SONY

Leak reveals first clues about the Sony Xperia 1 IX

The Sony Xperia 1 VIII was only released in June, and already the first signs of life from the next-generation Xperia flagship have emerged. The Sony Xperia 1 IX is apparently already in the works, and Sony does not seem to be planning to turn its back on the smartphone market, at least for the time being.

The Sony Xperia 1 VIII was released in June, almost exactly one year after the Xperia 1 VII. Now, Sony has apparently already begun developing the Sony Xperia 1 IX, as the Japanese magazine S-Max was able to identify three model numbers in the GSMA’s IMEI database that follow the usual pattern of model numbers for the Sony Xperia 1 series.

The variant with the model number "XQ-H44" is said to support only eSIM and be intended for the Japanese market. The version with the model number "XQ-HH54" is reportedly intended for Europe. And the variant with the model number "XQ-HH74" is set to launch in the rest of the world. The first "H" stands for the model year 2027, and the "4" at the end confirms that the smartphone is compatible with an eSIM. These internal model numbers are listed alongside the model designations PM-1545-BV, PM-1540-BV, and PM-1541-BV.

As The Walkman Blog notes, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII was listed in the IMEI database in November 2025, while the Xperia 1 VII was listed in October 2024. However, the fact that the Xperia 1 IX was added to the mobile network database earlier does not necessarily mean that Sony is planning an earlier launch. Nevertheless, this leak shows that Sony is planning a next-generation Xperia flagship and does not intend to follow the example of LG or OnePlus by exiting the smartphone market. The DRAM crisis is likely to lead to another price increase, however, when the Xperia 1 IX hits the market next year.

mundophone