The Japanese market has an endless supply of flagship phones and the new and exclusive Leitz Phone 1 is no different. For starters, the phone’s design includes a camera bump which is circular in shape, and comes with a Leica-branded lens cap.
The phone has just launched in Japan for a whopping $1,700 and it doesn’t seem like the phone would be arriving in other markets any time soon. Most of the specs, including the biggest ever smartphone camera sensor, are very similar to another Japan-exclusive phone, the Sharp Aquos R6.
Design and Display
The display is a 6.6-inch IGZO OLED panel with 2,730 x 1,260 resolution and an adaptive 240Hz refresh rate. The design is extraordinary, to say the least, but the phone’s highlight would be the orbital rear panel which houses the big camera module.
There’s also an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Internals and Storage
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC is at the helm of the device alongside 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. There is also a microSD card slot for storage expansion.
The software-side of the phone is covered by Android 11 with Leica’s own interface on top.
Cameras
There is a massive one-inch camera setup on the back which houses a 20MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture and a 1.9cm focal length. The main camera flaunts AI features so we can expect to see beauty filters and the bokeh effect among other things.
Battery and Pricing
Another highlight of the device is the big 5,000mAh battery which should keep the phone going for a day or two, depending on your usage. There is, however, no news regarding support for fast charging.
The Leitz Phone 1 is available for $1,700 (JPY 187,920) with pre-orders beginning from tomorrow onwards.
Leitz Phone 1 Specifications
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
- GPU: IMG PowerVR GE8320
- Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE (unsure about 5G)
- Display:
- 6.6″ IGZO OLED with 2,730 x 1,260 pixels resolution;
- Memory:
- RAM: 12GB
- Internal: 256GB
- Card slot: yes, microSD
- Camera:
- Rear (Dual): 20MP (f/1.9)
- Front: 12.6MP
- Colors: Leica Silver
- In-Display Fingerprint sensor: yes
- Face Unlock: yes
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Price: $1,700