Two real-life images depicting what’s said to be the Sharp Aquos S3 appeared online on Friday, having surfaced on Chinese social media website Weibo. The photographs that can be seen above show a device with an 18:9 display panel that features a notch reminiscent of the one seen on Apple’s iPhone X, albeit slightly narrower. The notch houses a loudspeaker and a single-lens camera, whereas a dual-sensor system is sitting on the opposite side, positioned in the top left corner of the handset’s rear plate. The main camera setup of the device appears to be supported by a dual-LED (dual-tone) flash unit, with the back side of the alleged Sharp Aquos S3 also featuring a circular fingerprint sensor.
The overall design of the package hints at a metal-and-glass build that would technically allow for wireless charging capabilities, though there’s still no word on whether the Sharp Aquos S3 is meant to support such a functionality. The source of the images claims the handset is equipped with an LCD panel from the Osaka-based company but didn’t elaborate on the matter. The inclusion of the iPhone X-like notch presumably wasn’t a technical decision as sharp already managed to deliver a device with an even larger screen-to-body ratio in the form of the Aquos S2 that was more reminiscent of the Essential PH-1. Should the company stick with its established approach to the Aquos lineup, the Aquos S3 would launch as an offering meant to compete in the upper mid-range segment of the market equipped with a Qualcomm-made chip from the Snapdragon 600 series.
The newly uncovered images correspond with previous alleged depictions of the Sharp Aquos S3 which was initially expected to be launched in Taiwan in mid-January but is still waiting for an official announcement. Sharp’s home country of Japan is also likely to receive the handset once it’s eventually commercialized, though it’s presently unclear whether the original equipment manufacturer has plans for an even wider availability. The newly leaked images suggest the Aquos S3 will feature a heavily reskinned version of Android and also be available in China. Sharp is expected to make the smartphone official by spring.