Obi Worldphone SF1
Obi launches new smartphones for Asia, Africa, ME
SAN FRANCISCO, August 27, 2015
Obi Worldphone has unveiled two high-quality, premium-designed smartphones prices at an exceptional value to attract young people in fast-growth markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Designed by renowned San Francisco-based product studio Ammunition, Obi Worldphone SF1 and SJ1.5 have been set apart by iconic industrial design, said a statement.
Ammunition has also developed Obi Lifespeed, a custom user interface for Android that unifies the software and hardware experience, it said.
Obi integrates elegant design with high-end technology from Qualcomm, Dolby, Sony, Corning Incorporated, Google, MediaTek, Japan Display and Samsung to deliver a powerful performance.
Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies, which is a market analyst and research firm evaluating the global adoption of consumer technology, said: “Over the next three years one billion users will upgrade from low-end, starter smartphones to models with more power and greater functionality.
“The Obi Worldphone no-compromise design and aggressive pricing makes it very appealing to this audience as the market for smartphones expands and the upgrade market for smartphones accelerates.”
John Sculley, co-founder of Obi Worldphone and former head of Apple and Pepsi-Cola, said: "Obi has taken the best of Silicon Valley – innovations in design, state-of-the-art technology and high standards for manufacturing – and fused them into beautiful, powerful tools at attractive prices.
“Our efficient cost structure and broad distribution combine to present empowering tools that help our customers achieve their aspirations.”
Robert Brunner, Ammunition’s founder and partner, said: “With Obi we set out to create beautiful, original smartphones that go beyond consumers’ expectations. From concept through to manufacturing, we’ve paid incredible attention to quality, materials and engineering to achieve the highest level of design.
“We’ve obsessed over every detail of the Obi experience — from industrial design, user interface and packaging — to deliver inspiring products that overturn the misconception that great design has to come at a high price.”
Obi Worldphone SF1 is the company’s flagship 4G/LTE smartphone featuring state-of-the-art photography and audio capabilities, said a statement.
The SF1 has a raised five-inch display made of durable Corning Gorilla Glass 4 - an instantly recognisable signature element that emphasises the interplay of the hardware with the user interface. Its premium feel comes from its reinforced fiberglass body and metal accents at the top and bottom of the phone.
It also features a long-life, quick-charge battery and easy-access, dual-SIM slot with micro secure digital (SD) expansion.
Obi has embraced the full capabilities of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor to power the SF1’s 13-megapixel camera and best-in-class Sony IMX214 Exmor sensor to enable people to capture more professional-looking images. Hybrid auto focus will enable split-second, perfect focus in any light – even when shooting into the sun – through phase-detection technology.
The camera makes use of the Qualcomm ChromaFlash camera feature to quickly snap two photos — one with flash, one without. The final image takes the brightness from the one with flash and the color accuracy from the other, creating a single, well-balanced image.
Meanwhile, the SF1 features Dolby Audio, which delivers powerful and crystal-clear surround sound though the device speakers and with headphones, for all your entertainment, everywhere.
It also features Qualcomm Quick Charge 1.0 power management technology, which decreases the time required to charge the battery. The SF1 can charge to full power in fewer than three hours, which is about 40 per cent faster than older phones.
The SF1 will run on Google Android Lollipop.
SJ1.5 – 3G Smartphone with a Unique Silhouette
Meanwhile, the SJ1.5 is a 3G smartphone powered by the MediaTek MT6580 Quad-Core processor. It has an asymmetrical design, with a crisp, squared-off top and a curved bottom that gives it a distinctive silhouette.
The screen is made from 2.5D curved glass built flush with the body of the phone to give it a seamless feel in the hand.
The SJ1.5 offers unique colour and accent options, taking a more expressive approach. In addition to featuring easy-access dual SIM slots, the model comes with 16 GB of internal storage and a card slot for memory expansion.
It sports front and rear cameras and is protected by scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It will also use the Android Lollipop operating system.
Obi’s two security and privacy features at launch are AVG AntiVirus PRO for Android to help protect Obi devices from malware, viruses and theft, and Google Android’s built-in security layers for protection against intrusions.
The SF1 and SJ1.5 can run Google Play Store supported Android applications. Besides the AVG Anti-Virus app, other apps loaded on the the two models will be Swiftkey, AccuWeather, Clean Master, and ColorNote.
The Obi Worldphone line will be available starting in October in retail stores in some countries and online in others.
The initial markets will include Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, Pakistan, Turkey and India. - TradeArabia News Service
