Sony's new phone is a reworked XZ4 Compact, but you won't be able to buy it

Image Credit: Sony

Rumored to be unveiled alongside the Xperia 1, we expected the Sony Xperia XZ4 Compact to be announced back in February but the handset never saw the light of day.

Instead the brand introduced the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus alongside its flagship, but a device with similar specs to the rumored Xperia XZ4 Compact has now been introduced in Japan.

Currently an exclusive to the brand's home country (and Japanese network Docomo) the Sony Xperia Ace sports a similar design to what we'd expect from the brand's Compact range.

The Xperia Ace doesn't have top-end specs, but they're still solid. It includes a 5-inch 18:9 aspect ratio Full HD+ display, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

Rather than sporting the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset that is set to be included in the Xperia 1, it comes with a Snapdragon 630, which is far less powerful.

Given that this is only available in Japan, it seems the brand has decided its Compact range isn't suitable for the rest of the world, which is a disappointment for those who like Sony's smaller handsets.

There's always the chance we'll see a reworking of the Sony Xperia Ace come to the rest of the world, but we don't currently expect to see any new high-profile handsets from Sony until at least August, and we wouldn't hold our breath that the brand will return to its Compact line.

Via Phone Arena

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.