Back in August, it was reported that Sony has plans to bring back its Compact line of phones in 2021. Japanese blog Android Next (via GSM Arena) has reiterated the rumor.
Per the publication, the Japanese conglomerate will release an Xperia Compact model in the first half of 2021.
Sony’s Compact models offered high-end specs in a small form factor. That doesn’t seem to be the strategy any longer, as the latest report says that the upcoming Compact phone will be fueled by the Snapdragon 775G, a 6nm 5G-enabled chip that Qualcomm is rumored to be working on.
This shouldn’t really be a cause for concern, as the Snapdragon 775G will reportedly be a flagship-rivaling chip, and it is expected to be more closely related to the upcoming Snapdragon 875 silicon than Qualcomm’s existing 7-series chips.
The next Sony Xperia Compact could cater to Android users looking for an iPhone 12 mini alternative
The Japanese blog also says that Sony’s new Compact phone will feature a 5.5-inch display and it will be based on an existing model, probably the Xperia 1 II or Xperia 5 II. This partially aligns with a year-old report which had alleged that the next Compact model would sport a 5.5-inch screen, and it would be underpinned by the Snapdragon 665.
Sony’s last Compact phone, the Xperia XZ2 Compact, came out in 2018. It was equipped with a 5-inch display and the Snapdragon 845 silicon.
In September 2019, the company announced the not-exactly-small 6.1-inch Xperia 5. Although it didn’t have the Compact moniker, it was marketed as a device small enough to fit “in the palm of your hand.”
The launch of the new 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini has reignited the debate about the lack of small smartphones and although it’s too early to talk about the phone’s market reception, releasing an Android alternative could help Sony cash in on the hype.
