Three Ways to SIM Unlock Sony Xperia
You probably purchased your Sony Xperia for a significant discount but are now stuck with the same network for a couple of years. You loved the device but your network provider does not have any plans that exactly suit your needs. To release your device from your current network’s clutches, you will need to unlock your phone.
There are three ways you can do it and this post will go through each method so that you can find one that you are most comfortable with. Do note that if your contract has ended with your network provider, this How to unlock Sony Xperia post can be skipped as you can just ask them to unlock your phone or purchase a SIM network unlock pin for a minimal price.
Part 1: Sony Xperia Unlock Code
This is probably the easiest, no-fuss method to SIM unlock Sony Xperia. Follow these steps carefully to successfully perform Sony Xperia unlock code.
Do take note that this process may not work with your carrier. Therefore, always check if this is the right way to obtain the necessary code:
- 3. The number beside Network indicates how many attempts you have to unlock the phone. If it says ‘7’ it means you have seven attempts; ‘0’ simply means it is hard locked and cannot be unlocked using this method.
- 4. Find the IMEI number by dialing #06#. Jot it down as this will be your code.
- 5. Insert your new SIM card and tap in the IMEI number when it asks you for SIM network unlock PIN.
If you have followed these steps to a tee, you should have unlocked your device. If you had to abort after Step 2, look at the other two methods below.
Part 2: The Best Sony Xperia SIM Unlock Code Generator
To safely and successfully SIM unlock your Sony Xperia, it is important to find a trustworthy SIM network unlock pin software. Here I am going you present to you DoctorSIM. SIM Unlock Service. It definitely is one of the best SIM unlocking code generators in the market. It helps you permanently SIM unlock your phone so you can use it on any carrier provider you want in the world.
How to use SIM Unlock Service
Step 1. Visit Doctor. SIM Unlock Service official website, click on the Select Your Phone button, and then select Sony among all the phone brands.
Step 2. On the new window, fill in your phone IMEI number, model, your contact email, and other required information. Once your order is processed, the system will then send you the unlock code and instructions. You can follow the instruction to unlock your phone easily.
Part 3: Sony Xperia Unlock Carrier
If your Sony Xperia is hard locked, this is your best bet in getting your device unlocked. Actually, it is the safest method among all three:
- Get a new SIM card from a new carrier.
- Call your carrier’s customer service line and ask what are the requirements to qualify you to get your Sony Xperia unlocked. If you have honored your contract, there should not be any problems. However, do ask your carrier if there are any additional requirements. Do note that there may be fees involved.
- Once your customer service representative has determined if you have met all their requirements, they should give you the SIM network unlock PIN Sony Xperia. Again, depending on your carrier, they might either give you the code over the phone, through email or via SMS. If you have the choice, always opt for email or SMS so that you are able to jot down the right number.
- Once you have gotten the code, insert the new SIM card (from your new carrier). You will receive a prompt to enter your code. Make sure that you key in the right code-entering the wrong code will cause your phone to be locked (possibly forever).
Part 4: Sony Xperia Unlock App/Software
There are some of us out there who are just not confident with doing things ourselves or trusting our own carrier.
HOWEVER, if your first instinct is to head to Google Play to look for SIM unlock tools, heed these cautions. There are currently many apps that claim that they can unlock your phone but it is just a scam. You should also avoid torrent files available online. These apps and software are usually laced with Trojans and other types of malware. So do sort through the reviews so that you will not fall into a malicious trap.
One that we can attest to is MyMobileUnlocking.com; it is fast and affordable. Here is how you can unlock your Sony Xperia:
- Choose your Country from the dropdown menu and click the Confirm country button.
- Select your device’s Phone Brand (Sony Ericsson) and click the Confirm brand button.
- You will then get the confirmation and code emailed to you.
- Insert your new SIM card into your Sony Xperia device.
- Key in the code when it prompts you to do so.
Part 5: The benefits of an unlocked Sony Xperia
If you now know how to unlock Sony Xperia but still do not know its advantages, we are here to help.
As indicated in the introduction, unlocked phone users can freely choose the plans they subscribed to-on any carriers, in any country. Therefore, if you travel frequently around the world, having an unlocked Sony Xperia would be beneficial. Using a local SIM card is much cheaper than paying for exorbitant roaming charges.
You can also benefit from an unlocked Sony Xperia if you are the kind of person who likes to take advantage of current offers provided by your local carriers. Prepaid plans are always changing in terms of offering so having the flexibility of changing carriers and prepaid plans can help you save money in the long run.
Part 6: The downside of an unlocked Sony Xperia
Are you thinking Well, why can’t I just buy an unlocked Sony Xperia in the first place? right about now? Well, you can but think of the amount of money it will cost you.
