Sharp has created the world's first completely bezel-less smartphone. SHARP AQUOS S2 Smartphone - Upgrade and Experience Packaging and Contents

For the first time, Sharp was among the very first to release a frameless smartphone three years ago, but since then all its mobile devices with this feature have not been very popular among buyers. Nevertheless, as Sharp CEO Luo Zhongsheng said today, everything will change at the very beginning of 2018, as the company has created a completely frameless smartphone, which will be the first in the world. It is noted that the novelty will receive the highest ratio of screen area to space on the front.

Thus, as it became known today from official source, which is the CEO of Sharp, this manufacturer will very soon present to the world the first absolutely frameless phone, a photo of which is already available. As you can easily see in the picture, the future novelty from the Aquos line does indeed have a display without side frames, but in its upper part in the very center there is a small cutout in which the front camera is located.

There is still no information about the technical equipment of the new item, however, according to the words of the company's management, all data on the world's first absolutely frameless smartphone from Sharp will be disclosed as part of the MWC 2018 (Mobile World Congress) exhibition, which will be held from February 26 to March 1 next of the year. The entire event will take place in Barcelona, that is, in the very center of Europe, thanks to which journalists from all over the world will be able to personally familiarize themselves with the novelty.

In addition, it is already known that in addition to the absolutely frameless smartphone created this year, Sharp intends to bring to this exhibition its other mobile devices with slightly less interesting technical equipment. One of the new products will be a phone with the model name Sharp FS8018, which was spotted in the Geekbench benchmark a few weeks ago, thanks to which its technical characteristics became known.

Sharp FS8018 smartphone is credited with 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of permanent flash memory, socket USB Type-C, as well as the Android 7.1 Nougat operating system, which was installed on it at the time of testing. By the time of the announcement at the MWC 2018 exhibition at the end of February, all Sharp smartphones should already run on Android 8.1 Oreo, which Google recently made.

The main question is how much will the absolutely bezel-less Sharp smartphone cost. Usually, unfortunately, the cost mobile devices with such features, it often turns out to be indecently high, so it may well turn out that the new product will cost even more than $ 1,500 (90,000 rubles).

Sharp S2 - the grace of technology

Delightful ergonomic and stylish design

Compact body made of quality metal and polycarbonate decorated dual camera, a frameless screen with a modern teardrop-shaped cutout for the front photo module and a fingerprint scanner on the front panel. It is simply impossible not to admire such a handsome man.

Amazing display quality

The 5.5-inch IGZO panel demonstrates not only natural color reproduction, but also stunning brightness and contrast, a huge diagonal resolution of 2040x1080 pixels, which provides fantastic picture detail.

Uncompromising performance specifications

An excellent Snapdragon 630 processor, together with 4GB of RAM, rare for the price segment and an Adreno 508 video adapter, will give the buyer not only smooth Android interface Oreo, but also a wonderful work of resource-intensive games and applications, which can be stored on 64GB of ROM and microSD cards.

Feel like a photographer

The main 12 and 8-megapixel sensors from Samsung surpass those of most opponents of the Sharp gadget, guaranteeing detail in pictures and no noise even in mediocre lighting. The eight megapixel front camera is also worthy of compliments.

Manufacturability in every detail

NFC (contactless payments) and function fast charging a capacious 2700mAh battery turn the device into the best choice for your money.

After all, it is only there that you can buy the device that will be discussed today. Everything went well, the package got to me and today we will take a look at the Sharp Aquos S2. The model is very popular among fans of ordering gadgets from China. Yes, the brand is Japanese, well-known to everyone, but China, as usual, produces these devices. Among the masses modern smartphones Aquos S2 really stands out, it is like that alien who flew from another planet to make a rustle and show what a smartphone should be for one and a half hundred dollars.

EQUIPMENT

In the kit we get:
- protective plastic bumper
- paper clip for the tray
- s / y for 5V and 2A
- USB-C cable
- an adapter from USB-C to 3.5 mm jack.

