Smartphone users across the globe have rejoiced in the revolution brought about in display quality and screen size, so much so, that the full-HD 1080p resolution is now a standard for premium handsets, with the fabled ‘2K’ resolution being expected in upcoming flagships. However, one aspect of smartphone use still remains as the pet peeve of almost every smartphone user – battery life. One way to counter this issue to optimize the hardware and software aspects to get the most life out of the battery, while another way is to increase the device’s battery capacity itself. Philips has sided with the latter proposition and introduced a massively huge 5300 mAh battery in their latest smartphone – the Philips W6618.
In terms of specifications, the Philips W6618 doesn’t disappoint but neither does it tantalize either. The device sports a mediocre 5 inch display with a 540 x 960 pixels resolution. The device is powered by a quad-core Mediatek processor clocked at 1.3 GHz and 1 GB of RAM. Internal memory is at 4GB which can be expanded thanks to the in-built MicroSD card slot. The best aspect is the 5300 mAh battery which is expectedly non-user removable. The device also boasts of dual SIM capabilities. Philips claims that the massive batter will definitely outlast any competitor with a standby time of more than 2 months – 1604 hours or 66 days – and will provide a talk time of close to 33 hours. However, this increase in battery capacity has adversely affected the device’s waistline – which has increased up to 11.6 mm in thickness. The Philips W6618 will strangely come pre-loaded with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, even though the specs are sufficient to handle the latest and greatest Android version – Android 4.4 Kit Kat. As of yet there is no information whether the device will see an upgrade to Kit Kat anytime soon.
As of yet Philips has not released its smartphones for the western world. The Philips W6618 has also been launched for China specifically is available for 1699 CNY (~$273). As of yet there is no confirmation whether we would get to see this device outside of China anytime soon. The Philips W6618 definitely raises the debate on whether it is preferable to have more battery life (via a larger battery) or a device with a slim profile. What’s your take? Let us know in the comments below.
