Sony Uses Apple iPhones in Xperia European Marketing

Key Takeaways

1. Sony showcased Apple iPhones at its CES 2025 booth instead of its own Xperia models, raising questions about its marketing strategy.
2. iPhones are featured prominently on multiple Sony European websites, despite the availability of Xperia devices in the market.
3. The images likely promote the Sony Inzone M10S Gaming Monitor, highlighting a preference for iPhones over its own products in marketing materials.
4. Critics argue that using iPhones in promotions undermines the Xperia brand, which could benefit from more support from Sony.
5. The decision to feature iPhones may indicate a focus on compatibility with Sony’s products rather than promoting its own smartphone line.

Sony has once again found itself in a curious situation, opting for Apple iPhones instead of its own Xperia models. During the CES 2025 event in Las Vegas, the Japanese company showcased iPhones at its booth, even though it had premium devices like the Xperia PRO-I and Xperia 1 V available in the US market. While some argue that showcasing iPhones indicated compatibility with Sony’s own products (like cameras and vehicle processing platforms), this recent incident seems to contradict that reasoning.

Uncovering the Evidence

A recent post on Reddit, shared by user u/xdmt3O, highlights this puzzling trend. The original poster mentions noticing iPhones featured in Sony’s marketing materials on its official German website. Digging deeper, it becomes clear that this iPhone image is being used across several of Sony’s European websites. Currently, the image appears on the homepages of Sony’s sites in the UK, France, Portugal, Sweden, Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Spain. This is quite the visibility for a product that the Sony Xperia 1 VI has to face in the market.

Marketing Choices

The images in question showcase the likely Apple iPhone 16 models (both regular and Plus/Max versions for that extra visibility) to promote the Sony Inzone M10S Gaming Monitor, which comes with a 12-month Fnatic Plus membership with eligible purchases. It’s reasonable to say that the Sony Xperia 1 VI, which we rated a solid 86%, would have been a far better choice for this specific marketing campaign. After all, Apple hardly requires help from its rivals to sell more iPhones, while the Xperia line could certainly use all the support it can get, especially from its parent company.

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