The Sony Xperia 1 VI now comes in a stunning red to match its high octane specs

• Sony's Xperia 1 VI received two updates: Wi-Fi 7 support and a new Scarlet Red color, available exclusively in Europe with limited configurations, starting mid-October.

• The Scarlet Red Xperia 1 VI is priced at 1,500 (~$1,650 USD), features 512GB storage, 12GB RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery, but lacks folding functionality.

• Initially designed for niche users, the Xperia 1 VI has broader appeal, with reviewers now recommending it for everyday use, despite its past software complexities.

Samsung and Google might be the big names in the Android field, but don't forget about Sony. The electronics giant has quietly produced its line of Xperia phones for years, and the new-ishXperia 1 VIjust received a couple of exciting updates, one of which added Wi-Fi 7 support.

The other update is a brand-new color choice for people that are just a little sick and tired of the clinical blacks and silver options that accompany most smartphones. Soon, you'll be able to buy the Sony Xperia 1VI in a stunning Scarlet Red color — assuming you live in the right market.

Customers in Europe can now order the Xperia 1 VI in its new red color, and deliveries are estimated to begin on October 16 or 17. The biggest downside? It's only available in Europe at the moment, but will likely make its way to the rest of the world in due time.

The configuration options for this color choice are much more limited, too, with Sony only offering it in a matte finish and with 512GB storage. There hasn't been an official announcement for this handset in the United States yet, but since it's the only flagship Sony is likely to launch this year, it should eventually come at some point. Whether this scarlet variant would be included when it does is anyone's guess at this point.

Sony is carving a nice niche in the market for itself

With Sony's history in media and imaging, it's no surprise that the Xperia line is geared toward content creators and people who routinely used Sony Alpha cameras. But the Xperia 1 VI is the first flagship model that our reviews editor Dominic Preston said he can " comfortably recommend " to your everyday user. Sony designed its phones to serve highly-specific use cases. While those devices excelled at that, they often lagged behind in terms of doing anything else and were plagued by hard-to-understand and sometimes hard-to-use software.

The starting price for this Xperia 1 VI model is €1,500. With some napkin math that doesn't factor in taxes or tariffs, that comes out to around $1,650 USD, which is wildly expensive for a phone of this design without any sort of folding feature. However, it does come with a load of useful features, including a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, a 5,000mAh battery, and so much more. It doesn't compromise on hardware at all and is promised up to three major Android upgrades over its lifespan — and now it even comes in a shiny red color.

Sony Xperia 1 VI

Sony's 2024 flagship now has a colorway to match its high octane specs and super premium price. The new Scarlet option is available on the UK version of Sony's website linked below.