Just like how summer follows spring, a Sony Xperia 5 IV will follow the Xperia 1 IV, and we're expecting both phones to get announced fairly soon (though to only go on sale much later).
We've been hearing a few details about the former phone which, based on precedent, will be a smaller alternative to its big sibling. Specs have emerged via a regular leaker on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
Some changes are also detailed: apparently the phone will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which is the new powerful processor for 2022, and it will also apparently have a battery capacity that's "increased a little" from the 4,500mAh one in the older Xperia, though an actual size isn't mentioned.
Analysis: a close Galaxy S22 rival
The Samsung Galaxy S22, which was launched recently, is a tiny bit smaller than its predecessor - at 6.1 inches, co-incidentally, so if this Sony rumor is true the phones could have similar sizes.
Similar, but not identical: the phones will have different aspect ratios for their displays, and the Xperia will likely be longer and thinner than the Galaxy.
Either way, these phones both seem targeted at users who don't want giant phones, and just want compact small little things.
The Sony Xperia 5 IV might have an advantage though: if this rumor is true, its battery capacity will be at least 800mAh more than the Galaxy S22 - that's a big enough difference to be noticeable. So the Sony might last quite a bit longer before needing to be recharged.
We'll have to wait for the Xperia to be announced before we decide which is best, but that might be a little while, so stay tuned for news and rumors in the meantime.
