RED confirmed earlier this year that it was working on a sequel to its Hydrogen One smartphone, but now it looks like that device will not see the light of day.
RED founder Jim Jannard announced today that he's retiring and, as a result, he's shutting down the Hydrogen project (via The Verge). As for why he's retiring, Jannard explains that he's just turned 70 and is "having a few health issues."
The RED Hydrogen One launched one year ago with features like a 5.7-inch holographic display, dual rear cameras, an industrial design, and a planned module system that would let you add a power pack, expand storage, or add a camera module with interchangeable lens mounts. RED eventually killed plans for those modules and teased a "professional image capture program".
After debuting at a price of $1,295, RED recently cut the price of the Hydrogen One in half, and it's now available for $645 unlocked. Despite having some unique features, like the holographic display, and availability from the two biggest carriers in the U.S., the Hydrogen One never really seemed to gain traction in the market. The good news is that for those that did take the plunge and buy a Hydrogen One is that Jannard says that that device will continue to be supported.
Did you ever try the RED Hydrogen One?