FIRMWARE

SHARP Aquos S2 comes from China with Chinese firmware. It has Russian, but no Google services, and a bunch of Chinese software is preinstalled. It is advisable to reflash the smartphone to the official international firmware. The process of flashing the Sharp Aquos S2 is so primitive and simple that even a child can handle it. The very international firmware can be downloaded on the w3bsit3-dns.com forum >>. When you turn it on for the first time, do not activate WiFi, otherwise the smart will automatically start downloading updates, but we do not need this. Download the firmware in the form of an archive and upload it to the smartphone's memory, directly to the root of the disk. Next, open the dialer on your smartphone and enter the combination *#*#874#*#* and after that the smartphone will independently detect the firmware and start the software reinstallation process. Everything!

But if you have already connected to WiFi and updated Chinese firmware, then the smartphone will display a message stating that the archive with the firmware was not found. That is, he simply will not see the new firmware, because its number will coincide with the number of the current firmware. This is not a problem either. We just need to rename the firmware archive, replacing the number in it. For example, if we install the 35th international firmware, and our 35th is already installed, but the Chinese one, we change the number 35 to 36 in the name of the archive, thereby prompting the smartphone, they say, here it is, a more recent firmware. Again, we type the above combination * # * # 874 # * # * and the smartphone will successfully start reflashing. After installing new software, it is recommended to do a factory reset.

DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS

The first thing that makes the Aquos S2 stand out in the smartphone market is its size. Due to the very narrow side and top bezels of the screen, it offers relatively modest dimensions: 142 mm x 72 mm, besides, it is thin - its thickness does not exceed 7.5 mm (excluding the protruding camera), and the weight is small - about 140 g. See how much smaller it is than modern shovels:

In terms of dimensions, Aquos S2 is comparable to 5-inch smartphones and this despite the fact that it has a 5.5-inch screen.

Yes, the glossy back panel is a disadvantage to practicality, so if you want to keep its presentable look longer, you will have to protect the back of the smartphone with a bumper or case. By the way, the older version has a glass back, not a plastic one.

Metal ends, power and volume buttons too. The tray is made of plastic, it is combined - either two nanoSIMs, or 1 SIM + memory card. Assembly without comment. In addition to the blue color, the smartphone is offered in a black version and there is a cool white color with longitudinal gray stripes.

Yes, some people hate this design. But the fact is the value of this device is that it is not like most others. And would it be cool if the Aquos S2 were another clone? No. And do not forget that it was Sharp who set the fashion for this design, which later became known as frameless. And only then this trend was picked up by other brands. If the protrusion at the top of the screen, which houses the front camera and light and proximity sensors, is annoying, you can hide it with a dark wallpaper. When watching videos and playing games, this protrusion does not interfere at all - the screen is simply cut off before reaching the protrusion. In addition, everything is at your discretion - in the screen settings, you can set the native aspect ratio of 17: 9 for this display, and then the picture will be stretched to fill the entire screen. The choice is up to the user.

On the upper narrow frame, the manufacturer managed to place a classic hearing speaker and even found a place for an event indication LED. The upper corners of the screen have bevels - again, this looks unusual. But if you are not satisfied with such bevels, there are many applications that can be used to make the corners of the display rounded.

To control the smartphone, there is a touch button under the screen, it is multifunctional: a single touch is "back", a long touch goes to the desktop and a slow swipe to the side is the launch of the background applications menu. You can also activate the on-screen buttons in the settings. And it's not hard to guess that the fingerprint scanner is built into the multifunction button: it is accurate, and its response speed is good.

DISPLAY

For the first time you turn on your smartphone and you realize that the screen is gorgeous. He's so hard to find fault with him. FullHD + resolution, comfortable brightness range, responsive 10-touch touchscreen and beautiful saturated picture. Sometimes there was even a feeling that it was an AMOLED display - it is so juicy and contrasting. But the matrix, of course, is IPS. The color rendition is correct, you don't want to readjust it, but just in case there are three presets in the screen settings - you can make the picture warmer or, on the contrary, colder. There is an oleophobic coating on 2.5D glass and it is of good quality.