For example, in Australia, an unlocked Sony Xperia XA will cost around 499 from any Sony outlet but 0 for the device when you pair it with a 24-month postpaid plan. While this may look attractive now, you may be paying more for a locked Sony Xperia in the long run.
Now that you know the three ways of unlocking your Sony Xperia, all you need to do is find one that is most compatible with you. Just remember to think of everything through and carefully. Most importantly, if you have a locked device, always seek advice from your carrier to see if this is possible.
How to copy contacts to a SIM card on the Sony Xperia M
Looking for a way to backup the contacts on your Sony Xperia M? This guide demonstrates, with pictures, how to back up the names and numbers of your cell phones address book to a SIM card using a Sony Xperia M dual running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
Why should you save contacts to a SIM
Having a hard copy backup of the names and telephone numbers stored on your cell phone is never a bad idea and can certainly come in handy if you ever need to perform a hard reset on your Sony Xperia M or restore your contacts to your phone for whatever reason.
Much like saving contacts to your SD card, which if you have a memory card I definitely recommend you do as well as it can actually allow you to save more information than your SIM card can, saving contacts to your SIM is another good way to backup your phone book.
Things to consider before we begin
Sometimes you can copy contacts to a SIM card and sometimes you can’t. If the steps demonstrated below do not seem to be available on your device then the SIM card you are trying to save your contacts to may not allow you to do so.
A SIM card is not really designed to store a whole lot of information. In fact many SIM cards can only store names and numbers (not other information such as emails, addresses, groups, etc) and usually they max out at approximately 250 contacts. So if you have important information other than the person’s name and number or your cell phones address book contains over 250 contacts then I definitely recommend using a different backup method along with a SIM card backup as a SIM backup can sometimes be a little limited depending upon what your situation requires.
Don’t neglect a SIM card backup as a hard copy backup is a great idea and will allow you to restore the basic information from your contact list as well as allow you to restore hundreds of contacts to your cell phone. Saving and restoring contacts to and from a SIM card can also be very user friendly once you know how to do it.
Saving contacts to a SIM card on the Sony Xperia M
Ok now for what you came here for, how to actually backup your contacts to a SIM card.
Quick Instructions:
Phone Contacts tab Select desired Contact(s) BACK UP Back up contacts SIM card
Detailed Instructions with pictures:
Go to your phones Home page and click on the Phone icon in the bottom left hand corner of the display. Note: You can access your phone app under your phones list of applications as well.
Make sure that the Contacts tab is selected.
Select the contacts that you would like to copy to your SIM card.
If you would like to backup all of your contacts then tap the “MARK ALL” option shown in the bottom left of the phones display.
Once the contacts that you would like to save are selected and have a check mark next to them, press the “BACK UP” option.
Your phone will display a list of options. Tap the “Back up contacts” option.
Then choose the location that you would like to store your contacts to. If your phone is dual SIM (as shown below) you should have a SIM1 card and SIM2 card that you may choose from. In this example I am going to save a copy of the contacts to SIM1 card.
That’s how to backup the contacts to a SIM card on the Xperia M
And it’s as easy as that to backup your contact list on your Sony Xperia Android 4.2 smartphone.
I hope that you have enjoyed the article. If you found it informative or helpful then don’t forget to press the Like and Google buttons below and don’t hesitate to leave a friendly remark in the comment section.
Thanks for reading and visiting the site, I hope you have a fantastic day.
How to Insert a SIM Card in Sony Xperia X
A SIM card is a small plastic card with a microchip, which is purchased from the telecom operator. It is needed to access the communication services of the Sony Xperia X smartphone. After buying it, you need to insert the SIM card in Sony Xperia X.
Inserting a SIM card if the battery is removable
Installation of a SIM card for smartphones with a removable and non-removable battery is different. If the back cover of a smartphone can be disconnected from its body, follow these steps:
- Turn off the smartphone.
- Remove the back cover.
- Insert the SIM card into the slot.
- if, having removed the cover, you cannot see the SIM card slot, then most likely it is located under the battery. Remove the battery.
After installing the SIM card, you need to perform this sequence of steps in reverse order. Thereafter, the phone can be turned on again.
Inserting a SIM card if the battery is non-removable
Modern smartphones based on the Android operating system usually have a non-removable battery. In this case, the SIM card is installed without disassembling the smartphone:
- Take a special key that usually comes with a smartphone to eject the SIM card tray. If you do not have a special key, use a use a bent paper clip.
- Insert the key into a small hole located on the edge of the Sony Xperia X.
- Put the SIM card in the tray.
