Vobis Computer, a sizable Russian supplier and vendor of Chinese-assembled smartphones, satellite navigation systems and software operating under the Highscreen trademark, announced last week the rollout of its Highscreen Boost 2, the next generation of Russian smartphones with record-long battery life.
Eight months after the inaugural Boost was introduced as Russia’s first smartphone to offer a week of self-contained operation, the Boost 2 beats the world record for smartphone battery ‘longevity.’
With its two advanced storage batteries for 3,000 and 6,000 mAh, respectively, the gadget is said to require no recharging for up to two weeks.
The advantage, however, turns out to also be a downside since it requires increased width (up to 14.8 mm) and weight (203 grams when using the 6,000 mAh battery).
The device is powered by the MSM8225Q Snapdragon S4 Play 1.2GHz four-kernel chip and equipped with a 1GByte RAM and a 4GByte built-in memory extendable through MicroSD cards – a relatively modest performance characteristic that analysts at the Russian news agency RIA Novosti believe indirectly adds to the Boost 2’s exceptional power conservation capabilities.
The newcomer has a five-inch screen with an IPS matrix, enabling an HD resolution of 1,280×720 pixels. The eight-megapixel main camera and the two-megapixel front one are standard for this class of smartphones.
The Highscreen Boost 2 budget smartphone is already available on the Russian market for 10,990 rubles (about $330) apiece.
Another innovation in this field is Yota Phone, a 4G smartphone with an Android-powered device supporting GSM, 3G and LTE standards. Its low-energy 4.3-inch dual screen uses the e-paper display – a technology most widely seen on e-book readers – and displays images, SMS messages, texts, apps or schedule memos continuously.
The device was already presented at international industry events earlier this year but has not yet been launched commercially.
In 2011, leading Russian mobile operator MTS launched the world’s first smartphone with a GLONASS+GPS supported satellite location system. The device, christened ‘Glonass 945,’ has not gained strong traction on the Russian market.