HARDWARE PART

We're talking about the younger version of Aquos S2, which means we get Snapdragon 630, which is essentially an improved version of the successful 625 "dragon": all the same 8 Cortex-A53 cores, but with a maximum frequency of 2.2 GHz + Adreno 508 graphics. memory 4 GB and this is a dual-channel LPDDR 4 memory. 64 GB drive, of which about 47 GB is free. In the older, more expensive version, you get a higher-end Snapdragon 660 processor, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

The hardware for this price is excellent. In games, he also shows himself with dignity, incl. in the most demanding. Tanks (WOT BLITZ) in many locations can be played even at maximum graphics. But on some maps there are FPS drawdowns, so it would be ideal to set the average graphics or cut the maximum.
Mobile PUBG set low graphics at launch. Everything is playable, there are no critical lags. In games, the smartphone heats up, but does not overheat. The maximum temperature recorded on the cores was 48 degrees.

SOFTWARE AND FUNCTIONAL

The international firmware is based on Android 7.1.1, the shell is not standard, but quite convenient. The firmware is updated, I have the most fresh version 1-35F, released in March this year. If you have any other questions, something is not clear or something suddenly does not work as you would like - you will find all the answers in the topic of this smartphone on the w3bsit3-dns.com forum - the model is very popular, has gathered a large community around it, with this no problem. And during my communication with the smartphone, I did not have any questions.

The audibility during conversations is quite normal. As for the LTE frequencies, the main bands for us are supported. I mean primarily the 3rd and 7th bands. Band 20, as far as I understand, is not supported.

Sharp Aquos S2 is perfect for navigation - communication with the sky is good, there is GLONASS support. WiFi dual band, OTG works, no hardware radio. Sensors above the roof, including gyroscope, magnetic sensor, etc. But NFC is important to many in our time, and this module is also present here, unlike the vast majority of smartphones in this price category... Google Pay on the smartphone starts and allows you to add a card. Judging by the reviews of other users, wireless payment is working correctly.

Sound - not strong point smartphone. The speaker here is not bad and in terms of the sound quality it can be compared with the speaker of the Redmi 4 Pro. The sound through the headphones is the most common, without any frills. The downside is that there is no audio jack, so wired headphones connect via USB-C port using an adapter from USB-C to audio jack. By the way, not all of these adapters are suitable, so you need to take care of your own lace. And nobody canceled wireless headphones.

CAMERAS

The camera is double, 12 + 8 Mp, with phase detection autofocus, an aperture of f / 1.8, which sensors are used - I have no exact information. There are full manual settings, there are various color filters and so on. If you get confused, you can put here and Google camera thus improving the results. In the video version of the review (presented below) you can familiarize yourself with a detailed test of the cameras, in the same place I compared the Aquos s2 camera with the camera. Everything is fine in good lighting. I am sure that this quality is enough for most users. At night, too, everything is more or less worthy - it is clear that the sensor is decent and the optics are not the cheapest, of course there are noises, but there are not so many of them and they do not irritate the eyes.

It is possible to shoot video not only in FullHD quality, but also in 4K. The frame rate is stable at 30 FPS and the frame rate does not drop when there is a lack of light. The detailing is not bad, one thing is missing - electronic stabilization. In addition to the absence of a stub, the video mode has another drawback - the quality of sound recording.
The sound on the video is recorded without low frequencies, which makes it seem somehow plastic and not saturated.

The front camera is 8 megapixels, f / 2.0 aperture, decent quality, but there is a software defect - the front camera by default takes too saturated photos. This case can be fixed through manual settings.

