Sony Xperia XA1 SIM-Free Smartphone - Black

I am not a Phone Guru, lets get that straight, so this is not an all techie review, moaning and nitpicking. I love this phone. It feels solid in my big hands, nice feel, and good looking ratios. You actually have places to rest your fingers, so as not to dirty up the screen. The camera is awesome, packed into a tiny space, can't compare to a real camera, but its a phone! The software runs smooth and fast, with no slow down. For the price I think you would be hard to find better, a brand name, and very good build quality. My only gripe, is not about the phone, but the covers you can buy. There are a lot, but they all seem to be cute! With flowers, lace patterns, little animals! Not to be sexiest but I am a man, could we have some more masculine designs, like cars, dragons, sci fi fantasy stuff. That kind of thing. Overall if you need a very good branded phone, at a reasonable price, then you can't go wrong. Update. I have had the phone for a while now, and well, it is brilliant, Charges up in 30 minutes! On standby the battery lasts for ages, and if you cant get to a charger, put it n supper stamina mode, and the battery will last all week! In heavy use I still get a good day or so, and that's playing games and watching movies. It still feels very solid, and well made, and very good looking, I have the Gold one. Who needs an Apple or Samsung at more than twice the price. Sony has made a real winner, don't listen to the moaners, buy one, then tell you friends and family to buy one.

Been using the phone for a week decided to post my thoughts. I was looking for a new phone to replace my ageing but still reliable Lumia 800, as I didn't want to spend hundreds on an iPhone, I looked at a mid range Android device. I already have another Android phone for work so when I saw that Sony had a dual-sim phone I thought it was worth a look, especially as it was the same price as a single-sim Hardware wise, its lightweight, fits in the pocket and doesn't feel flimsy. Its got a decent camera (a bit of a faff to use initially but you get use to it) on and the screen is very, very good. Battery seems to last a few days with normal use. As I mentioned, its dual-sim which was a primary was a primary reason for the purchase. So why only 3 stars, well it's the software side of it. It comes with Android 7 Nougat which is a solid platform, the problems start with software that is supplied and been installed by Sony. There is so much 'Bloatware' that comes with the phone it is beyond funny. You get all the standard Google Apps, you get Apps for Facebook, Amazon, whole load of apps for adding effects for selfies and AVG anti-virus. All great you say, however Sony have designated these all as System Apps meaning you can't uninstall them. All you can do is disable them, you can remove any updates but the original app will remain taking up storage space. The worst offender is their "What's New" App (I use the word app loosely here as it is nothing but advertising for Sony's Mobile store). It can't be disabled either, all you can do is go into the app and turn off the auto updates, turn off the notifications and revoke all permissions in Android Settings. Also I would recommend that you go into the Security settings and turn off the access to App Usage data. It does not affect any OTA system updates as I still got a firmware update a few days after the phone was turned on or you can use the Companion Software and update via your computer. This has been an ongoing problem with Sony products and forums are littered with complaints about the 'software' Sony bundles with their phones, one would of hoped they would learnt from the rootkit fiasco. I previously had the same problem with a Sony laptop, but at least I was able to uninstall the software on my laptop, I can't on my phone, and now I just have space being wasted by apps I will never use. I don't know of any universe where Facebook can be considered a system app. Please Sony just stop filling your devices with bloatware, please just stop!! In summary good hardware, good android platform, but poor software implementation by Sony, so only 3 stars. UPDATE: December 2017. Been using for several months now, and found a problem when buying this phone with standard generic firmware i.e from stock from Sony (via Amazon) rather than getting it directly from the network, with their customised firmware. No in-built Wi-Fi calling. I'm on EE and I have poor signal in the area I'm often based, they suggested using Wifi calling but they only provide wifi calling on the XA1 if you get the device directly from them and they don't seem to supply the Dual Sim version. You could use something like Whats-App or other messaging apps, but no built in support is really poor. So looking for a new phone. Bloatware still continues to be a problem and you have to meticulously go through all the permissions on the updates from Sony (applies to other apps as well) as some of the permission requests seem questionable to say the least.

