Sony today officially released its annual flagship mobile phone Xperia 1 VIII, which features a new appearance based on the “original design” concept. It is equipped with an AI photography assistant and a fully upgraded imaging system. Taiwan also announced complete launch information and price simultaneously. Immediately afterwards, Far EasTone Telecommunications and Taiwan Mobile also announced pre-order tariff plans on the same day. Both companies will open pre-orders from May 14 to May 20, and will officially go on sale on May 26. They will also simultaneously launch a number of discounts such as pre-order shopping credits of up to 6,500 yuan.
Xperia 1 VIII specs and Taiwan pricing review
Xperia 1 VIII has a new style in design this time, inspired by natural ore (ORE), and launched in four colors: mineral black, cold mineral silver, dusk mineral red and raw mineral gold. In terms of hardware, it is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite processor, equipped with a 6.5-inch 120Hz FHD+ display, 5000mAh battery (supports 30W fast charging, wireless charging and reverse charging), and retains the 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot, and supports eSIM for the first time.
The camera is the focus of this upgrade. The three 48-megapixel lenses (16mm ultra-wide-angle / 24mm wide-angle / 70mm telephoto) all use large-size sensor elements. Among them, the telephoto lens sensor element is 4 times larger than the previous generation. With RAW file stacking calculation technology and AI photography assistant, night shooting and dynamic shooting performance are significantly improved. Sony also provides up to 4 years of battery health maintenance, 4 years of OS upgrades and 6 years of security updates, significantly extending the product life cycle.
In terms of listing prices in Taiwan, the three specifications are:
- 12GB+256GB：NT$44,880
- 12GB+512GB：NT$50,880
- 16GB+1TB(Raw gold only): NT$59,880
The pre-order schedule is the same as that of Haoli.
The pre-order period for Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile are exactly the same, from May 14th to May 20th, and will be officially launched on May 26th. If you purchase the phone and complete the login during the pre-order period, both companies will provide 5,000 yuan in Sony official website shopping credits and 1,500 yuan in Xperia friend shopping credits, for a total of 6,500 yuan in pre-order gifts. The discount code must be logged in to the Sony event page before June 30 to claim it, and the shopping credit will be used until December 31, 2026.
Mobile phone plan prices: Most are the same, but the high-priced section is better in Taiwan and Columbia.
The project prices for the 48-month contract between the two telecoms are basically the same, but Taiwan Telecom mostly offers a monthly rental level of $1,899, resulting in subtle differences in the high-price segment:
48 months/256G version project price:
- $999：Far EasTone $26,690 / Taiwan University $26,690
- $1,199：Far EasTone $24,690 / Taiwan University $24,690
- $1,399(5G all-you-can-eat): Far EasTone $16,490 / Taiwan Columbia University $16,490
- $1,599(5G all-you-can-eat): Far EasTone $13,490 / Taiwan Columbia University $13,490
- Far EasTone $1,799 / Taiwan Columbia University $1,899: Far EasTone $10,990 / Taiwan Columbia University $9,990(Taiwan University is $1,000 cheaper)
- $2,699: Far EasTone $0 /Taiwan University $0
48 months/512G version project price:
- $999：Far EasTone $32,190 / Taiwan University $32,190
- $1,199：Far EasTone $30,190 / Taiwan University $30,190
- $1,399: Far EasTone $21,990 / Taiwan University $21,990
- $1,599：Far EasTone $18,990 / Taiwan University $18,990
- Far EasTone $1,799 / Taiwan Columbia University $1,899: Far EasTone $17,990 / Taiwan Columbia University $16,990(Taiwan University is $1,000 cheaper)
- $2,699：Far EasTone $2,990 / Taiwan University $2,990
In other words, if the monthly budget can reach around $1,800, the actual purchase price of Taiwan Columbia’s $1,899 plan is $1,000 cheaper than Far EasTone’s $1,799 plan, forming an interesting price crossover. In other tariff levels and binding periods (36/30/24 months), the prices between the two are exactly the same, with no difference.
