Sony Halts Sales of Xperia 1 VII Flagship Phone Amidst Reported Issues
Sony has temporarily suspended sales and shipments of its recently launched Xperia 1 VII flagship smartphone in Japan, following reports of critical malfunctions. The move, announced on Sunday, July 6, 2025, comes after numerous users experienced severe problems with the device, including unexpected shutdowns, automatic reboots, and complete failure to power on.
The suspension currently impacts only the Japanese market, with Sony assuring customers that the global version of the Xperia 1 VII remains unaffected. According to a statement from Sony Japan, the affected models include SO-51F, SOG15, A501SO, and XQ-FS44.
Investigation Underway, Software Update Released
The tech giant stated that a thorough investigation is currently underway to pinpoint the root cause of the reported issues. “We are working diligently to understand the source of these disturbances and resolve them as quickly as possible,” a senior official stated. In the interim, Sony has released a software update – build code “71.0.a.2.43” – which the company hopes will mitigate the problems.
The timing of these issues is particularly concerning, given the Xperia 1 VII was only released in May 2025. This incident raises questions about the quality control processes for the device and could potentially impact consumer confidence in future Sony releases.
Emergency Restart Procedure for Affected Users
As an immediate measure, Sony is advising users experiencing difficulties with their devices to attempt a forced restart. The recommended procedure involves holding down the power button and the volume up button simultaneously for 20 seconds. This may allow the device to power back on, although it does not address the underlying issue.
The situation is evolving, and further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses. Sony has not yet indicated a timeline for resuming sales of the Xperia 1 VII in Japan, leaving customers in the region uncertain about the future availability of the flagship phone.