After 4 or 5 days of waiting at home, including receiving 2 empty broken seal boxes and the 3rd package being delivered to some mystery person instead of me, I received my new phone to replace my failed old Samsung S3. After a little over a week's use, and a few initial hiccups, I am happy to report that all is well. The screen is fantastic, the camera is fantastic even in low-light. The phone itself seems fast. I only make one or two calls per day and check emails and messages now and again and the battery only goes down by about 25 % PER DAY even with Bluetooth turned on. In comparison, my old S3 battery was dead before bed every day. One of my main motivations for choosing this particular phone, besides price/spec, was their claim that it can be used with one hand. This has tuned out to be quite true, which is brilliant, because my old S3 was just a tad too wide to do this. The only negative, related to one-handed operation is that it is REALLY slippery in the hand. Of course, I need to find a case that fixes this issue... With the phone as-received, the Bluetooth audio did not work with my Huawei Watch 2 smart watch, and I was on the verge of returning the phone. However, luckily, after doing the software update that it kept reminding me to do, it all works nicely and I can make phone calls just using my watch. Gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because of Sony's VERY ANNOYING choice of a non-standard mini USB connector. This means that I have to carry the included USB cable everywhere, or buy additional cables for home/work/car etc. Overall, very pleased with this purchase! Just need a good case...

I bought the phone as part of a special offer from amazon prime. I did like the design. It felt robust and well made. Unfortunately, the touch screen was defective (with an unresponsive strip down the left hand side in portrait orientation). The android system included a diagnostics program which demonstrated this clearly. An online check on Sony customer sites suggested that others had faced similar problems. Some customers even suggested that Sony should offer a product recall. I contacted Amazon who provided me with details to deal directly with Sony under the manufacturers warranty. As I was aware this might be a common problem and I had developed a lack of faith in the phone, I requested instead a return to the Amazon as the purchaser for refund in the spirit of the sale of goods act for products not fit for purpose (a working touchscreen is an essential feature in a product like this). Kindly, Amazon agreed to this and I subsequently bought a different phone by a different manufacturer. It has somewhat dented my confidence in Sony products and quality control. I have not undertaken a formal study to provide objective data on their comparability with other manufacturers in this regard. I merely mention this as a single piece of anecdotal evidence, which is, of course, the lowest form of evidence. All credit to Amazon for agreeing to a refund.

So if you are looking at this phone I am making a judgement that you aren't too bothered about having the latest Samsung or iPhone X and having to rack up the equivalent of the national debt of a small African country to pay for it. If that is the case then read on... I previously owned the LG G3 but eventually they all went pear shaped and I was left with a bad taste in my mouth so I started looking for alternatives. After an HTC One M8 GPS failed to work and an LG V10 came from China in dubious packaging (both returned) I decided to have another look at the Sony which had been on my shortlist. Lots of people b1tch and moan about the 'bloatware' that comes with the Sony, and true to form, some of the apps cannot be deleted which mean that you are already chipping way at the memory. However, I have disabled most of these apps and have a 128GB SD card so it's not a problem. It is still pretty fast, works well with chrome and so far hasn't had any apps crash on me after about a month or so of ownership. The camera is good and takes pretty high res photos. There are some fun little additions to the camera like Augmented Reality which would be fun for kids etc but overall it takes some really good pictures. The camera can take a few seconds to fire up but you can get to it direct from the locked screen by swiping up from the bottom right corner. All the other usual apps are there, phone reception is good on Giff Gaff and calls are clear. The one down side is that if you have your music on iTunes then it can be a real faff to get these transferred over. However, after much research I landed on iSyncr which transfers your music and videos pretty seamlessly. The freebie version allows you to transfer 100 songs at a time on a playlist over wifi or USB which is plenty. The SD card slot is a massive bonus and I don't know why more phones don't incorporate it. For me it is a must have allowing me to keep all my music and films in one place without jamming up the on board memory. Transferring photos into the Sony photo album is a bit strange and can mix up the photos a bit but at least you haven't lost them. I haven't managed to find a decent bullet proof case for it yet but will keep looking. The dual sim version is useful meaning you can have a separate line for your business or overseas local sim which work pretty well. Overall, if you want a good phone which takes great photos, has expandable SD memory and you aren't too worried about not having the newest shiniest phone on the block then I would recommend this. Looks good, functions well. What more do you really need?

