Sony Xperia X2 release date, news and rumors

Update: Two unknown Sony phones have recently emerged and one of them could be the Sony Xperia X2. But when will it launch? IFA 2017 is one possibility.

The Sony Xperia X is over a year old, so we should be due a successor any time now.

That said, we don’t yet know a huge amount about Sony’s next mid-range marvel, and with the Sony Xperia XZs recently launched alongside the Xperia XZ Premium - but with no sign of a new entry in the X range - it's possible that we won't get an X2, at least in name.

Still, we haven't given up hope yet, and there are some rumors of what to expect if or when we do get it.

Join us below as we dive into them and fill in the gaps with our best educated guesses.

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Cut to the chase

What is it? The successor to the Xperia X
When is it out? Probably sometime this year
What will it cost? An upper mid-range price is likely

Sony Xperia X2 release date

We were expecting to see the Sony Xperia X2 at MWC 2017, but that wasn't to be, and with Sony having used the event to announce two other phones it might be a while before we see the X2.

Then again, IFA 2017 is taking place from September 1 to 6 and Sony often uses the show to launch new handsets.

And there's some talk that Sony has not one but five handsets in the works, only two of which are accounted for, and model numbers for two new Xperia handsets were revealed by the Eurasian Economic Commission in October, which suggests we’ll see them soon.

The numbers are G3112 and G3121, neither of which are attached to any announced Sony phone, with the XZ Premium and XZs both starting G8.

We've also seen phones with the model numbers G8341 and G8441 listed for pre-order on a Polish site, suggesting they could land very soon, and it's possible that one of them is the Xperia X2.

TechRadar’s take: While we don’t know a huge amount about the Xperia X2, the leaked model numbers above, and rumors of Sony phones in the works, suggests it may well exist and be coming soon. IFA 2017 would be our best guess right now.

Read the full Sony Xperia XA review

Sony Xperia X2 screen

Hottest leaks:

A 5-5.5-inch screen
A 1080p or QHD resolution

Sony has stuck with a 1080p screen on the majority of its upper mid-range and flagship devices, including the Xperia X, and as even the Xperia XZ and Xperia XZs have just a 1080p screen we'd have expected the Xperia X2 would as well.

But recent leaks suggest Sony has a bunch of new phones on the way, including one with a 5.5-inch QHD screen - and this one could feasibly be the Xperia X2.

Then again, there's also apparently a 5.0 or 5.2-inch 1080p handset on the way, and that device has been rumored more than once. It's possible that this is the since-announced Xperia XZs, but not all of the specs line up with that, so this too could be the Xperia X2.

We've also seen a phone with the model number G8341 crop up in a user agent profile and on a Polish retailer's website. This seemingly has a 1080p screen and runs Android O.

TechRadar’s take: The Sony Xperia X2 will probably stick with a 1080p screen again, but some rumors suggest Sony is finally pushing up the resolution of its phones, and we've seen evidence of that on the XZ Premium, so QHD is possible, though that's more likely to be used for the Sony Xperia XZ 2.

Sony Xperia X2 design

We haven't seen any real hints at the Xperia X2's design yet, but continuation of Sony's boxy design language is likely, along with a metal back, as that's what the original Xperia X has.

It could alternatively be inspired by the frosted back of the Xperia XZs or the mirrored rear on the Xperia XZ Premium.

The Xperia X2 may also be water-resistant, as some Sony handsets are, including the Xperia XZs, though the Xperia X isn't, so don't count on being able to take it swimming.

TechRadar’s take: Expect a boxy design, but there’s no word on what the X2 is made of, and it could be either glass or metal, given that Sony has used both in the last year or so.

Sony Xperia X2 camera and battery

Hottest leaks:

A 23MP rear camera
A 16MP front-facing one

There’s little word on what camera the Sony Xperia X2 will have, but one rumor points to either a Sony IMX400 lens or an unnamed 23MP rear shooter and 16MP front-facing one.

Alternatively it might get a 19MP rear camera and a 13MP front-facing one, like the recent Xperia XZs and Xperia XZ Premium.

Failing that, there’s a chance it will use the same camera as the Xperia X. In which case you can look forward to a 23MP rear snapper and a 13MP front-facing one, though it’s likely Sony will make some changes or improvements to the camera, in order to help its new handset stand out.

In any case, don't expect a move to dual-lens.

We don’t know what size battery to expect. The Sony Xperia X has a 2620mAh one, so the X2's could be similar. One thing that is likely is fast charging and a USB Type-C port, as Sony’s already switched to those on its higher end phones.

TechRadar's take: A 19MP single-lens camera is our guess, just like recent high-end Sony phones have.

Sony Xperia X2 OS and power

Hottest leaks:

4GB or 6GB of RAM
A Snapdragon 653 or 835 chipset

We've heard a few power rumors now, including the possibility that the Xperia X2 could have either a top-end Snapdragon 835 chipset or a more upper mid-range Snapdragon 653 one. Though an octa-core Helio P20 is also possible.

The same source suggests it will have likely 4GB of RAM, but possibly as much as 6GB, while the only other power rumors we’ve heard are again that the X2 could have 4GB of RAM, which isn’t unrealistic at all given that the original Xperia X has 3GB. As for the operating system, Android O is likely.

TechRadar's take: Based on the specs of the original Xperia X the most likely rumors are a Snapdragon 653 chipset with 4GB of RAM.

Sony Xperia X2 other features

There aren't any feature rumors yet, but we’d expect the X2 will have a fingerprint scanner, as its predecessor does (though not on the US version).

Sony Xperia X2 price

A phone that could be the Xperia X2 has been listed on a Polish site for 3,206.99 Zloty (around $860/£665/AU$1,130), while another one is listed for 2,749.99 Zloty (roughly $735/£570/AU$970).

However in both cases only the model number is listed, not the name, so they may be something else, and the prices could be a placeholder.

If that's wrong we'd expect an upper mid-range price, probably roughly in line with the Sony Xperia X, which launched for $549.99 (£450, around AU$735).