with Android Nougat and support for a wide variety of extra functionalities meant to improve the video and audio experience, with those features including the likes of ClearAudio+, Smart Amp, Stereo Recording, Gesture Shutter, SteadyShot, and Hybrid Autofocus. Furthermore, the variant of Android Nougat that’s pre-installed on the Xperia XA1 Plus isn’t skinned in a heavy manner, which is a mobile software strategy that Sony has been employing for some time now as it allows it to push out updates for its devices in a more timely manner. Given that state of affairs, the Xperia XA1 Plus should be updated on a fairly regular basis and is expected to be updated to Android 8.0 Oreo in the near future, especially since Sony already adapted Google’s newest OS to some of its mobile offerings, as the Japanese OEM revealed earlier today.
Sony’s new mid-ranger also boasts one of the most capable camera modules in its price range, with its primary imaging system entailing a 23-megapixel sensor with an aperture of f/2.0 and phase detection autofocus (PDAF) support accompanied by a conventional LED flash. The device is also equipped with a USB Type-C connector and a 3.5mm audio jack, in addition to featuring a better screen compared to the original Xperia XA1, with the 5.5-inch display panel of the Xperia XA1 Plus having a resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. The handset is scheduled to be released this fall and will be available in four variants – black, blue, white, and gold.