- Put the SIM card tray into your smartphone.
As in the previous case, you need to turn off the device before inserting a SIM card into Sony Xperia X.
SIM card trays can be single, double, combined and full. The first two types are designed for one or two SIM cards. The remaining two types allow you to additionally install a memory card. In the case of a combined tray, the installed microSD card replaces one of the SIM cards.
What to do if the SIM card does not fit the tray
During the installation of the SIM card, you may encounter that the card does not fit the size of the slot. A similar situation often occurs during the setup of a new smartphone.
There are several SIM card standards:
- Standard SIM. An outdated type of SIM card that has a large size. Used in older phones and smartphones.
- Micro SIM. A relatively new standard that replaced Standard SIM. SIM Card has become a little smaller.
- Nano SIM. The current standard of SIM cards, in which its size is almost completely equal to the size of the microchip installed on it.
There is a SIM card adapter if the size of your SIM card does not fit the device. It comes with all new SIM cards. If you do not have one, contact your telecom operator for a free SIM card replacement.
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Sony Xperia 10 V Review – Sony’s cheapest phone
Sony Xperia 10 V in hand. Photo Joshua Waller
Overview
Overall Rating
Pros: Triple camera system Headphone socket 5000mAh battery IP65/67 rating
Cons:. Focus struggles at times. Slow photo app/response. Only FullHD video, not 4K. Poor video stabilisation. Inconsistent image quality. Poor low-light performance
Price as Reviewed:
The Sony Xperia 10 V has a triple camera setup, a 5000mAh battery, and even a headphone socket, but how does it perform as a camera phone?
The Sony Xperia range of smartphones includes a range of mostly premium models, with one entry-level model, the Sony Xperia 10 V. This phone comes with a number of things that make it sound appealing on paper, including a triple camera setup including a telephoto camera, a 5000mAh battery, and even a headphone socket, but how does it perform as a camera phone?
Sony Xperia 10 V in hand. Photo Joshua Waller
Sony Xperia 10 V at a glance:
- 48MP wide-angle camera, f/1.8, OIS, PDAF, 1/2.0inch, 26mm equivalent
- 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, f/2.2, fixed FOCUS, 1/4inch. 16mm equivalent
- 8MP telephoto camera, f/2.2, PDAF, 1/4.4inch, 54mm equivalent
- 8MP selfie camera, f/2.0, 1/4inch, 26mm equivalent
- 6.1inch 21:9 OLED 60Hz screen, Gorilla Glass Victus
- 5000mAh battery
- 6/8GB, 128GB storage, MicroSD slot
- Android 13, IP65/68 rating water resistance
- 155 x 68 x 8.3mm
- 159g weight
Sony Xperia 10 V Features
We review smartphones from the perspective of choosing a smartphone for it’s photography and camera performance, so we’ll be starting by looking at what the Sony Xperia 10 V offers in terms of the cameras and what features are included for photography and video.
Sony Xperia 10 V triple cameras close-up. Photo Joshua Waller
It’s rare for an entry-level or mid-range phone to have a triple camera setup that includes three ‘proper’ cameras. Normally mid-range phones have a dual camera setup, and if there is a third camera, it’s often a depth camera, or a low-resolution 2MP macro camera (both entirely pointless when the main camera/s can do better). So, to see a triple camera setup on a phone at this price point piqued our interest and we needed to test it.
The cameras include a 48MP wide-angle main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture, PDAF (phase-detection auto FOCUS), and optical image stabilisation (OIS). This uses pixel binning to give 12MP images.
There’s an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, with fixed FOCUS, and an f/2.2 aperture, and a small 1/4inch sensor – this is really rather small at 3.6×2.7mm. The third rear camera is an 8MP telephoto camera that gives a 2x zoom, and a 54mm equivalent, with an f/2.2 aperture, PDAF, and no optical image stabilisation. The sensor is smaller again at 1/4.4inches.
Sony Xperia 10 V selfie camera. Photo Joshua Waller
And sure, these additional cameras may not be 10 or 12MP units, but at least they’re not super low-resolution like the 2MP macro cameras we see on many entry/mid-range models.
There’s an 8MP selfie camera, with fixed FOCUS, and an f/2.0 aperture. Background defocus is available when using this camera, as well as AutoHDR, and Night shooting.
The camera app
The camera app that’s built-in is a “basic” camera app, and this phone doesn’t feature the multiple camera apps found on the Xperia 1 V and other premium Sony phones. This is mostly a good thing, for the intended user of this phone, as it simplifies the shooting experience.
