Sony's new budget Xperia smartphone signals the end of an era for one of our favourite portable AV features

The Sony Xperia 10 VII smartphone in blue, white and black in various orientations on a white background.

Sony has announced the latest entry in its Xperia smartphone lineup in the form of the budget-friendly 10 VII. The cheapest handsets in Sony's range have impressed us for quite some time now, with the Xperia 10 IV, Xperia 10 V, and Xperia 10 VI all scoring five-star reviews and coveted What Hi-Fi? Awards.

Naturally, I should be highly invested in this smartphone launch, as its predecessors have been amongst the best smartphones for watching movies and listening to music on the go. However, Sony has made a big change this year, and it's one that's sure to divide on-the-go cinephiles.