Existence of Sony Xperia XA3 all but confirmed ahead of IFA 2018
Whilst Sony waited just shy of a year before rolling out the successor to the Xperia XA1, it looks as though the release train is gaining momentum, with signs pointing to the imminent arrival of the Xperia XA3.
It’s no secret that Sony’s Xperia XZ2 Premium is set to hit the US at the end of July and is slated to grace the UK in September, but according to 91 Mobiles, a mid-range successor to January’s Xperia XA2, presumably called the Xperia XA3, may have broken cover ahead of any official announcement.
Related: Best cheap mobile phones
A Sony device bearing the model number H4413 recently popped up on a Eurasian certification site alongside model number H8166 (the XZ2 Premium). Based on the fact that the XA1 went by ‘G3121’ and the XA2 ‘H3133’, history suggests that this new device will most likely take the form of the XA3.
Unfortunately, the certification site makes no further mention of the device, nor does it reveal any of the specifications that it may offer, but just the fact that the phone is awaiting European certification at all, suggests that we may well see the XA3 debut at IFA in Berlin at the start of September.
Based on its predecessors, we’re expecting the Xperia XA3 to take the form of a competent mid-range smartphone with an extended edge-to-edge 18:9 aspect ratio Full HD+ (2160 x 1080) display, likely around the 5.5-inch mark but without expanding all that much on the overall footprint set by the Xperia XA2.
The phone could launch with the upcoming public release of Android P, but will more likely see an update from Android 8.1 Oreo further down the line instead.
Read more: IFA 2018
As for the phone’s internal hardware, we’re not expecting any additional expansion, with 32GB of internal storage, 3GB of RAM and up to 256GB of microSD expandability available, whilst Sony will hopefully upgrade the processor from a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 to a Snapdragon 636, giving the phone a beefier GPU, faster LTE and potential support for Quick Charge 4.0.
With Sony having only just embraced its first dual rear camera design, it’s unlikely that the XA3 will offer similar hardware, instead sporting an uprated single 23-megapixel sensor on the back and an 8-megapixel wide-angle front-facer.
Would you be tempted by a successor to the Xperia XA2? Share your thoughts with us @TrustedReviews.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
