The Sony Xperia X2 is the upcoming sequel to the Xperia X smartphone, likely to launch early in 2017. Here’s what we know so far from leaks and rumours, plus what we’re hoping Sony will do with the Xperia X2, to make it a must-buy mobile.
The Sony Xperia X was officially launched with glorious fanfare back in February 2016, at the massive MWC expo. This was the first of Sony’s new Xperia X family, which now includes several members including the Xperia XZ (the flagship handset) and the more wallet-friendly Xperia XA.
At the time, we were giddy with excitement at the prospect of the Xperia X. We even claimed it could be the best mobile phone of 2016, because it promised to give consumers exactly the specs and features they wanted, at a price they could afford.
Sadly, while the Xperia X was a solid phone which boasted a great camera, a typically gorgeous screen and attractive design, it wasn’t quite the perfect mobile we’d hoped for.
What can Sony do to make the Xperia X2 the best phone of 2017?
With the Xperia X, Sony aimed to deliver all of the things that customers demand in a smartphone. For the most part, it succeeded too.
That 23-megapixel rear camera was dependable in pretty much any conditions, complete with decent image stabilisation for shooting home movies. The Full HD screen delivered crisp, colourful visuals and you got some handy tutorials to guide you through all of the features.
However, battery life wasn’t as strong as we hoped, giving you just about a day of use per charge. And while performance was respectable at first, that Snapdragon 650 processor doesn’t age too well, so we’re seeing the occasional stutter these days.
At £450 SIM-free, the Xperia X was also significantly more expensive than rival handsets such as the excellent OnePlus 3T and Samsung’s Galaxy A5, which also boast Full HD visuals, capable cameras and better performance. So to make the Xperia X2 a mobile worth splashing out for, it needs to be more affordable and offer stronger performance.
Perhaps this means trimming some of the other Xperia X features, which would be a shame but also hopefully drive down the cost. For instance, while Hi-Res audio support is nice to have, we’re not convinced that many consumers would mourn its absence.
Sony Xperia X2 specs: What do we know so far?
So far we’ve seen a few little leaks which might give us an idea of what to expect from the Sony Xperia X2.
As reported by GSMArena, an unknown Sony phone has already been passed through the AnTuTu benchmarking software, revealing some of its specs. If this is indeed the Xperia X2 as we suspect, then it’ll again sport a 5-inch Full HD screen. There’s a Helio P20 chipset powering the device, supported by 4GB of RAM.
You’ll once again get an edge-mounted fingerprint sensor and most likely a sleek metallic body, which will hopefully prove just as rugged as the original Xperia X’s.
You can also expect Sony to plug in the same excellent tri-sensor camera found in the Xperia XZ and Xperia X Compact. That AnTuTu leak revealed a 23-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel selfie camera, which certainly sounds right to us.
Sony Xperia X2 UK price and release date: What do we know so far?
Rumours point to the Xperia X2 being launched at MWC 2017, which would make perfect sense; that’d be a full year after the launch of the original Xperia X, after all. Sony’s press conference will take place on February 27, so stay tuned for more info.
If the Sony Xperia X2 is indeed launched at MWC 2017, then you can expect it to arrive in the UK in the first half of 2017. Here’s hoping the price point is closer to £350, to match the likes of Samsung and OnePlus’ offerings.
We’ll update this article as we hear more rumours about the Sony Xperia X2. Let us know what you’d like to see from the Xperia X2 in the comments below.
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