AUTONOMY

Battery capacity 3020 mA. Yes, in the presence of a FullHD + display and with such a capacity, the Aquos S2 does not impress with its autonomy, but I cannot call it a weakling in this respect. Saves energy efficient processor. As a result, we get just normal autonomy, which is quite enough for the whole day with moderate use of the smartphone. For 3 hours of video playback on Youtube over WiFi in 720p quality, 32% of the charge went away, which is about 11% per hour. This is about the same result as or. The smartphone "sleeps" well, the battery does not drain in standby mode. To relatives charger charges 64% in 1 hour and fully charged in 2 hours 25 minutes. But the smartphone supports QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging and if you have an appropriate adapter on your farm, you can shorten the charging time.

VERDICT

So, if you look at the price of about $ 160 (at the time of publication of the review) and if we compare it with competitors, then I conclude that we have one of best options... And for those who do not need a large shovel, this is probably the only smart one. Yes, it is not ideal, I have not yet seen ideal smartphones in this price category. The disadvantages include the lack of an audio jack, an impractical glossy panel on the back with a protruding camera and the sound when recording video would be better. To whom all this is critical - we pass by. But the rest of the smartphone is cool. It does not look like competitors, its appearance is original, it is comfortable due to its size, it has gorgeous screen, the processor provides decent performance, there is a lot of memory, and the camera did not disappoint. And many will pay attention to it in view of the presence NFC module... And for those who consider his appearance to be some kind of awkward, there is a huge selection of the same type of smartphones.

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VIDEO REVIEW:

Hi friends! Some time ago, the frameless smartphone AQUOS S2, long-awaited for all fans of the Sharp brand, fell into my hands. As for me, with all its drawbacks, the device turned out to be quite interesting both externally and functionally. And this is despite the fact that the Japanese company is now more than half owned by Foxconn, and both Sharp engineers and their Taiwanese colleagues took part in the development of the gadget. And now, when it is already in my palm, it is extremely unpleasant to admit it, given all my previous mocking reprimands against AQUOS S2. But first things first.

It is worth noting that the manufacturer kept the intrigue to the last, without refuting or confirming at least indirectly what all fans of the brand expected from the “new” Sharp.

Sharp AQUOS Tab SH-06F, Sharp AQUOS S2 and Samsung Galaxy Xcover 3

I have repeatedly expressed my disappointment about the "full screen" AQUOS S2, which everyone hoped for. The bummer that eventually awaited all Sharp fans can only be compared to the indignation over the very fact of buying the Japanese giant by the Chinese. However, many have even managed to come to terms with this reality. As for the "full-screen case", then, as for me, this definition is more consistent with the iPhone X. Agree, because visually its display occupies most of the front surface than the display of the new Sharp. In fact, the difference in these indicators between the iPhone and Sharp is slightly less than 1% in favor of the former: 79.55% versus 78.51%. Of course, in Everyday life no one will measure these figures. But the fact remains that in 2017 the main trend among flagship devices (and not only) is the race for maximum framelessness of the facade.

It's funny that the world has picked up the bezel-less fashion just now. Let me remind you that in early 2014, the then Japanese Sharp was the first to present its revolutionary solution - EDGEST technology, which was used to produce several more subsequent generations of flagship smartphones with three narrow frames on the sides and top. The Sharp AQUOS Zeta SH-04F model became a pioneer in this direction. The peak of perfection was the still unbeaten record of frameless (not full-screen) smartphones of the CRYSTAL series (Sharp AQUOS Crystal 305SH, AQUOS Crystal X 402SH and AQUOS Crystal 2 403SH).

Sharp AQUOS Zeta SH-04H

Since then, for a minute, three years have passed. It turns out that not so long ago the Japanese were trendsetters, but, as often happens, the trend did not take root immediately, and not everyone knew about these very specific (hidden from prying eyes) models. Most of these devices were sold exclusively in Japan, with the exception of the AQUOS Crystal line, which could be purchased in the US from Sprint.

