Viewsonic risks Apple backlash with Android Phone 4S
Two Sims better than one
MWC 2012
Viewsonic focused on those with multiple mobile accounts this week, making an appearance at Mobiel World Congress (MWC) 2012 to reveal a collection of dual-Sim smartphones.
One model bears a very similar moniker to Apple's popular handset, the 4S, so it's very possible that the Cupertino lawyers will be going over this one with a fine-toothed comb.
Steering very clear of rounded corners here...
While a host of manufacturers reveal five-core Nvidia Tegra 3-based handsets, Viewsonic's attention is fixated elsewhere, tapping into a market it expects to grow 80 per cent over the next two years.
The company aims to be the "expert provider" in the dual-Sim trade, which it says will sell 206m units in 2014, compared to 41m in 2010. As such, it has launched four smartphones: the ViewPhone 4s, 5e, 4e and 3.
Viewsonic's flagship model, the 4s, runs Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich and boasts a 3.5in, 960 x 640, 326ppi display.
Users can select different ringtones for either Sim and keep contacts and messages labelled separately. Both Sims can run simultaneously too, with the ability to download using one, for example, while talking on the other.
The ViewPhone 4s hits shelves in Q2 for £325.
Next up is the ViewSonic ViewPhone 5e, which comes with a bigger 5in capacitive display at a lower resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. The handset also rocks the Android 4.0 ICS platform and highlights its dual-Sim functionality. It'll touchdown in Q3 2012 for less than £390.
The ViewSonic ViewPhone 4e returns to a 3.5in display size, but runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread on a 650MHz processor.
There's a thin 10.3mm body, 3Mp camera and longer-than-average battery life, apparently. The ViewPhone 4e will hit the European market in Q2 2012 for less than £260.
Which brings us to the last handset in the range, the ViewSonic ViewPhone 3, essentially a refresh of last year's V350 smartphone. Here you'll find Android 2.3 Gingerbread powered by an 800MHz processor. The ViewPhone 3 launches sometime this quarter for £180. ®
COMMENTS
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Re: 4S
It did not bother Apple to bring out a music player called a Nano when Creative had a music player called a Nano that had been around for years. However, I have no doubt they will carry on when someone does it to them.
dual SIMs is useful, but...
But while essentially useful, dual SIMs isn't really that big of a trick to implement.
So I don't see why the only way to get dual SIMs should be in these obviously ho-hum, underspecced, somewhat clunky phones...
Whats the deal, Viewsonic? even Chinese el-cheapo outfits do equal or better than this.
Picked the wrong designs and the wrong manufacturing, or just hoping to make a mint from saving tons of cash on the cheesy hardware spec, while cramming it down the throats of those desperate for the 2 SIM function?
Samsung, can you please build us a decent phone with 2 SIMs, so we don't have to resort to this?
Dual Sims - Good News
I don't really care about the perfs or the looks but it does have "dual sim cards" Isn't this the first reasonable smart phone to have them?
Correct me if I am wrong but I don't recall Apple, Samsung or HTC have any "dual sims" within the last year or so. ( Motorola rings a bell bit I can't remember why).
Influenced by...
HTC, the iphone, Palm Pre. In that order.
