Sony announced Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra targeting the mid-budget market at the ultimate smartphone grandeur, MWC 2017. The phones were unveiled as successors to the previous Xperia XA lineup that were first released last year. Out of these two devices, you can now buy Xperia XA1 from any online or offline retail channel in India. The phone has been priced at ₹19,990 and is available for purchase at all Sony electronics store from today.
Xperia XA1 has a 5-inch screen sporting edge-to-edge display. However, it lacks the bezel-less efficiency, currently popular amid the smartphone market. As for design aesthetics, the handset features a slim case and a display curved at the edges, which was lacking in the previous version of the device.
The device runs on a MediaTek Helio P20 octa-core processor supported by 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. The storage is expandable up to 256GB with a microSD card slot. The smartphone is equipped with a long-lasting 2,300mAh battery.
Further, Sony is kicking off 2017 on the back of their camera prowess for the latest phones. Xperia XA1 features a 23MP rear camera with an ISO6400 sensor for low-light photography, a 24mm wide-angle F2.0 lens and more. Earlier version Xperia XA only offered a standard 13 MP camera. The phone also has an 8MP front-facing camera for perfect selfies and video calling assistance.
However, Sony may face some serious competition from Lenovo Z2 Plus, featuring a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip and priced at just ₹17,300. Other smartphones at this budget include LeEco Max 2 — sporting 5.7-inch screen packed with Qualcomm SD 820 and a 21-MP camera to help revive its sales. The extremely popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, Xiaomi Mi Prime, and Huawei Honor 6 may also steer the revenues away from Xperia XA1.
However, the excellent camera features, especially the 13 MP selfie shooter at the front and edge-to-edge display might prove to be the device’s savior. Indian youth still craves for exceptional camera features and looks of the phone, thus, they might be attracted towards the low-tech Sony Xperia XA1. The Japanese hardware maker could’ve gone for a more competitive pricing to give itself some edge in the crowded, but rapidly growing Indian smartphone market.
But, what’s done is done. We’ll now have to wait to witness the sales of the Xperia XA1 to judge its success. Will you be looking to buy Sony’s latest mid-budget bet? Tell us in the comments section down below.
