Sony’s new Xperia phone jumps on the camera bar bandwagon

Sony has announced the Xperia 10 VII, a midrange Android phone that’s launching in the UK, Europe, and Asia, though not the US. It’s more notable than most Sony phones because it marks the first major change to the rear design in over five years: a camera bar, just like recent Pixels, and now even iPhones. The Xperia Android line has kept its cameras vertically stacked in one corner since the first-generation Xperia 5 in 2019, with only rare exceptions like the standalone Xperia Pro-I. But the 10 VII reinvents that design language with a horizontal camera pair mounted in a pill-shaped raised bar that stretches across the phone’s back. The matte plastic body comes in black, white, or turquoise, and looks like no Xperia phone before it. It looks a little more like Google’s Pixel phones, a design also aped by Apple’s iPhone Air this week. Things are more recognizable from the front, with Sony’s familiar insistence on a chunky bezel above and below the display. That means the phone isn’t quite as compact as its 120Hz 6.1-inch display would suggest, but it’s still smaller and lighter than most. It also follows the recent Xperia 1 models in ditching what used to be a trademark 21:9 aspect ratio, now using boxier and more traditional 19.5:9 proportions. There are a few other standard Sony touches though. Most welcome for some will be the 3.5mm headphone jack, and the same crowd are likely to love the expandable microSD storage. The big bezel packs front-facing stereo speakers too, and the joint IP65 / 68 rating is better than most offer. There’s also a side-mounted single-stage camera shutter button — a feature that’s less unique than it used to be. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/sony-experia-10-vii-colors-screens.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/sony-experia-10-vii-angles.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/sony-experia-10-vii-colors.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] Otherwise, this is a pretty by-the-numbers midranger. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset is no powerhouse, and the dual rear cameras — a 50-megapixel main and 13-megapixel ultrawide — sound typical for the price. The 5,000mAh battery should last for two days according to Sony, but charging is limited to wired. I’ve always liked the look of Sony’s modern phones, even if they’ve often lagged behind the competition elsewhere. They were beginning to look a little dated though, and I’m a definite fan of the new design. Sony recently reiterated that the Xperia phones are “very important” to it — hopefully this redesign is a sign of some commitment to the line, and that we’ll see it extend to next year’s flagship model too. The Xperia 10 VII costs €449 / £399 (around $530) and is available to preorder now in the UK and Europe, shipping from September 19th. [Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiD8R066JNA]