Easy as one 2.
NOKIA 2.
Nokia’s latest cheap-as-chips mobile is packed to the rafters with AI
to control everything from the camera to the battery, leaving you to
concentrate on selfie-induced narcissism. The 13MP AI-fuelled dual
cameras on the rear add in a 2MP depth sensor, while the 5MP front
snapper includes facial recognition for unlocking. Factor in a two-day
battery with AI-assisted adaptive tech to squeeze out every bit of juice,
a 6.2in HD+ display and a Google Assistant button, and that really is
quite a lot of phone for a cheeky ton. Nokia is even pledging monthly
security updates for three years and OS updates for two years... by
which time the microUSB charging port will feel positively medieval.
€109 / nokia.com
Grandmaster flash and the furious five
HONOR V30 PRO 5G
If you thought sub-£500 superphones from China were so last year,
think again, because Honor’s V30 Pro includes five cameras and 5G
compatibility amid some serious specs. The array of snappers includes
a 40MP main, 8MP telephoto and 12MP ultra-wide lens on the back,
complemented by a 32MP selfie-cam and 8MP ultra-wide on the front.
A 6.57in punch-hole display, Kirin 990 chip, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of
storage are equally flagship-troubling, and the 4100mAh fast-charging
battery can apparently hit 70% capacity in half an hour. No word yet
on when it will reach these shores, or if it’ll be shipping with Google
services, but we’d be Honored to try it out.
£420 (est) / hihonor.com
Is that a folding smartphone that’s
been named after a drugs kingpin and
resembles a gold bar?
I’m afraid so. Roberto Escobar, the
brother of infamous drug lord Pablo,
has announced an ‘unbreakable’ folding
phone with a flexible display using an
ad campaign that features underwear
models and guns.Are you serious? It’s disgustingly
garish and you’d be mad to buy one.
You can tell Roberto that if you like. He’s
part of Escobar Inc, founded in 1984 as
the official holding company for Pablo’s
assets – you know, the former leader
of the Medellin drug cartel and a man
reportedly responsible for around 5000
deaths. Anyway, the phone costs $349.Wait, what? Doesn’t the Samsung
Galaxy Fold cost £1900?
It does. The Escobar Fold One undercuts
its flexible rivals by cutting out networks
and retailers. Roberto Escobar says he
even wants to “beat Apple” in a £22.8bn
lawsuit for allegedly overpricing phones,
before returning the money to the people.What about the phone itself?
Well, it looks suspiciously like a rebadged
Royole FlexPai and even shares the
same specs – notably a 7.8in AMOLED
1920x1444 display that folds outwards
in tablet form and claims to be the most
durable telephone screen on the market.
The panel is plastic, but the phone is
stainless steel with a brushed gold finish.And the innards?
There’s a Snapdragon 855 chip with
8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage,
a 16MP f/1.8 primary camera and a
20MP secondary shooter. The phone
is network-unlocked, includes free
worldwide shipping – Lord knows with
what else – and is available directly from
the Escobar Inc website.WTF IS THE
ESCOBAR
FOLD ONE?