Never heard of a Sharp smartphone? It's not surprising since the company, known best for its televisions, has never brought a handset to the U.S. But today Sharp announced two new virtually bezel-less smartphones under the "Aquos Crystal" banner and one will be making its way across the Pacific.
The Aquos Crystal proper flaunts premium quality but at heart it's actually a pretty mid-range option. It comes with a 5-inch, 720p screen, a Snapdragon 400 processor, 1.5GB of RAM, and 8GB of onboard storage with expandable microSD storage up to 128GB. It'll also ship with Android 4.4.2 and have a decently sized 2,040 mAh battery. For audio, Sharp partnered with Harman Kardon for sound processing and compatibility with the ONYX Studio bluetooth speaker, according to a SoftBank (Sprint's Owner) press release.
But forget the specs because man that bezel! Or more accurately the lack thereof. These are the thinnest bezels we've ever seen, even slimmer than the new LG G3. Though whether that makes sense when you're actually using the thing is still up for grabs. We should know soon though; Sprint is expected to announce its U.S. availability at an NYC press event tomorrow.
Sharp will also be releasing a premium, phablet-sized Aquos Crystal X with a 1080p screen, faster Snapdragon 801 processor and 16GB of onboard storage. Unfortunately it seems like this puppy—the one we'd really want—will most liking remain a Japan exclusive. In the mean time, here's to hoping. And if nothing else this pair of handsets is some serious (practical) bezel-free porn. [Phone Arena]