Sharp AQUOS Crystal X 403SH

In addition, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that promotional images of Japanese Sharp smartphones have never outwardly diverged from their prototypes. That is, the thickness of the frames for living devices remained the same as in advertising images, and not as it happens now in most cases. By the way, Foxconn decided to use this marketing trick to the fullest with its AQUOS S2. In the photo below, the difference is visible to the naked eye. On the left is an image from the Sharp AQUOS S2 official page, on the right is a real photo. Such tricks on the part of manufacturers are designed to attract the attention of a potential buyer, distracting from the real picture. But what the owner will say only later, when he gets the coveted gadget in his hands, remains behind the scenes.

Specifications

Despite the fact that the Sharp AQUOS S2 was developed simultaneously with the Essential Phone, and both devices clearly have a common design style, in technical terms, they have slight differences.

Chinese marketers offer the buyer a choice of two versions of AQUOS S2 - with 4 GB RAM / 64 GB ROM and 8-core Snapdragon processor 630 with A53 cores as well as 6GB RAM / 128GB ROM and 8-core Snapdragon 660 with Kryo cores. I have a top-end version of 128 GB in my hands.

But that's not all. In addition to technical subtleties, designers offer to choose the color and material of the case. In the first case, you can purchase a device with a rubberized back cover, received 4 colors: black, white, blue and menthol blue. The branded logo on the back will be printed with regular paint. The alternative is the top-end version with a glass case and an engraved SHARP logo on the back.

Specifications Sharp AQUOS S2:

Operating system: OS Android 7.1.1 Nougat, shell Smile UX;
Standards support: GSM, 3G, LTE;
Support for 2 SIM-cards: yes (combined slot for 2 SIM-cards or one SIM and one MicroSD);
Processor: 2.2 GHz / 1.8 GHz, eight-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 630/660;
RAM: 4GB / 6GB;
ROM: 64GB / 128GB;
Display: 5.5 ", FullHD +, 2040x1080 pixels, FFD, 420ppi, 16 million colors;
Main camera: 12 + 8 MP, CMOS, dual optics, 4K video recording, autofocus, dual-color LED flash;
Front camera: 8 MP, CMOS, fullHD video recording;
Support for memory cards: microSDXC up to 128 GB;
The fingerprint scanner;
GPS / GLONASS;
Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac;
Bluetooth 4.2;
USB Type-C;
Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging function;
Battery: Li-Ion, 3020 mAh;
Dimensions: 141.8x72x7.9mm;
Weight: 140 grams.

In terms of performance, the Sharp AQUOS S2 is able to satisfy the needs of many demanding users. Powerful processor, a lot of memory, a large 5.5-inch display and a 3020 mAh battery will delight the sophisticated lover of most modern toys.

Equipment

Unlike Japanese cellular operators who actually entered into an agreement with manufacturers, Chinese manufacturers never skimp on accessories, especially if it comes about flagships. Moreover, a transparent hard case was added to the box with the phone, in which the smartphone immediately loses its outer gloss.

So, complete with the phone we have:

network adapter;
USB-Type C cable;
audio adapter from USB Type-C to mini-jack;
a needle for the SIM tray;
hard semi-transparent bumper cover;
instructions and warranty card.

First impressions. Design

And this is where my cognitive dissonance begins. Assuming that new AQUOS S2 will not be a revelation for me because of the rich experience with Sharp's frameless smartphones, I understand that the sensations of its presence in the palm of your hand are really new and, what is important, pleasant. It's incredibly lightweight and compact. What I'm used to seeing in third-party photos and what I'm holding in my hand are completely different things. And I like this thing straight away. The 5.5-inch display does not seem large, thanks to the relatively thin bezels, and the dimensions and weight of the smartphone are quite comfortable to hold with one hand. Apparently, I haven't used frameless smartphones for a long time. It is incredibly convenient, and this is definitely the very near future.

