Once a supplier of camera lenses for famous smartphone brands, Leica has now launched its own super mobile phone.
Leica's first super smartphone
Leica's smartphone is called Leitz Phone 1, the product is currently only sold in Japan and is exclusively distributed by the network carrier Softbank.
The Leitz Phone 1 emulates Leica cameras. The silver metal frame contrasts with the familiar curved black back. The large, circular rear camera cluster comes with the iconic Leica "red dot" logo. This camera also has a magnetic cover like a professional camera.
The camera part of the Leitz Phone 1 has a magnetic cover like a dedicated camera.
This smartphone has only one rear camera, using the world's largest sensor - 1 inch, 20 megapixel resolution with 19 mm focal lens, f/1.9 aperture. The front camera has a resolution of 12 megapixels.
The product is also equipped with an impressive configuration, with a 6.6-inch curved screen, using IGZO OLED technology developed by Sharp, 2K+ resolution (2730x1260), 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz sampling rate. Inside the product is Qualcomm's most advanced Snapdragon 888 processor, with 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, and support for an external memory card slot.
The product is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, supports 5G connectivity, and is IP68 water resistant (immersed in water at a depth of 1.5 m for 30 minutes). Leitz Phone 1 runs on the Android 11 platform, with an interface developed by Leica itself.
Is it just an improved version of the Aquos R6?
With these specs, the Leitz Phone 1 is similar to what Sharp brought to the Aquos R6 a month ago. The Aquos R6 is a smartphone with a Leica-branded lens camera as well as a 120 Hz Pro IGZO OLED screen similar to the Leitz Phone 1. The main difference is that the Aquos R6 does not come with a Leica-branded lens cover and case.
Sharp Aquos R6 series.
SoftBank is selling the Aquos R6 alongside the Leitz Phone 1, and the company doesn't hide the similarities between the two phones. SoftBank is positioning the Aquos R6 as a phone for people who simply want a smartphone with a Leica-branded lens, while the Leitz Phone 1 is for people who value Leica's hardware design.
Currently, Leitz Phone 1 is sold exclusively by SoftBank in Japan with a price of 187,920 yen (39 million VND).
Maybe you don't know
The name Leitz was inspired by the surname of Leica founder Ernst Leitz. Initially, Ernst Leitz named the company he founded Leitz, but in 1986, the company was renamed Leica, a combination of the first 3 letters of the founder's surname (Leitz) and the first 2 letters of Camera, which is the main field in which the company operates.
