Back in December, Russian mobile startup Yota Devices released their first Android running handset — the YotaPhone. The unique feature of the phone was its rear mounted E-Ink display which was marred with limited usability and functionality. Today, the company has announced the next-gen YotaPhone with some beefy internals and a fully functional touch e-Ink display on the back.
Specs wise, the new YotaPhone will sport a 5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. There is also an 8MP camera on the back that can record full HD videos at 30FPS accompanied with a 2MP snapper in the front. Other key changes include support for LTE CAT4 networks, NFC, Wireless charging and a beefier 2550mAH battery.
The biggest improvement, however, has been made to the e-Ink display on the back of the handset that has grown in size to 4.7-inches with a higher resolution (qHD) and full touch-screen functionality. This will allow YotaPhone users to directly interact with the content on the display including the ability to reply to texts, email and other notifications. The company also offers an API for developers to take advantage of.
While Yota Devices did not reveal the exact pricing of the device, it did mention that the price would be comparable or lower by 10-15% than other high-end Android devices. Sadly, the company plans on bringing the next-gen YotaPhone to the European and Asian markets only by the end of 2014, which is a bummer. It also plans on offering a trade-in program for owners of the existing YotaPhone.
