Remember with me, if you will, the plight of smartphone prices. We have had the shocks year after year of a top-tier smartphone putting United States-based folks a markedly lower price than the six hundred or seven hundred dollars that others globally have to shell out to get one. But, as we’ve seen, companies like Xiaomi have shown us the possibility of a great device for a great price. Yet, there are still people that are looking to get a new smartphone that is not just worth the money they spend on it, but raises the price for the overall purchase. And that is where we find the English manufacturer Vertu.
The name Vertu has been associated with excellence and luxury for years, and many of us know them for just that. But what you will all likely know the name from is the $26,000 smartphone, the Vertu Signature Touch. This time though, we have news of something new from Vertu, and it seems to be an even higher-quality, higher-priced smartphone for luxury-minded customers.
Aster is the name of the new device from Vertu, and it looks very similar to the Signature Touch, but evens out the sharp corners and angles of the latter. The Aster, from the regulatory photos, is far more rectangular with a curve that is noticeable from the profile of the device, rather than the front. Regulatory facilities are exactly how we know about this device, by the way. China’s TENAA and the United States’ FCC have both handled the Vertu Aster and it seems likely that it will pass just fine for those with too much money to purchase.
China’s TENAA has provided, intentionally or not, a full specifications list for the Aster, and they aren’t that bad. The device has a 4.7-inch, 1080p display with a quad-core Snapdragon 800 (likely an 800 anyway) running at 2.3 Ghz, with 2 GB of RAM to help it out. The phone also has 64 lovely GB of internal storage and a helping of Android 4.4.2, Kit Kat. The back camera is sitting pretty at 13 megapixels, with a dual-LED flash module accompanying it.
The Vertu Aster is an interesting device for a number of reasons. First, it has been sent through both the Chinese and United States’ regulatory groups, and we have both of them ready to access. Secondly, the device is likely a follow-up and improvement to the Signature Touch, and the price will likely reflect that. The Signature Touch cost a base price of $10,000, so the Aster will almost definitely cost more than that to start. And finally, what is the point still? Why does this type of device exist? The device comes with an array of services and ‘bonuses’ besides what the device itself can do and manage, but is it all really worth the price? For some it may be, but for most of us it probably isn’t Go check out the regulatory listings if you feel the desire, and also note that the FCC listing has the user manual, if you want to see what some of the device’s software looks like.