On the other hand, such a screen diagonal is still unnecessary for me. It's time to build up your fingers in order to enjoy just such diagonals, but, apparently, not destined. That is why displays no more than 5 inches are still the ultimate dream for me.

The AQUOS S2 is comfortable in your hand, but its soapy shape can easily play a cruel joke with you. The glossy surface and cool metal frame with smooth edges can easily cause multiple drops, and it costs nothing to drop the phone from your hands. To prevent this from happening, Sharp suggested tucking the phone into a hard matte case with sharp edges. In my opinion, this symbiosis looks poor and cheap. The whole meaning of framelessness is lost. It's like buying white phone because you like it and put it in a black case.

Palm and fingerprints are just as successful on the matte case.

The narrowest HOME button with an integrated fingerprint scanner, for some reason, has become one of the features of the smartphone, which has been emphasized by Chinese marketers. The functionality of the scanner is standard and does not differ in originality from competitors. The settings allow a touch of the button to go back a level, and pressing it drops the user to the desktop.

In the corner between top metal end and display, a barely noticeable earpiece covered with a perforated grille is very elegantly integrated. The interlocutor is heard clearly and without any extraneous noise.

To the right of it is a neat indicator light.

Display

For some reason, this time Sharp decided not to use an IGZO matrix. The AQUOS S2 uses conventional TFT technology. Apparently, Sharp's Japanese Free-form displays are still the lot of purely Japanese models. So, for example, the compact version of the Sharp AQUOS R compact smartphone, presented not so long ago by the Japanese operator Softbank, has already been made using the IGZO matrix. If you pay attention, the top corners of the compact are rounded, unlike the Chinese counterpart.

As for the picture quality, personally I had no questions for him. The 2040x1080p resolution is quite natural with the non-standard aspect ratio of 17: 9. The display itself is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass, but Foxconn did not indicate which generation. The glass has a 2.5D rounded edge and an oleophobic coating that will wipe off dirt and prints. The color scheme changes when viewed from an angle, but only slightly.

The screen works great in the sun. Everything, down to small texts, is perfectly readable. In sunglasses, the screen is also readable without problems. I decided to mention this fact, tk. I faced the opposite situation on my current Samsung Galaxy Xcover 3 - it is simply impossible to see anything in the sun without turning on the special “On the street” checkbox. In sunglasses, the screen is just black. You have to shoot every time to answer a call or write a message.

Now let's talk about what gives rise to a lot of confusion among users who first saw the Sharp AQUOS S2. This, incidentally, also applies to the Essential Phone. One of the controversial nuances when looking at the front of the AQUOS S2 is the unusual positioning of the front camera inside the screen. The lens simply divides the top edge into two halves. On closer inspection, the light and proximity sensors can be seen above the lens. The solution is really unusual. Why in the minds of engineers at Xiaomi and other companies it was decided to place the front-facing camera in the "beard" under the screen remains a mystery. And if we look at Sharp's bezel-less smartphones from the past, we see exactly the same arrangement of the camera under the screen. The future will show whether Foxconn's idea can be considered a kind of experiment in the field of technologies that allow you to give a display absolutely any shape. At least Sharp made it clear that this is technically possible. It is likely that in the face of AQUOS S2 and Essential Phone we see the first commercial samples with the implementation of such ideas.

Is this a conspicuous spot when using a smartphone? The issue is controversial. Personally, I stopped paying attention to it almost as soon as I started using the phone. It is only interesting to observe in which scenarios of use the lens "cuts" into the image, and in which it is a harmonious part of the curtain with duty information or a black bar, given that the screen has an aspect ratio of 17: 9. See examples below.

