New Xperia 1 IX Model Numbers Leak Ahead of Potential Launch

Japanese site s-max has unearthed a filing in the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) database on August 4, showing a new smartphone. The mysterious device bears the model numbers XQ-HH44, "XQ-HH54," and "XQ-HH74.

Xperia 1 IX Model Numbers Surface

This model naming scheme falls in line with other Xperia 1-series flagships from the past — the Xperia 1 VIII starts with "XQ-GExx," and the Xperia 1 VII starts with "XQ-FSxx." This strongly suggests that the Xperia 1 IX is coming.

Our Japanese colleagues at s-max also point out that the "H" following "XQ-" indicates a 2027 model. The Xperia 1 VIII launched back in May, so we can expect similar timeline for the Xperia 1 IX. | Image by PhoneArena

Digging deeper down in these model numbers, it appears that the XQ-HH44 is a manufacturer version for the Japanese open market (a so-called "SIM-free model"), the XQ-HH54 is for Europe and other regions, and the XQ-HH74 is for China, with the "4" at the end indicating eSIM support for all three variants.

One of the reasons we think these IMEI numbers refer to the Xperia is that Sony is set to launch the Xperia 1 IX next year.