VIP renewal bonus: Big discounts in Taiwan and more
For VIP users who are eligible for renewal, Taiwan Columbia University provides a discount of up to $5,000 (limited to Diamond VIP users who apply for plans above 1399), which is far more than Far EasTone’s VIP renewal discount of up to $3,500. The difference between the two is $1,500. For high-end users who frequently change their phones, Taiwan University is obviously more attractive.
Comparison of value-added services: Far EasTone attacks audio and video, Taiwan University is fully surrounded
The two telecoms have shown completely different strategies in terms of value-added services. Far EasTone focuses on entertainment integration, and you can enjoy:
- Spotify Premium first subscription 4 months free
- friDay audio, video and drama 2 months to watch
- Guard against fear 3 months free
- mobile device insurance 2 months free monthly rent(999 and above plan)
- friDay co-branded card has the highest value 8% back
Taiwan Columbia University provides a wider range of service options, and you can enjoy:
- YouTube Premium tops First 4 months free(4 months for new households, 1 month for old households)
- MyVideo Deluxe Monthly Rental 3 months free
- KKBOX 3 months free(Plan above 799)
- GeForce NOW Titanium Solution 1 month free(1399+ plan, 30 hours per month)
- Anti-Fraud Warden Advanced Program 6 months free
- WeMo PASS 3 months free + Daily chartered bus coupon $50
- Prime Video add-ons per month only $89(original price $169)
- HBO Max annual subscription monthly payment $160/month(original price $220)
- Disney+ 24-month add-on plan every month $199(original price $285)
- Video multi-sharing group (Disney++HBO Max+MyVideo) is the lowest 56% off$420 per month
- Open Possible co-branded card purchases are the highest 2%, the highest telecommunications charges 3.5% feedback
In addition, Taiwan Columbia has also launched a high-speed 1Gbps broadband plan (bundled for 36 months, monthly rent is $999), with the option of taking away selected home appliances for 0 yuan or an audio-visual multi-sharing package for up to 10 months for free. Myfone online stores can apply for designated projects before the end of May, and you can also win gifts from the Apple ecosystem such as MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e and AirPods Max.
Internet plan comparison
The two 5G Internet plans are also very close. $999 provides 60GB usage (excessive 4G high-speed all-you-can-eat, 50Mbps download), $1,199 provides 100GB (excessive 4G high-speed all-you-can-eat), and above $1,399 directly enjoys all-you-can-eat 5G high-speed Internet during the contract period. Taiwan University’s $1,899 plan also offers all-you-can-eat 5G without slowing down compared to $1,399 or more.
In terms of hotspot sharing, the $999/$1,199 plans of both companies are calculated combined with the Internet transmission volume (the speed is reduced to 10Mbps). $1,399 provides 50GB hotspot sharing, and those above $1,599 enjoy all-you-can-eat hotspot sharing without speed limit. Taiwanese University’s $1,899 plan also provides hotspots with unlimited speeds similar to the all-you-can-eat level.
Summary: How to choose?
Overall, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII tariffs of the two telecoms are exactly the same in most price ranges. The real differences come from several aspects:
- High-end users choose Taiwan Columbia University: The purchase price of the $1,899 plan is $1,000 cheaper than Far EasTone’s $1,799. VIP renewal discounts are more ($1,500 more), and there are more value-added service options.
- If you have an old machine, please replace it with Far EasTone: Far EasTone’s trade-in bonus ($2,000 discount for phone numbers, $3,000 discount for empty phones) is a clear advantage
- Pay more attention to music streaming and choose Far EasTone:Spotify’s 4-month free appeal to music lovers
- Pay attention to diverse services and choose Taiwan Columbia University: From YouTube, games (GeForce NOW), audio and video (MyVideo/Prime/HBO/Disney+) to travel (WeMo), and information security (anti-fraud police), Taiwan Columbia University’s ecosystem has the widest coverage
- If you want to apply for broadband, choose Taiwan Columbia University.: Haosu’s 1Gbps solution can simultaneously solve the needs of mobile phones and home networks
If the budget allows for the $2,699 plan (48 months), both companies will take away the 256G model for 0 yuan, with no price difference at all. At this time, the focus of comparison returns to personal preference, value-added services and trade-in discounts.
Source: KOCPC Chinese