Like several people here I love the square styling of this phone and its my 3rd Sony ( Z3 compact, Z5 compact-before.). If you are replacing either of these you need to read the below before you fall in love. Firstly size-- its a 5" screen as opposed to the ZX compact, and Z5/ Z3 compacts. Personally I like this its just about the biggest one handed phone you can have and gives that bit bigger screen. Its 2mm thinner too than a ZX Z5 Compact and has nicer top and bottom edging moving back to the Z3 compact styling ( without the clear plastic bumpers unfortunately). At a great price of £229 these are the features that you will miss from a ZX compact ( which is the updated Z5 compact and is now down to around £300 or less) -- ---No Finger print scanner ( there is a small sticking out button on the right side) ---No double tap to wake on screen-- this is Sony being REALLY MEAN. This means that you have to push in the power button every time and then ( if you have set it and if you are using it as a work phone its likely your work email administrators will demand it in the Outlook download ) then enter the 4 digit code every time. Now there is a useful feature that you can set so as not to need the 4 digit pin. You can set a GPS setting ( i.e. home or work) that the phone will recognise and you won't need a pin. OR you can set it that a pin is not needed if you have it blue tooth connect device that you have authorised -- i.e. a Android watch or in the car. These are nice features but I really miss double tap to wake--There is a lot of moaning about this on Sony mobile chat sites so hopefully it will be part of a firmware update. --No stereo speakers-- the grill on the face at top and bottom is mic and hearing for phone calls. The speaker is on the bottom. For me its no big thing as if I want sound I will blue tooth to a speaker/ car. Its reasonably loud speaker on the phone (louder than Z3 Compact--isnt anything :-) _ but it is a bit hissy when you turn it up. --There is no 4k video but 1080p is fine. 4k on the ZX Z5 was only for 50 seconds before the phone got too hot and shut off anyway. Really thats about it-- this is the good stuff you get -- A fantastic 23 mp camera. Its actually the same one that was in the Z5 compact and that was supposed to be one of the best in the world. Like that one it shoots reg in 8mp so you have to set it to 23mp--but its a quality item in any way. -- Don't think that as its a lower class new chip than the snap dragon-- its been specifically designed for Sony and with 3 gb RAM rather than the Z5 Compact 2 gb RAM it opens and closes faster. Note if you are a gaming fanatic you may notice a dif but for everyone else this will be that bit quicker. --2300mah battery doesn't sound great , but what you are missing is that custom chip. It will last 20-30% longer than a Z5 Compact. -- Added to the above is the FANTASTIC super fast charging with USB C connector ( yes you will be buying USB C Amazon basics leads for charing around your house / car). But USB C is a) uni directional ( i.e. there is no wrong way up ) and b) chargers must faster. As an example you will get 50% in 20-30 mins. I would say its 60% faster than my old Z5 Compact which in its self was 30% faster than Z3 Compact. - Screen is 720p same as prior compacts. The Samsung brigade will shout not 1080 but its a compact screen so in reality ( unless you look REALLY close) you won't notice the diff. -It takes a Micro SD card up to 256gb with of course the 32gb internal storage. All in all I love it-- I hate that it doesn't have double tap to wake and with enough badgering Sony will sort this with a Firmware update. But apart from that its Brill and the price is excellent. If your coming from a XA it will blow you away. If you are coming from a Z3/ Z5 Compact you won't be disappointed and the price is great. The other thing to note is that with Nougat Sony removed SMALL APPS -- If like me you were used to using this to cahnge tracks on i.e. Spotify whilst on another page you will miss this. Sony you REALLY need to fix your software--your design is GREAT. If you have other questions ask me. UPDATE 1 21 July 2017-- Still loving the style and the 5" really is the top sizing that one handed use will support. There are 2 things that have developed that are really annoying -- 1- the swipe down to view notifications doesn't work. Maybe it was a software update? Ive read that one should take off all apps and put on one by one but I really cant be bothered to do that. Ive tried soft and hard re sets and its pain not to be able to lower the brightness each evening without going through system app. ANYONE ELSE FACING THIS. 2. I constantly find that P on the right side of the keyboard won't press and show--ie it comes up as an O which is right next to it. Not sure if this is a factor of the curved edge and the side bezel being so slim or the screen formatting. Either way neither of the above happened on my Z5 Compact that I had for 18 months which behaved flawlessly. I still love the size / shape of the XA 1 but overall everything else is great-- but these ( and the aforementioned) seem silly software issues from Sony rather than hardware that would make it BRILLIANT for the price. UPDATE 2- THE DROP DOWN MENU STOPPED WORKING WITH OR WITHOUT CASE. A QUICK CHECK IN WITH SONY SUPPORT GAVE ME INFO FOR A HARD RESET ( PRESS ON/OFF BUTTON AND VOLUME UP BUTTON FOR 8 SECONDS. THIS FIXED THINGS FOR 10 MINS AND THEN IT WAS BACK NOT WORKING. ALSO THE HEADPHONE JACK STOPPED WORKING WITH THE 4 SONY HEADPHONES THAT I HAVE, DRIVING MY WIFE NUTS WHE THE SOUND WENT THROUGH THE SPEAKERS AND WAKING HER AS I LIKE TO GO TO SLEEP LISTENING TO RADIO. SUMMARY -- BEAUTIFUL SHAPE ( why cant Apple do this now--look at old nano iPods), ENOUGH SPECS THAT YOU NEED WITH A GREAT CAMERA. MAYBE I JUST HAD A BAD ONE. BUT I 'LIVE' ON MY PHONE SO AS WELL AS LOOKING GOOD IT NEEDS TO WORK. TOP MARKS TO AMAZON WHO OFFERED A REPLACEMENT OR A REFUND DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO FIX THE ABOVE ISSUE. AS MUCH AS I LOVE THE PHONE I FELT GOING FOR THE X COMPACT WOULD GIVE ME A MORE FLAGSHIP BUILD WHERE THE ABOVE WOULD NOT HAPPEN AS WELL AS GINING ME HI RES MUSIC AND FIGURE PRINT UNLOCK ( rather than hitting the on/off botton and then having to put in code. ) THE X COMPACT ALSO COMES WITH BUILT IN NOISE CANCELLING FOR HEADPHONES WHICH IS ALSO USEFUL WHEN TRAVELLING. B-U-T I WILL MISS THE 5" SCREEN GOING TO A 4.6" AND THE BRICKIER 9.5 MM WIDTH COMPARED TO THE SVELTE 7MM--EVEN IF THE BATTERY IS 2700MAH MEANING 25% MORE. If you are considering getting the XA1 have a look at the X Compact. Its down to £299 now. Thats still £70 more than the XA1 but the X Compact is about £200 less than the flagship Z5 Compact and has all the features / more speed , even if it is not waterproof and dust proof rated

