Bad news for Sony fans: The Xperia 5 V won’t be coming to the US

Sony launched the Xperia 5 V earlier this month, bringing a more compact flagship phone experience to the market. There was no word on US availability at the time, but it looks like we’ve got bad news.

Sony confirmed to Android Police that it wouldn’t be launching the Xperia 5 V in the US. The company said it “will not (be) carrying the Xperia 5 V in the North American market this year. We want to focus on our flagship Xperia 1 V.”

That statement seemingly leaves some room for interpretation, suggesting that the phone could come to the US in 2024. But that wouldn’t necessarily be a wise decision when rival phones with next-generation hardware like the Galaxy S24 series would be hitting the market. We’re therefore guessing that the phone won’t be available in North America at all.

We’ve contacted Sony to confirm this news and will update the article accordingly. Either way, that means Sony fans in the US will need to either buy the Xperia 5 IV or the newer Xperia 1 V if they want a recent Xperia flagship. That’s still more than can be said for the likes of Africa, India, Latin America, and the Middle East, as Sony simply doesn’t offer Xperia phones in these regions.

The Xperia 5 V is a step down from its 2023 stablemate in a few ways. More specifically, the Xperia 5 V lacks a telephoto camera and 4K screen but also packs less RAM and base storage. However, the new phone retails for £849 compared to the Xperia 1 V’s £1,299 price tag, while also offering a more pocket-friendly form factor.