Bezel haters, rejoice! Sharp today introduced a new Android smartphone that’s got nearly no bezel on the top and sides of its display.
Dubbed the Sharp Aquos Crystal, the near-bezel-free display measures 5 inches in size and has a resolution of 1280x720. Other specs include a Snapdragon 400 processor, 1.5GB of RAM, Harman/Kardon audio and Android 4.4.2 KitKat. There’s also a larger phone known as the Aquos Crystal X that sports a 5.5-inch 1080p screen.
Perhaps the most interesting tidbit of today’s announcement concerns the Aquos Crystal’s launch. According to the roughly translated press release, not only will the Aquos Crystal launch in Japan on August 29, but it is also “expected to be released in the United States.”
So where might we see the Sharp Aquos Crystal land? Well, there are a couple of mentions of Sprint included in today’s announcement, and the big yellow carrier is also hosting a “Take the Edge Off” event tomorrow, August 19. It’s also worth pointing out that Sprint’s invitation for its event included an image of a crystal similar to the one used in one of the Aquos Crystal’s renders. The Aquos Crystal X is slated to launch after December 2014.
Taking all of this into consideration, it seems likely that the Aquos Crystal will be the guest of honor at Sprint’s event tomorrow. That’s big news not only because the Aquos Crystal has a tiny bezel, but also because Sharp phones don’t typically appear on U.S. shelves.
What will be interesting is seeing what it’s like to use the Aquos Crystal. Will its lack of bezel result in unwanted screen touches on its sides? We’ll have to wait until we can get our mitts on the handset to find out.
What do you think of the Sharp Aquos Crystal? Does its bezel-less screen pique your interest?
Via Android Central, Sharp (Google Translate)
