The Kashmir Monitor
Luxury smartphone brand Vertu has risen from the dead to unveil its latest smartphone, the Aster P, at an event in Beijing, China on Wednesday. The handset has been launched in Baroque and Gothic variants, with difference being mostly in exterior design/ appearance.
The premium smartphones sports a European-style back case design with a titanium alloy frame, calfskin elements, and sapphire glass; and is handcrafted by professional craftsmen. The phone has a trademark wing design on the back with flaps that open up to reveal the SIM slot.
Additionally, the calfskin used on the Vertu Aster P can be replaced with ostrich skin, lizard skin, crocodile skin, etc, according to a report by Chinese blog CNMO. The wing design on the back also houses a signature of the craftsman behind the particular unit. To recall, in July last year, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy, but the brand seems to somehow have been salvaged. It had been acquired from Godin Holdings by Turkish businessman Hakan Uzan in March last year.
Vertu Aster P price, availability
The Vertu Aster P’s Baroque series comes in four colour options – Black, Gentleman Blue, Caramel Brown, and Twilight Orange. All the options in the Baroque series have been priced at CNY 29,800 (approximately Rs. 3.15 lakhs). On the other hand, the Gothic series comes in Black Jade and White Moon colours priced at CNY 35,800 (around Rs. 3.79 lakhs), and a Dazzling Gold colour priced at CNY 98,000 (roughly Rs. 10.38 lakhs).
Vertu Aster P specifications
The dual-SIM (Nano) Vertu Aster P runs Android 8.1 Oreo, and sports a 4.97-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) display panel with a regular 16:9 aspect ratio. The handset is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC, coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of inbuilt storage.
In terms of optics, the Vertu Aster P sports a 12-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash, and a 20-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture and panoramic view. Connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi with hotspot support, Bluetooth, GPS, and a USB Type-C port.
There is a non-removable 3,200mAh battery under the hood, with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology. Dimensions of the phone are 149.8x71x10.1mm and its weight is 220 grams.
Vertu has incorporated an exclusive ringtone for the Aster P, developed by the London Symphony Orchestra. In terms of security, the luxury smartphone has an encryption technology that “prevents SMS and call records from leaking”. Users can also use the app to remotely lock and even delete all data in case of emergencies.
Vertu Aster P features
Offering convenience, the Vertu Aster P comes with a dedicated “butler button” on its side to access Vertu’s exclusive butler service. The service provides 24×7 personalised service for things like reserving tables for dinner, making travel plans, and more. A report claims the service understands the user’s habits and needs helping it give a more personalised experience.
