Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a step in the right direction, with features Samsung Galaxy phones miss -- so why is a US launch so hard?

The biggest new Android phone release of the week has been the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, the latest generation of Sony's annual phone releases. I started full-time tech reporting mere weeks before the original model was announced, so I've always had a fondness for the Xperia line, though it's been through turbulent times.