Sharp, a Japan-based company that most consumers likely associate with televisions, has not yet made a big name for itself in smartphones. In the past couple of years, however, they have introduced a number of attractive smartphones, some of which have edge-to-edge displays with no side bezels. Earlier this month they introduced a unique new smartphone concept called the Corner R, which was completely free of top, bottom, and side bezels, making the display take up the entire front side of the device. As interesting of an idea as the Corner R is, it is still just an idea at this point, and not a finished product.
Although consumers will have to wait on the Corner R for now, Sharp is planning to release a new device targeted at mid-range smartphone consumers in the meantime. The Aquos Xx3 Mini will come with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, and will come in a variety of different color options, including blue, pink, and green. The device will pack a 4.7-inch 1080 x 1920 display, Snapdragon 617 processor, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. MicroSD cards are supported, and it will have an 8MP front-facing camera, as well as a 21MP rear-facing camera. While there is certainly more to photo quality than camera resolution, 21MP is quite impressive in comparison to other smartphones on the market, and these devices should be able to use a reasonable amount of digital zoom without losing too much quality. The device will be powered by a 2,400 mAh battery that, given the other specifications and size of the device, should be enough to provide impressive battery life. Lastly, the device will be well protected in varying weather types by its water and dust resistance.
With the increasing size of the typical smartphone display, a 4.7-inch device is quite a bit smaller than many other options, making it ideal for those who prefer compact devices. The Aquos Xx3 Mini will be released in February of 2017 and is expected to sell for around $300. While this device’s hardware specifications may not be enough to match some of today’s top flagship devices, at a price like that It will provide an excellent value to those in the market for a mid-range device.
