The first images of what is reportedly the Xperia i1 smartphone have surfaced on a Chinese website.

The pictures show a smartphone that bears a stark resemblance to Sony’s current Xperia smartphones.

The images appeared on Chinese social networking website Sino Weibo. They were republished by US site Gadget Helpline.

According to previous leaks, the Sony Xperia i1 will be equipped with a five-inch full HD 1080p display and be powered by a 2.2Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor. It is also expected to feature 2GB of RAM, a 3,000mAh battery, 16GB of internal storage and a microSD slot.

It is also rumoured that the handset’s unique feature will be a 20-megapixel rear camera. The rear camera is said to use a high-end 1/2.3-inch ExmorRS sensor. The front will feature a two-megapixel camera.

As with Sony’s existing Xperia range, the i1 is expected to be both dust and water resistant.

Sony is expected to officially unveil the smartphone at IFA in Berlin on September 4th.