Sony is gradually reducing its presence in the smartphone market. While the company confirmed its complete withdrawal from Finland, Xperia models have become virtually impossible to find on official sales channels in many European countries. This raises concerns that the Japanese tech giant is quietly and gradually exiting the mobile market.
Sony phones are being quietly withdrawn from the market
Speaking to Finnish technology website SuomiMobiili, Sony officials announced that new models, especially the Xperia 1 VII, will no longer be sold directly in the country. The company stated in its official statement that it was considering factors such as “market profitability and customer demand,” but did not specifically state the exact reasons behind this decision.
Sony maintains that it is focusing on online sales channels during this period. However, in many European countries (including Germany, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom), existing Xperia models are out of stock or completely unlisted on Sony’s official websites.
Technical issues with the Xperia 1 VII further accentuate this decline. After some users in Europe and Japan reported experiencing issues with their devices, such as random shutdowns and reboots, Sony temporarily suspended sales in Japan and apologized to European customers.
The situation isn’t limited to Europe. In the US, Sony no longer lists its smartphones on its official website, and the Xperia 1 VI was never released in the country. Even in Japan, Sony, which dominated the market years ago, is no longer among the top five smartphone manufacturers. Google’s Pixel series has rapidly gained popularity among Japanese consumers and largely replaced Sony.
Sony’s recent shift to outsourcing the production of its high-end phones to third-party companies indicates the company is completely shifting away from its mobile operations. The outsourcing policy, previously implemented for mid-range models, is now being implemented for flagship products as well.
Sony’s mobile division has long struggled. The company’s global market share is extremely low, and in many markets, products are difficult to find in physical stores. Despite having a loyal following of technology and camera enthusiasts, this group doesn’t seem to be enough to sustain Sony.
Sony Finland has announced that it will continue to offer software updates and technical support to existing users. However, this quiet withdrawal of the Xperia brand, once synonymous with giants like Samsung and Apple, appears to be more of a farewell to the industry than a restructuring.
