Exclusive: Sony Xperia F8331 photographed, shows brand new design

Photos of the Sony Xperia F8331 - what should be Sony's next flagship this year - were left in our tip box by a reader of ours. And they show a very different design, a clean break from the Z lineup.

The F8331 will top the Xperia X Performance with a slightly bigger screen (still 1080p) and 4K video capture with both cameras (!), front and back.

Sony Xperia F8331 live photos

The design is a much bigger change, however. Now the top and bottom are flat while the left and right sides are curved. On the back, the camera has a new layout with a dual-LED flash and there's a panel at the bottom (antenna window? the back looks like brushed metal).

The front is more recognizable, including the front-facing stereo speakers and the NFC antenna near the earpiece (this is an inconvenient location).

There's a USB Type-C port on the bottom, this would be Sony's first. Don't worry, the 3.5mm headphone jack is still here (on top).

Sony's first USB Type C • 3.5mm headphone jack

We don't know about a launch date yet, but it will be this year. With IFA approaching (and Sony attending), keep your eyes peeled in September.

Thanks for the awesome tip!