According to the latest reports, the next iteration of the Sony Xperia flagship handset will sport an all-new design. The Xperia smartphones are known for its unique and classic appearance, although the latest trend in the industry with an almost bezel-less display might have finally convinced the tech giant to go for a change.

Sony India's managing director, Kenichiro Hibi, revealed in an interview with Indian Express that the company is gearing up for a major change in terms of their future Xperia devices. The public can expect a "new generation" of Xperia handsets, sporting a completely fresh design. To note, the Xperia smartphones released in the last four years have all sported the same look. With a big change in design expected in the near future, consumers now have more reason to look forward to the next Xperia handset.

Hibi also said in the interview that Sony plans to have their next Xperia smartphones with thinner bezels on the sides. The Sony executive did not mention a specific date that the new Xperia design is expected to launch, although Hibi said that the change is expected to happen "very soon."

According to The Verge, it is likely that the bezel-less Xperia smartphone will arrive in 2018. Sony usually announces their latest lineup of flagship devices at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February, or sometimes at the IFA tradeshow in Berlin that is held in August. For now, the earliest estimate for the new Xperia release is in February at the Mobile World Congress 2018.

The current Sony Xperia devices are known for its tall display with thin bezels, although the bezels at the top and bottom portions are still noticeably large. With handset makers making their products with thinner bezels to come up with an all-screen front display, Sony is expected to follow by trimming down the bezels. It is rumored that Sony now aims to release the next generation of Xperia handsets with taller screens, reaching an aspect ratio of 18:9.

Meanwhile, there are some requests from users for the next Xperia phones adapting a fingerprint scanner feature. The flagship devices from other tech giants such as Samsung, LG, Huawei, and Apple have all stepped up their game by improving their biometric features. As of now, there is no confirmed reports if Sony will start implementing the fingerprint recognition technology in Xperia soon.