Lock screen saver

Fully open curtain with functional icons

Camera operation in video recording mode

Camera in the mode of photographing with a resolution in the width of the screen

View photos in the gallery. Photos in 4: 3 aspect ratio are displayed with black borders around the edges, but when zoomed in, the camera “cuts” into the image

Playback of widescreen video with a black bar around the camera

Interface

When you turn on the smartphone for the first time, it prompts you to select the interface language (English and Chinese are available). It is noteworthy that after localization with the help of morelocale of the Russian language, more appears in the interface than in the case of Russification by the same method of Sharp smartphones (and not only) for the Japanese market. The interface is Russified by about half. Some of the settings menu items are translated into excellent Russian, and not the way it was before on cheap Chinese. Below are some screenshots.

Considering that Sharp AQUOS S2 runs on Android 7.1.1 OS, when you turn it off / on again, the Russian localization flies, and it has to be returned by the usual choice of the Russian version in the morelocale menu. Although I do not think that someone will often turn off their smartphone, unless the battery is completely discharged.

Smile UX is used as the main and only version of the interface for a smartphone. It has never been used in Japanese versions of smartphones, so those who have never used Sharp's Chinese versions will find something new here.

On the this moment Foxconn releases AQUOS S2 with two firmware versions - Chinese and Taiwanese. The difference between the first and the second is the traditional absence of pre-installed Google services... For most Android smartphone owners, this is a huge oversight. However, the craftsmen have already rectified the situation by developing and offering a small instruction on how to flip the Chinese version to the Taiwanese one.

Let's now go back to the look of the smartphone. A hybrid SIM / memory card slot is hidden on the left side. Let me remind you that Sharp AQUOS S2 can work with two SIM-cards of absolutely any operators. In contrast to Japanese operator devices, there are no hard blockings on the corresponding networks. The smartphone supports various frequency bands around the world. As soon as the device catches cellular signal, the profile is automatically configured mobile internet and MMS. Need manual setting this menu item, as is the case with most Japanese counterparts, disappears. AQUOS S2 uses nano-SIM formatted SIM cards.

The housing is not protected from water or dust. So be careful with liquids. At the bottom, behind the grilles symmetrical with respect to the USB connector, a microphone and a speaker are hidden. The loudspeaker volume is enough to hear a call on a noisy street or in the subway. USB Type-C is offered as a connector. Through it, using the supplied adapter, you can connect headphones. The usual 3.5 mm jack is not here.

The chrome-plated on / off and volume buttons are partially painted in the color of the case. Looks pretty.

I am sure that I, like many others, are upset by such inelegant elements of the exterior of phones as impractical camera lenses protruding from the body. In AQUOS S2, this solution is striking. It seems that this artifact was emphasized on purpose. Yes, I agree that the thickness of the smartphone is striving for a record low, but the decision was made regarding a pair of lenses, plunges me into despondency.

The place of contact of the phone with the surface will sooner or later begin to be covered with small scratches and scuffs.

Monolithic glass surface covers both lenses without tearing.

The back surface has a glossy finish and gets very dirty. We'll have to get used to or dress all this beauty in a case. We are talking, of course, about a smartphone in black. White in this regard will always be more practical.

The SHARP logo is engraved in the glass. I'm not sure if it looks expensive, but anyway, it serves as a feature, which was awarded to the expensive version of AQUOS S2. The manufacturer strongly recommends to be proud of this fact. So...

Camera

In order not to paint in all details one of the most best cameras in the entire history of Sharp smartphones, including the period of its stay in the hands of Chinese owners, it is better to immediately point out the disadvantages. The main disadvantage for me was the lack of any stabilization. If in the process of photographing you can somehow fix your hands, then during video filming it is extremely difficult to do this. Below, using 4K video as an example, you can clearly see why at least digital stabilization is needed, and even more so in flagship models... I searched thoroughly all the camera settings menus, but I could not find anything related to image stabilization.

How to resize the photo still remains a mystery to me. The default is the highest resolution. In this case, there are three image formats: full screen, standard and square. You cannot make any other changes to the picture size. At least I haven't even found such an item. In any case, in case of urgent need, all these shortcomings can be eliminated by installing a suitable third party application cameras.

