Sony Xperia 1: The First 21:9 4K HDR Mobile Experience

Sony Xperia 1 (2019) – Flagship with 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED & Pro Triple Camera

Definition

The Sony Xperia 1 (J9110/J9160) is Sony Mobile’s 2019 flagship smartphone, unveiled at MWC 2019 as the first model in the rebranded Xperia 1 series (succeeding the XZ line). It pioneered the 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED display and a triple-lens camera co-engineered with Sony’s α (Alpha) camera team, featuring Eye AF and CineAlta-powered Cinema Pro mode. With a premium glass-aluminum build, IP65/68 water/dust resistance, and Snapdragon 855, it targeted content creators, multimedia enthusiasts, and photography pros, competing with the Samsung Galaxy S10+ and Huawei P30 Pro.

Core Specifications Overview (English)

Category	Details
Launch Date	February 2019 (MWC); global release May 2019
Model Codes	J9110 (single-SIM), J9160 (dual-SIM hybrid)
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (10 nm octa-core: 4×2.84 GHz Kryo 485 Gold + 4×1.78 GHz Kryo 485 Silver); Adreno 640 GPU
Display	6.5-inch 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED (3840×1644, 643 ppi); HDR10, Dolby Vision, 60 Hz, 1000000:1 contrast
Camera System	Rear: 12 MP wide (f/1.6, 26 mm, 1.4µm, 5-axis OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF, DRAM)+12 MP telephoto (f/2.4, 52 mm, 2x optical zoom, 5-axis OIS)+12 MP ultra-wide (f/2.4, 16 mm); Front: 8 MP (f/2.0)
Memory & Storage	6 GB LPDDR4X RAM; 128 GB UFS 2.1 (expandable up to 512 GB via microSD, hybrid dual-SIM)ソニー
Battery	3330 mAh Li-ion (non-removable); 18W Quick Charge 3.0; Qi wireless charging (10W)
Connectivity	4G LTE Cat.18; Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 5.0; NFC; USB-C 3.1; no 3.5 mm jack
Durability	IP65/68 (dust-tight; 1.5m/30min water resistance); side-mounted fingerprint sensor (power button)
Dimensions & Weight	167 × 72 × 8.2 mm; 178 g
Launch OS & Updates	Android 9.0 Pie; upgradable to Android 11
Launch Price (Global)	~$899

Detailed Hardware & Software Breakdown

1. Display: 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED

The Xperia 1’s 6.5-inch 4K HDR OLED display (3840×1644) with 21:9 aspect ratio was a breakthrough, co-tuned with Sony’s professional BVM monitors. Key features include:

Triluminos Display & X-Reality Engine: For accurate color reproduction and upscaling.
Creator Mode: Calibrated to DCI-P3 and sRGB for content creation.
HDR10 & Dolby Vision: Cinematic contrast and brightness for HDR content.
4K@60fps Output: Via USB-C to HDMI for external displays.

2. Camera: α Co-Engineered Motion Eye™

Sony’s α team and CineAlta tech elevated mobile imaging with these highlights:

Eye AF: Real-time eye detection for humans/animals, ensuring sharp focus in portraits.
Cinema Pro: Professional video mode with 21:9 framing, 24 fps, and CineAlta color profiles.
960 fps Super Slow Motion: 720p slow-motion recording with DRAM-enhanced capture.
5-axis OIS: On wide and telephoto lenses for stable shots/videos.

3. Audio: Hi-Res & Dolby Atmos

Hi-Res Audio: LDAC, aptX HD, DSEE HX, and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos for immersive sound.
360 Reality Audio: Firmware-updated spatial audio support for streaming services.

4. Performance & Battery

Snapdragon 855: Delivered flagship speeds for gaming (PlayStation Remote Play support) and 4K video encoding.
Battery Life: ~8–9 hours screen-on time (18W fast charge fills ~50% in 30 mins; wireless charging adds convenience).

5. Software: Creator-Centric Tools

Cinema Pro: Professional video controls (ISO, shutter speed, white balance) with CineAlta LUTs.
Photo Pro: Manual camera mode for RAW shooting and advanced exposure control.
Minimal Sony Overlay: Near-stock Android with light customization for creators.

Core Innovations & Market Impact

Key Innovations

World’s First 21:9 4K HDR OLED Smartphone Display: Set a new standard for mobile cinema and productivity (split-screen multitasking).
α-Co-Engineered Triple Camera: Eye AF and 5-axis OIS made it a favorite among photography enthusiasts.
CineAlta-Powered Cinema Pro: Brought professional video workflows to a smartphone.
Wireless Charging: Maintained water resistance while adding Qi compatibility for the first time in a Sony flagship.

Reception & Legacy

Legacy: Established the Xperia 1 series as Sony’s premium content-creation lineup, with later models (1 II/III) building on the 21:9 OLED and α camera foundations.

Strengths: Industry-leading display, pro-grade camera, premium build, IP65/68 durability.

Criticisms: 3330 mAh battery life under 4K load; no 3.5 mm jack; high price vs. competitors.