First announced at IFA in Berlin back in September 2015, Acer has officially launched it's own flagship Windows 10 Mobile smartphone, the Acer Liquid Jade Primo, at CES 2016. The Liquid Jade Primo was initially described as a "PC in your pocket", and as the phone sees its official introduction we're looking at something that's, on paper at least, every bit as capable as Microsoft's Lumia 950.
The PC in your pocket line refers to Continuum, and since the Jade Primo has the necessary hardware on offer, this is the first smartphone without a Microsoft badge on it that is going to be available to take advantage of the feature (the only other phones released up to this point that support Continuum are the aforementioned Lumia 950 and it's big brother the Lumia 950 XL.) Hooking the Jade Primo up to a monitor, keyboard and mouse will give the same PC-like experience with Universal Windows Apps as Microsoft's two flagships.
So, what make's it tick? Here's a quick rundown of what's inside:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB of internal storage
- 5.5-inch, Full HD 1080p AMOLED display with 2.5D Gorilla Glass
- 21MP rear camera with dual-LED flash
- 8MP wide angle front facing camera
- Cat. 6 LTE
When it comes to pricing and availability there's both good and bad news, depending where you are. The Jade Primo will be available from February in the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region, with pricing set at a steep €569. It will roll out to other regions gradually afterwards, with pricing and exact specifications subject to change. At this time there's no word on a U.S. launch.
The better news is that we'll be taking a thorough look at the Acer Liquid Jade Primo from Las Vegas, so stay tuned for much more.
Press Release:
LAS VEGAS (Jan 4, 2016) Acer today announced the new Liquid Jade Primo, a 5.5-inch premium smartphone running Windows 10 Mobile. The Liquid Jade Primo provides ultimate productivity for professionals through Continuum, allowing Windows 10 universal apps to provide a PC-like experience when the smartphone is connected with a secondary display.
Award-winning Sleek Design
The Acer Liquid Jade Primo features Acer's award-winning Liquid Jade design language with a sleek and slim profile, curved back cover that fits comfortably in the hand and ergonomic 2.5D Corning® Gorilla® Glass screen. The rear and front covers feature a fine hairline-brushed finish, while a sharp diamond-cut band wraps the chassis and gives the smartphone an even more polished look. The cohesive circular-shaped receiver, rear camera and speaker inherited from the Jade family add a touch of elegance.
Multitasking Multiplied
With a USB Type-C monitor, wireless display accessories or the Display Dock, the Liquid Jade Primo can provide a PC-like experience on an external display with Windows 10 universal apps. It can be used as a touchpad and virtual keyboard or a keyboard and mouse can be connected for multitasking on both the screen and on the external display; this unlocks use-cases such as: - Connecting the smartphone to a TV or monitor at hotels or anywhere on the go for productivity-intensive applications, so that the heavier laptop can be left at home. - Projecting presentation decks to a projector or large screen, while displaying the "Presenter View" on the smartphone. - Playing videos on the TV while using other apps on the smartphone simultaneously.
The Liquid Jade Primo features a stunning 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display that supports 100 percent of the NTSC color gamut with 10000:1 contrast and 176-degree wide-viewing angles. A hexa-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 808 processor along with 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal memory provides powerful performance needed for multitasking, while LTE Cat. 6 and 802.11ac MIMO connectivity options makes downloads a snap. The 21MP f/2.2 auto-focus rear camera has dual LED flash and supports up to 4K (3840 x 2160) video recording and the 8MP f/2.2 front-facing camera boasts a wide-angle of up to 84-degrees, while supporting up to Full HD 1080p video recording.
Engineering Excellence
To reduce the heat that resource-intensive multitasking brings, the Liquid Jade Primo features an advanced cooling system that efficiently dissipates the heat from the processor, while also reducing the overall rear surface temperature.
For a slimmer chassis, the Liquid Jade Primo's antenna is formed by laser direct structuring (LDS) technology, allowing integration of the antenna and back cover. Also contributing to the slimmer profile is on-cell touch technology, which moves the touch layer onto the outer glass surface of the screen, eliminating the touch substrate layer.
Enterprise-Grade Security and Device Management
With BitLocker technology on Windows 10 Mobile, the Liquid Jade Primo allows for full encryption of all user data stored on internal memory, protecting the device from offline hardware-level attacks. For corporate users, the Liquid Jade Primo also supports device management solutions such as Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OMA DM) v1.2 and Microsoft Intune, so that IT personnel can help users be productive while safeguarding company information.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Liquid Jade Primo will be available in EMEA in February with prices starting at €569, and will be gradually rolled out to other regions. Pricing will be announced in each market closer to availability.
