Alex Walker-Todd / Android Authority
TL;DR Sony may be on the verge of completely exiting the European market.
The company has already confirmed a full retreat from Finland, but its devices are no longer available through official channels in multiple European countries.
Sony’s smartphone presence looks just as weak outside of Europe, with the mobile phone category completely wiped off from its US website.
Sony may be heading toward a full retreat from the smartphone market, with clear signs of a major pullback from Europe already underway. While the company hasn’t officially announced an exit from the region, it has confirmed to Finnish outlet SuomiMobiili that Xperia phones will no longer be sold directly in Finland, one of the first European countries where an official withdrawal has been acknowledged.
The situation doesn’t look any better across the rest of Europe. A quick check of Sony’s websites in major markets like Germany, France, Spain, and the UK shows that nearly all current and recent Xperia models, including the new flagship Xperia 1 VII, are either out of stock or unavailable. Although some devices are still listed on Amazon, Sony’s own channels seem to be drying up fast.
In its statement to SuomiMobiili, Sony offered a vague explanation for its decision to exit the Finnish smartphone market: The Xperia 1 VII is not available for purchase directly through Sony in Finland. However, we are constantly assessing market profitability and customer demand. We are currently focusing on online shopping channels to provide our customers with a smoother purchasing process. Unless Sony offers a better explanation, this shift to “online sales” seems more like a wind-down than a strategy change. The Xperia 1 VII itself has been plagued by problems, including random shutdowns and reboot issues. The situation is serious enough that Sony had to temporarily halt sales of the device in Japan and also issued apologies to affected customers in Europe and the UK.
Global state of affairs Outside of Europe, Sony’s smartphone presence looks just as weak. In the US, the company no longer lists smartphones on its official website, and last year’s Xperia 1 VI never made an official debut there. Even in Japan, where Sony once dominated, it’s now absent from the list of the top five smartphone makers. Google’s Pixel line has rapidly gained popularity in Japan, pushing Sony further out of the spotlight.
Moreover, Sony also recently started outsourcing the manufacturing of its flagship phones. The company was already relying on third-party manufacturers to make its mid-range devices, but outsourcing high-end phones further signals its intent to distance itself from the smartphone market.
The future of Sony's mobile business looks more uncertain than ever.
Despite having a dedicated fan base of camera and tech enthusiasts, Sony’s phones hold only a tiny global market share and are difficult to find at retail stores in many places. The company’s mobile division has been struggling for years, and these recent moves in Europe suggest it may be closer than ever to scaling down or potentially exiting the business altogether.
Sony Finland says it will continue to support existing customers with software updates and maintenance. But for a brand that once stood alongside giants like Samsung and Apple, the gradual retreat from key global markets feels less like a repositioning and more like a slow, quiet exit.
It is unclear if this is the beginning of the end for Xperia phones. However, with sales halted, markets seemingly abandoned, and few new devices in sight, the future of Sony’s mobile business looks more uncertain than ever.