Sony Xperia 1 II is officially landing in the US in two months

It's official. Sony will really be bringing its latest and greatest smartphone to US markets whether you like it or not. Many will probably take the latter sentiment after seeing the price but the company is dangling at least one freebie to make it worth their while. Sony fans will have to save up for the Xperia 1 II, though, because it will only be available unlocked, which means no carrier subsidies to soften that $1,200 blow.

On the specs level, the Xperia 1 II is admittedly on par with the early 2020 premium flagships so far. That includes the Snapdragon 865 with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. It also has Sony's signature 4K CinemaWide Display on a 6.5-inch panel. Battery is rated at 4,000 mAh, which may be stretching it thin considering all the hardware.

Its real claim to fame, however, is its camera system, bringing Sony Alpha tech to mobile. That includes a cornucopia of marketing terms and figures, including an Exmor RS sensor, a BOINZ for Mobile processor, Zeiss T optics, Dual Photo Diode sensor for real-time Auto Focus and Auto Exposure continuous tracking.

That all sounds fine and grand but the Xperia 1 II still needs real-world testing to confirm those claims. What makes the phone even more uncertain in the context of US markets is the absence of any mention of 5G support even if the Snapdragon 865 itself comes with a 5G modem built-in.

Those uncertainties make the $1,199.99 price tag on the Xperia 1 II seem too much to ask for, even if Sony is including WF-1000XM3 wireless noise cancelling earbuds if you pre-order between June 1 and June 28. The phone will ship on July 24 and will be available only in an unlocked version. compatible with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, and MetroPCS networks, again with no mention of 5G support.