The app includes two shooting modes, either photo or video, as well as a manual mode, however, it does seem to be quite limited, as there are only a few different settings available (including night: auto/on/off), background blur (on/off and a slider control), as well as Auto HDR, Skin softening, and Object tracking in the menus.
Sony Xperia 10 V camera app. Photo Joshua Waller
Beyond this there are three more modes, including Google Lens, Slow motion, and Panorama. And that’s it. Other phones tend to offer a background blur mode that’s labelled as a portrait mode, a macro mode, plus additional shooting modes like creative long exposure modes (as found on the Google Pixel range and others).
Using the camera app can be quite a slow experience, as it always seems like you’re waiting for the camera to take a photo when you press the on-screen shutter release. It also doesn’t show you a preview of what the image will look like, as it does the processing after you’ve taken the photo. Once you do go and view the photo, you can be waiting quite a while for the image to be processed.
Design and Handling
Sony Xperia 10 V. Photo Joshua Waller
The most obvious design feature of the Sony Xperia 10 V is the 21:9 aspect ratio screen which makes it a tall and thin phone compared to others. This can make it a little difficult to reach the tops of the screen, as it’s a similar height to other phones with larger screens. Whether you like this or not will be down to personal preference.
Stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack are a nice touch, and the phone offers an IP65 / IP68 rating.
A 5000mAh battery, and Sony’s excellent battery management mean that this phone can last a long time before needing charging, particularly when you’re not using it. The phone doesn’t support wireless charging.
The fingerprint sensor is on the side of the phone and is part of the power button. Double click the power button and you can quickly open the camera mode. Build quality is generally good, and for the price there is nothing to complain about, and support for MicroSD cards is a nice feature.
Sony Xperia 10 V USB port. Photo Joshua Waller
General performance is a little bit sluggish, so scrolling through apps, settings and switching between web pages and the home screen can feel a little slow. It’s a little bit disappointing, as other mid-range smartphones don’t feel this sluggish.
The phone is available in a range of colours including white, black, sage green and lavender.
Sony Xperia 10 V Performance
Peace Gardens, wide-angle camera on the Sony Xperia 10 V. There’s some corner softness (top, left). Photo Joshua Waller
The wide-angle, main camera gives good results, and in good light, images can look really nice. However, there were other times when it got it completely wrong, with images poorly focused, lacking detail, lacking dynamic range, and looking entirely terrible in comparison to the nearest competitor (the Samsung Galaxy A54).
Pink flowers: Here’s one example of when the Sony Xperia 10 V camera gets things wrong, with low levels of detail, and blown highlights in the white flowers.
Colours could easily be overly saturated, or over-exposed, meaning detail disappeared, and multiple shots were needed so that we could pick the one image that worked the best. Images also don’t look very good on the screen when you’re taking them, and you have to wait for the phone to process the photos before you know if the shot has worked or not.
This photo looks great, but the 3 photos taken before this had over exposed yellows losing detail in the petals. Photo Joshua Waller
The main camera supports hybrid zoom, up to 10x using “AI Super Resolution Zoom” and this could be a potential replacement for the telephoto camera, and does make us wonder a bit why the telephoto camera isn’t a 3x unit.
Ultra-wide-angle shot taken with the Sony Xperia 10 V. There are high levels of noise in the darker areas of this image. Photo Joshua Waller
Ultra-wide-angle – In bright conditions, the results can be quite good looking. However, in darker areas, even when shooting in daylight, noise can become an ugly addition to the images, and purple fringing is noticeable. There were times when the colour reproduction from this camera was widely different from the main camera.
Pigeon, using the telephoto camera. This photo has nailed the exposure, but the photos taken immediately before and after this were completely overexposed. Photo Joshua Waller
The telephoto camera gives good results in bright conditions, but exposure can be inconsistent, so it can take a number of shots before you get the result you want. Focus, at times, would completely fail, producing a photo that was completely out of FOCUS.
There’s plenty of detail in this shot, taken with the 8MP telephoto camera. Photo Joshua Waller
The 2x telephoto camera does give slightly better results than a standard 2x digital zoom on a phone like the Samsung Galaxy A54, however, it would be even better if this was a 3x telephoto camera, as that would give it a definite edge over 2x digital zoom. Google’s Pixel phones for example do a great job of 2x digital zoom using super resolution technology, and it’s possible, that Sony’s own technology could have given similar results using the main camera. Having a 3x telephoto would have given it an extra edge.
Sony Xperia 10 V close-up performance. Photo Joshua Waller
Close-up performance of the main camera is relatively good, and whilst the phone doesn’t have a dedicated macro mode, it does allow close enough FOCUS for some close-up shots.