As a Windows Phone user, first a Lumia 640 then a Lumia 650, I was a bit nervous about finally leaving the sinking Windows Phone ship and joining the world of Android. I went for the Sony Xperia XA1 because it came recommended from others, had a good balance of price and performance, has had good reviews, and felt like the best phone in the shop. I made the right decision. This is a superb phone and I am quickly learning to love Android as well. The stand-out best things for me are: - The screen goes right to the side edges, allowing the phone to be thinner and so much more comfortable to hold and reach across the screen with my thumb. - It is really fast, vastly quicker than my old Lumia phones. The camera loads up in about a second, for instance, and most apps open instantly. - The build quality feels superb - tough and well-designed. The issues I had were: - The Sony Transfer App doesn't allow you to transfer stuff from a Windows Phone, despite claiming to on the App and on the Sony website - it just directs you to upload data to the cloud and then download again. After some google searching, I found an App that helps you transfer Windows Phone contacts and text messages relatively easily. - The contacts didn't all copy across properly so I had to go back and fill in all the gaps. - The included Sony music app doesn't play WMA files. I downloaded VLC, which is really good. - Transferring Windows Calendar information to Google Calendar proved impossible so I just had to reenter all the calendar entries.

It's a decent phone, until you want to use the internet. The wifi just randomly cuts out and sometimes takes a while to reconnect. It's difficult to put into words just how frustrating this can be, especially if you have poor phone signal in your house like me. I've had internet calls where there's about 10 minutes of the wifi randomly dropping, having to reconnect, then going again etc. I've spoken to Sony live chat and they basically said it'll be fixed in a future update, but didn't say when and told me that some countries won't get it and their big help was to tell me to turn off bluetooth. Bluetooth isn't always on and it still happens. Also, that means that you can't use things such as bluetooth speakers or headphones etc. which is just ridiculous when technology is so advanced (and damn expensive). The phone is also rather large, which isn't an issue in itself, but it's a rather odd shape too and this leads to discomfort while holding it. My advice is look at other phones- paying more would probably be worth it.