Samsung and Google need Sony back

I was devastated when LG announced it would no longer make smartphones.

I thought the company was just hitting its stride and was ahead of the curve with powerful midrange phones like the LG Velvet.

The LG Wing was more practical than many folding phones, and I know people who still carry an LG V60 because they love its design and music quality of its quad DAC.

However, there’s another company that I desperately want to make a comeback — at least in the US.

Sony may sell smartphones overseas, but it hasn’t had a presence in the market stateside in years. It used to offer a wide range of diverse phones, from compact flagships to 4K OLED displays.

Smartphone competition is stagnant, and Sony would be the one to mix it up.

Sony does smartphones differently

The Xperia devices were among my favorites for a reason

Sony’s Xperia Z3 Compact opened my eyes to the magic of smaller flagship phones. It was an absolute delight to hold in the hand, without sacrificing design or functionality.

There’s been a return to powerful, compact phones in the last couple of years, and I can’t help but think Sony would be leading the charge if it were still making a diverse lineup of devices.

Likewise, the Sony Xperia One was a fantastic device for completely different reasons.

Most of the time, I can’t tell the difference between a really solid 1080p display and a QHD+ display. However, I know for sure when I’m looking at a 4K OLED like the one featured on the Xperia One.

Its taller, narrower aspect ratio made it ideal for watching movies, and when paired with high resolution, there wasn’t a better smartphone for media consumption at the time.

Sony wasn’t afraid to lean into a hardware theme for its phones — something manufacturers shy away from in 2026.

Sony takes smartphone cameras seriously

More tools for shutterbugs

I remember being blown away the first time I opened the Cinema Pro camera app on the Xperia One.

Yes, there’s a pretty standard app for quick point-and-shoot photos, but for shutterbugs who want more control, Sony offers something extra.

I love having granular control over my smartphone camera, even if I don’t have the slightest clue what I’m doing. However, if you are someone who does, you’ll enjoy being able to adjust the white balance, shutter speed, and other items on the fly.

If you’re tired of overprocessed photos, Sony would be an excellent alternative.

Its phones also offered more control over video shooting, and later Xperia devices seemed geared toward content creators.

Specialty smartphones are making a comeback, as we’ve seen with the Clicks Communicator, and there’s definitely a place for Sony to produce something unique.

Sony does Android software right

Nothing fancy, just the basics

I used to love Sony’s older Android skins because they reminded me of the PlayStation 3.

More recent versions were pretty stock. I’m not saying they were practically AOSP, but Sony did an excellent job keeping its software lightweight. I was never annoyed by bloatware or anything unnecessary.

I’d love to see a Sony return in which the company positions itself as the anti-AI champion. There’s definitely a groundswell of people who are fed up with AI being featured on every phone, only to not fundamentally improve our user experience.

If Sony came back and announced a phone with next to no AI features or assistants, it would instantly win over fans.

OnePlus has let me down in that area, and Motorola seems reluctant to release a traditional flagship phone in the US.

There’s a spot for Sony to come back in a big way with a premium flagship phone that caters to hardcore users who want more control over their device.

A little variety never hurt anyone

Sony’s undoubtedly made some odd decisions in the last few years. I don’t know why recent Xperia phones have moved away from the 4K displays, and the price tags have been mind-numbing.

Still, I’d love it if just one manufacturer would step up and give Samsung and Google the competition they deserve.

Nobody is being pushed anymore, and I’m convinced there is more innovation to be had on phones that aren’t foldables.