Sony’s €1,500 Xperia 1 VIII sells better than expected — and the headphone jack is why

Sony's mobile division has shared the first sales results for its new flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 VIII. Despite the steep price, the device is seeing strong demand in Japan and across European markets. Company representatives attribute the success to expanded direct sales channels and the growth of its own retail network.

In Japan, the phone costs over 200,000 yen (roughly $1,350). In Europe, the base model with 256 GB of storage is priced at €1,500, while in the UK it sells for £1,400. Interestingly, the most popular configuration among buyers is the 1 TB storage variant.

Internal customer surveys reveal that what draws people to the Xperia 1 VIII is its classic feature set. The two biggest reasons for choosing the phone are the 3.5 mm headphone jack and the microSD card slot. Sony says these elements are central to the Xperia line's identity, and engineers plan to keep both the wired audio port and expandable storage in future generations of the device.

The camera module, however, has been completely redesigned. Sony dropped the complex variable zoom mechanism (85–170 mm) that was used in the previous model — it took up too much space inside the chassis. Instead of the old 12 MP unit, the new phone features a different camera setup, the details of which the company outlined in its sales report. The move is part of a broader effort to refine the flagship's internals while preserving the features its loyal audience values most.