Sony Locks Xperia External Monitor Feature Behind Subscription

Sony has once again managed to stir up controversy in the smartphone community, this time by moving one of its most niche but beloved Xperia features behind a paywall. For years, the ability to connect an Xperia 1 series phone to a Sony Alpha camera and use it as a high-quality external monitor was more than just a marketing gimmick – it was one of the clearest ways Sony differentiated itself from the crowd. Professional photographers and videographers valued the Monitor & Control app for its wired mode, which offered low-latency monitoring through a direct USB connection.

Now, Sony has decided that such convenience will cost extra.

As of version 2.4.0 of the Monitor & Control app, the wired external monitor feature is locked behind a subscription tier. To regain access, users must pay $5 per month or $50 annually. The free wireless mode still exists, but it adds enough lag to make it largely impractical for serious work. This shift has left many long-time Xperia supporters baffled – especially considering the premium price tags of these devices, often north of $1,200 in Europe where Sony has already restricted sales to its own online store.

While alternative brands like Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo devices (and even iPhones and iPads) are supported by the app, the high-resolution UVC (USB video class) monitoring remains exclusive to Xperia phones. That exclusivity was once a strong selling point. Now, however, it feels like another example of Sony undermining its own hardware with restrictive software choices and questionable marketing strategy.

The backlash online has been swift. Many users argue that charging a subscription for a feature already built into the device feels like daylight robbery. Others point out that anyone savvy enough to use the feature can also sideload the older version of the app from repositories like APKMirror, effectively bypassing the restriction. Still, the move sets a worrying precedent: hardware you pay a premium for may not actually be yours to control unless you also agree to a recurring fee.

Some see this as symptomatic of why Sony’s smartphone business continues to struggle. While the company insists the Xperia line is still an “important business,” decisions like these suggest otherwise. Instead of reinforcing trust and loyalty, Sony risks alienating its most devoted niche audience – the photographers, videographers, and enthusiasts who once saw Xperia as an extension of their creative toolkit.

Whether this strategy will earn Sony meaningful subscription revenue or further erode its already small user base remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: in a world where rivals are adding value, Sony appears intent on charging extra for what was once a key reason to buy its phones in the first place.