Days after Smartisan unveiled its latest smartphone, Qihoo 360-backed smartphone company Qiku took the wraps off an ambitious array of new phones.
The high-spec lux version packs a 6-inch 2k TFT display by Sharp, a powerful Snapdragon 810, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and a fixed 3700mAh battery. It features a 2.5d round edge tempered front screen with ultra-narrow metal frame of only 1.4 mm. Sharing a similar size of iPhone 6 Plus, the narrow frame allows a higher scree ratio.
Powered by Snapdragon 808, the flagship version has a 1080P display, 3GB RAM and 16GB storage. The low-spec Youth version, which targets at young customers, features a 5.5-inch 1080P display, 1.3GHz MT6753 processor, 2GB RAM and 16G ROM, 8-megapixel front camera and two 13-megapixel rear cameras.
The three versions are all enabled by 360 OS, the company’s homegrown operating system based on Android. They are retailed at RMB3,599 ($561 USD), RMB1,999 and RMB1,199, respectively, to attract users with different spending powers. The Youth version will be open for preorder Qiku’s official sites and JD today.
A highlight of the new smartphones is that Qiku has made the finger scanner, which is placed at the back of the smartphones, a multiple-functional button that can be used to pick up or lock your phones and even as shutter button for taking selfies.
The company is also adopting a dual-camera technology to enhance the photography functions. Using two 13-megapixel rear cameras, the pictures from two lenses — one for taking colors and the other black-white lens for capturing brightness and other details — are combined together to form a single image via algorithms.
Known as an online security service, Qihoo 360 has begun to sell phones to its expanding audiences since in 2012 through partnership with well-known brands. However, its previous efforts ended in failure. As China’s smartphone market continues to heat up, Qihoo’s CEO Zhou Hongyi is taking things more seriously since last year by investing US$409.05 million to set up a joint venture with smartphone maker Coolpad.
However, this cooperation is taking an interesting turn as its partner Coolpad is also taking an equally-huge investment from LeTV, Qihoo’s direct competitor in exploring smartphone market.
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Image credit: Qiku