Sony’s deteriorating sales of its Xperia smartphones over the last several years is pretty much an open secret. Despite all its imaging hardware know-how, was lacking in the smartphone camera experience. Thanks to an interview between Trusted Reviews and the Japanese giant, we now have some insight as to why that is.
Speaking to Adam March, Senior Manager of Global Marketing, Sony, March confirmed to Trusted Reviews that – of all the reasons behind the Xperia’s lacklustre camera experience – an internal dispute between its mobile and Alpha mirrorless camera division.
March’s description points towards the Alpha mirrorless camera division being the most reluctant of the two. Stating that it doesn’t want to provide the mobile division with certain imaging technology. Lest Sony’s Xperia smartphones “have the same as what a £3000 (~RM16168) camera’s got”.
However, March also said that the barrier between the two has somewhat been reduced – if only a little. For now, the brand’s two biggest divisions are apparently beginning to see the benefits of having a smartphone that is capable of providing consumers with a camera experience that’s similar to using an Alpha camera.
Love it or leave it, Sony’s presence in the smartphone camera industry is nearly inescapable. The Japanese brand is one of the principal suppliers of the mobile camera to a very long list of other smartphone manufacturers. A list that comprises several major Chinese brands, such as Xiaomi and OnePlus.
The Xperia 1 is the first sign of the two division’s cooperation. It’s the brand’s first Xperia to feature a triple 12MP main camera setup. That also features several improvements and additions over its predecessor, such as improved autofocus, image noise reduction, and the ability to extract Raw image files. Albeit through a third-party Android app, for now.
As these things usually go, it’s going to be a while before we actually see what can be considered a full collaboration between the Xperia and Alpha mirrorless camera division. For now, it’s a slight relief to know that the two sides are beginning to understand that they have to be at each other’s necks.
(Source: Android Authority via Xperia Blog, Trusted Reviews)
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