[ad_1]
It's safe to call 2018 as the year of notched phones. The Essential Phone was the first Android phone with a cutout display, but became popular after the launch of the Apple iPhone X. This year, flagship and mid-range phones from the likes of Huawei, Xiaomi, LG, OnePlus, OPPO , Vivo, Google, Global HMD, and others have incorporated display notches. We have seen that we are much better than others. By and large, the smartphone has been compromised towards a "full-screen" display, but also an under-screen front camera. Up until now, though, we have not seen dual notches. This changes today the Sharp Aquos R2 Compact has been launched in Japan with the dubious distinction of being the first two dual notches on the top and bottom of the display.
Sharp is a company that is more famous for making display panels than for making smartphones. The company's phones are only sold in Japan, which means they have extremely limited availability. The same is true for the Sharp Aquos R2 Compact, which is a Japan-only phone.
Some Google Pixel 3 XL users may have had dual notches, but that is a software that has been fixed. The Sharp Aquos R2 Compact, on the other hand, has two actual hardware notches: a waterdrop notch on the top, and a wider notch on the bottom. Oneplus 6T, Huawei Mate 20, and various OPPO and Vivo phones. The bottom notch is unique, though. Why does it exist? The Sharp Aquos R2 Compact has a front-mounted fingerprint sensor, and to make the phone "more compact," Sharp has gone to the bottom.
Sharp Aquos R2 Compact aesthetically pleasing. Personally, I think this design looks worse than that of the upcoming Asus ZenFone 6, which is reported to have an offset display notch. With the Aquos R2 Compact, symmetry is broken on both ends of the display. The reason for adding does not seem to make much sense. If sharp wanted a compact phone, the fingerprint sensor (which also acts as a home button) could have been moved to the back, which would have saved valuable space on the front.
The phone itself belongs to the rare category of compact 2018 Android flagships as it joins the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact. It's powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, and it has a 5.2-inch IGZO display which supports 120Hz touch input like the Razer Phone 2. Its full list of specifications can be seen below:
Sharp Aquos R2 Compact – Specifications at Glance
| Specifications | Sharp Aquos R2 Compact |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 131 × 64 × 9.3 mm, 135g |
| Software | Android 9 Pie |
| SoC |
|
| RAM and storage |
|
| Battery | |
| Display |
|
| Rear camera |
|
| Front-facing camera |
The Aquos R2 Compact is powered by a 2.500mAh battery which is smaller than the battery capacity of other Android flagships. Its 5.2-inch IGZO LCD supports an ultra-fast 120Hz refresh rate, which is still a rare feature in Android flagships. This should improve UI smoothness, and the effect will be felt at 120Hz refresh rate. The visibility of the display has also been improved. Sharp phones.
The home button on the front also performs as a fingerprint sensor. It also supports gesture navigation, and users can swipe left and right on the fingerprint. Interestingly, Sharp notes that it is natively supported on Android 9 Pie (users can simulate them by going to Developer Options> Simulate Display Cutout). Sharp's CEO also does not believe that it will have an impact on app compatibility. Finally, the Sharp Aquos R2 Compact face unlock.
The Aquos R2 Compact will be released via Softbank in Japan in mid-January, and the company is also considering releasing a SIM-free version of the phone.
What are your thoughts about the dual notches of the Sharp Aquos R2 Compact? Let us know your opinions in the comments below.
Source: SharpVia: Engadget Japan
Want more posts like this delivered to your inbox? Enter your email to be subscribed to our newsletter.
[ad_2]
Source link