Low-light photo taken using the main camera. Photo Joshua Waller
In low-light, noise reduction is so strong that images lack detail, and images look blurry, and disappointing. If you view them smaller, then they look okay, from a distance.
Selfie taken with the Sony Xperia 10 V. The photo taken immediately after this lacked the same dynamic range.
The 8MP selfie camera has fixed FOCUS, and does a reasonable job most of the time. Background defocus is available, but dynamic range can struggle, and detail is relatively low.
Video performance
Video stabilisation is not up to the same standard as other smartphones, and when it struggles, video is very jerky. The quality and detail in video are relatively low, and whilst colour was reasonable, exposure was a little off, looking exposed.
Value for Money
The Sony Xperia 10 V is available for 449 / £399, which puts it up against some quite impressive competition. For example, the 6.1inch Google Pixel 7a (at 449 / £449) has a dual camera system, and Super Resolution Technology means you can easily get similar 2x photos. Then there’s the Samsung Galaxy A54 (at 449 / £449), with the same height (155mm vs 158.2mm), but a wider 6.4inch screen and all-round better camera experience, as well as up to 5 years of updates. Another option is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro (with 200MP main camera).
Left to right: Samsung Galaxy A54, Google Pixel 7a, Sony Xperia 10 V. Photo Joshua Waller
Both the Google Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy A54 produce better photos than the Xperia 10 V, and there are also cheaper options available as well, including the Google Pixel 6a, and Nothing Phone 1, which have both seen reductions recently.
Sony Xperia 10 V Verdict
The Sony Xperia 10 V offers quite a nice set of features, considering the price. The camera app includes a night mode, auto HDR, and a background blur feature, but it would be nice to see additional shooting modes. It feels like Sony are still playing catch up in the mobile phone market, as Apple, Samsung, Google, and others, are offering additional computational shooting modes (such as long exposure).
Taken with the ultra-wide-angle camera, the colours in this shot look better than the same shot taken with the main camera. Photo Joshua Waller
One thing that the Sony Xperia range of phones offers that seems to divide phone fans is the 21:9 aspect ratio screen. It’s rare that you find anyone who is a fan of this aspect ratio, but that doesn’t mean these people aren’t out there, somewhere. Unfortunately with the Xperia 10 V, it turns what could have been a compact smartphone, into another phone that’s difficult to use (reach), due to it being too tall. This also has the knock-on effect of making your 4:3 images look small on the screen. The smartphone market is crying out for more compact smartphones, as there are so few options available.
So, all that aside, how is the shooting experience with the Sony Xperia 10 V? Well, it’s generally okay, if you don’t mind your phone feeling slow and unresponsive. The photo app is relatively basic, and this is made simpler by the phone not including the multiple different apps found on the Xperia 1 V. But it’s also slow, and when you take a photo you often get a spinning wheel which makes the camera feel slower than it needs to be.
Barbie themed shop in Sheffield. This has captured the colour well, the photo taken before this was worse. Photo Joshua Waller
When shooting, the preview shows you an image with poor dynamic range, but when you view the photo in playback, once you’ve waited for “Processing” to go away, you get an image with much improved dynamic range thanks to automatic HDR, the majority of the time. However, if you accidentally press the shutter button for too long, continuous shooting will be activated and then you get images with poor dynamic range. The other issue is that FOCUS fails every now and then, so every 1 in every 30 photo I took (on average), was completely out of FOCUS – this happened with both the main camera and the telephoto camera, but more so with the telephoto camera.
How about the images produced, surely they’re good? Well, sometimes, is the answer to that question. In good light, the cameras can product some really good looking images, and colour can be good, but other times, colour can be dull. As light levels drop image quality also drops dramatically. There’s also a lack of consistency between shots, in exposure and colour reproduction, so it can take several shots before you get the best photo.
This low light shot lacks any real detail, and noise reduction is very strong. Photo Joshua Waller
Video quality is major disappointment, as the camera only records Full HD video, and doesn’t record 4K video at all. This is available on a range of competitors, even models at the same price range (or less), such as the Nothing Phone 1. The other issue is that the video quality is lacking as detail is poor, as exposure and stabilisation struggles to keep up.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to see why anyone would choose this phone over a Samsung, Google Pixel, or any of the other brands available, as there are a number of things on this phone that simply aren’t competitive with what’s out there. However, if improvements could be made to the performance and responsiveness of the phone and cameras, then it could be a contender.
For more mid-range and budget options have a look at our guide to the best budget smartphones, or have a look at the best flagship camera phones if you have a more to spend.
Chips make everything better. Close up performance is good, with plenty of detail here. Photo Joshua Waller
Low light image taken with the main camera, like other low-light photos, detail is severely lacking.
