The last we heard about Vertu, the luxury smartphone brand was being liquidated after a failed attempt at saving the business by slashing the cost of devices. Fast-forward more than a year later, though, and there's a new Vertu phone being announced.
The Vertu Aster P is official, and yep, it's definitely a Vertu phone. The luxury device features lizard or crocodile leather back panels, a 133-carat sapphire glass screen, and a grade five titanium frame. The luxuriousness doesn't stop there, as the Aster P also touts gull-wing-style doors on its backside that open up to reveal the phone's dual SIM slots, and they include the signature of the person that made the phone.
Like other Vertu phones before it, the Aster P also comes with a Concierge feature that'll help you get tickets to exclusive events. The Concierge can be accessed via a dedicated button on the device.
When it comes to specs, the Vertu Aster P is more of a mid-range device rather than the high-end handset that you might expect given its price. There's a 4.97-inch 1920x1080 AMOLED screen, Snapdragon 660 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of built-in storage. Vertu has included stereo speakers, too, along with a 20MP front-facing camera, 12MP rear camera, and 3200mAh battery. On the software side, Android 8.1 Oreo is preloaded on the device.
Pricing for the Vertu Aster P starts at 29,800 yuan ($4,300 USD) for the Baroque models in blue, black, brown, and orange and goes up to 35,800 yuan ($5,166 USD) for the Gothic versions in black jade and white. The top-end version of the Aster P comes with gold touches and will cost you a cool 98,000 yuan ($14,142 USD).
As with previous Vertu phones, the Aster P is more about its looks and being seen as a luxury device than being a well-specced smartphone. Its spec list isn't bad, but for someone considering buying a Vertu Aster P, the leather back panels and 133-carat sapphire screen are probably more important than what kind of processor is under the hood.
What do you think of the Vertu Aster P? If cash weren't an issue, would you buy one?