As for the quality of photos and videos, here I personally saw a huge leap forward, even in comparison with the current flagships released for the Japanese operator market. Firstly, it is a more realistic color reproduction. Unfortunately, I have not yet had the opportunity to compare the results of the AQUOS S2 cameras and the most relevant at the moment AQUOS R for Japan, so I will not rashly declare the victory of the Chinese Sharp. But from experience I can say that the Japanese operator's smartphones Sharp do not give quite a believable picture.

Maximum resolution photos - 4032x3024p. The maximum video resolution is 4K (3840x2160p) @ 30fps, with stereo audio (96kbps). The file extension is MP4.

The second lens is only needed to blur the background (bokeh effect). The LED flash can work as a flashlight. The corresponding button is in the set of icons in the upper curtain.

Sample photos

As a conclusion

Having many years of experience in the creation and production of completely different smartphones, Foxconn-Sharp, it seemed to him, put into his brainchild all the best and most advanced - a "unique" appearance and almost top-end hardware. The smartphone really turned out to be outstanding and controversial in a good way. Perhaps it would have aroused even more interest if not for the Essential Phone, presented earlier, especially after the decision was made to reduce the official cost of the latter by 200 USD. Although the AQUOS S2 is interesting in itself, after the device from Andy Rubin, it is perceived as his "little brother". And outwardly, many perceive the "American" as more attractive. Although I have often come across the opinion on the Internet that Essential is more of a non-name brand than something branded.

As for me, it would be a stretch to call the Sharp AQUOS S2 a revolutionary solution. I speak based solely on the previous experience of Sharp's Japanese division. There is nothing here for which users of Japanese smartphones love them - neither traditional protection from external factors, nor proprietary technologies, nor even the Made In Japan label. Only an unusual, but for someone crazy solution with a front-facing camera, coupled with the current trendy appearance. Yes, Foxconn has brought something of its own, like a dual-sense, the ability to choose from two filling options, and, again, for most, a controversial decision with a front camera. It is unlikely that such a symbiosis can attract a mass buyer. But to scare away true fans of the "traditional" Sharp is easy. We can only hope for the original Sharp models for the local market, where, perhaps, the Japanese will remain true to themselves and continue to produce interesting and largely exotic devices.

On Tuesday, August 8, Sharp announced the Aquos S2 smartphone, which features a bezel-less display, an ultra-narrow fingerprint scanner and a dual main camera.

The screen of the novelty is made using Free Form Display technology, thanks to which the manufacturer cut off the two upper corners and made a cutout for the front camera.

The 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 2040 x 1080 pixels, 550 nits brightness and 135 percent sRGB color space covers almost 85% of the device's front surface area. Below is a fingerprint scanner with a width of only 3.6 mm, which, according to the developers, is a record low. The body of the phone is covered with 3D glass and metal edging.

Sharp Aquos S2 is marketed as the first smartphone to be powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor. This single-chip system contains eight processing cores with clock frequency up to 2.2 GHz and graphics unit Adreno 508. The device will also be offered in a version with an eight-core Snapdragon 660 chip.

The amount of RAM can be 4 or 6 GB, the capacity of the built-in flash drive is 64 or 128 GB. Connection of removable cards is possible microSD memory into the slot where the SIM card is also inserted.

The rear camera features a 12MP primary and 8MP secondary, f / 1.75 aperture, dual LED flash and phase detection autofocus. For the front camera, the manufacturer chose an 8-megapixel sensor with an f / 2.0 aperture.

Product dimensions 141.8 × 72.04 × 7.9 mm, weight - 140 grams. The handset is powered by a 3020 mAh rechargeable battery and is operated by the operating room. Android system 7.1.1 Nougat.

Sharp Aquos S2 is available in black, white, blue and green. The cost of a smartphone in China will start at 2,500 yuan (about $ 372). The start of sales is scheduled for August 14th.