An ancient Sony phone could be getting a surprise successor
A new Sony Xperia Z Ultra
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Fans ofSony phones, rejoice - while the company puts out few handsets each year, and rumored phones like theSony Xperia Compactnever seem to materialize, a leaker has suggested the company has a brand-new device coming in 2021.
No, we’re not talking about the recently-launchedSony Xperia 1 IIIorXperia 5 III- instead, rumor has it the eight-year-oldSony Xperia Z Ultrais getting a successor - since that phone hasn’t seen a new version since its 2013 launch, that’s a big surprise.
This comes from popular leakerZackbuks, who posted the words “Hello, Xperia Z Ultra” on Chinese social media app Weibo.
Back in 2013, we commended the Xperia Z Ultra for its huge screen, which measured a gigantic… 6.4 inches. Well, that was massive for a phone then, though now that would be considered on the small side given that most premium phones are even bigger.
The phone was also powerful, with a good-looking screen and long-lasting battery - at least, compared to other 2013 devices. The Xperia Z Ultra was fairly popular, so it was curious that no follow-up device ever hit the market.
We don’t know anything about the newSonyXperia Z Ultra - even its existence is fairly dubious, with only one leaker mentioning it by name - so we’ll have to wait for more information before getting our hopes up.
Why now?
Why would Sony wait eight years before reviving its ‘Ultra’ device? Well, it could be down to what other companies are doing.
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It seems 2021 has been the year of the ‘Ultra’ device with theSamsung Galaxy S21 Ultra,Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, ZTE Axon 30 Ultra and more pushing the boundaries of what smartphones can do - and how much they can cost.
Perhaps Sony saw this influx of top-end phones and decided to try its luck in the super-top-end market segment. Profit margins on premium devices are said to be higher than on more affordable smartphones too, so it could be seen as a good way for Sony to bump up interest in its struggling smartphonearm.
This is all speculation for now, though, as without confirmation that this Sony Xperia Z Ultra is coming, all we can do is guess.
Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.
He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.
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