When it comes to material objects, there are low-end options and there are high-end offerings. For example, while many jaws may drop at the sight of a Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 , a Toyota Camry doesn't carry a remotely similar impact. The same is true for the world of technology. For a long time, the iPhone was considered a high-end device, chosen by many celebrities, but priced in such a way to make it available to middle/upper-middle class families. iPhones are still seen as a high-quality option, but things have changed slightly over recent years with the growing popularity of Google's Android OS, more notably the wild success of Samsung's Galaxy S3. The iPhone has now become another option (sometimes an inferior option) in an expanding universe of similarly priced high-end devices. These phones certainly maintain a "wow" factor, but not to the extreme outlined above.
There is one company, however, that brings true luxury to smartphone users: Vertu . Most people may have never heard the name before, but Vertu was (until fairly recently) owned by Nokia, a more relatable brand. Those who do recognize the name, know that Vertu is smartphone luxury. The English company uses precious metals and gems to build their products, but they do not necessarily look like something that was bedazzled by an 11-year-old girl . Take, for example, the company's very first Android-powered device: the Vertu Ti. The newly available phone is wrapped with genuine leather (price-driven options available) and a titanium casing which is reportedly five-times more durable than a typical smartphone. The sapphire-crystal screen was tested for its durability by dropping a 110g ball bearing over it to be sure it could stand the impact of the pavement, as all our precious phones inevitably do.
The Vertu Ti runs on Android 4.0 (aka "Ice Cream Sandwich") instead of the most recent build of 4.2 "Jelly Bean." While still a solid operating system, unfortunately, owners will not get to enjoy some features such as Google Now which notifies the user of pertinent information relative to location, search history, etc. However, with the Ti that may not be necessary, as the phone includes Vertu's Concierge service to (with the press of a ruby button) automatically dial a real-life personal assistant to perform tasks such as booking arrangements for flights or hotels. Its hardware seems to fall short, as well, powered by a 1.75GHz dual-core processor instead of a stronger quad-core unit becoming the standard in other phones. A bulky plate houses an 8-megapixel camera on its rear face for capturing video in 1080p, but only a 1.2-megapixel camera on the front. To its advantage, the Ti comes with a whopping 64GB of internal storage.
What does a phone built with less than optimal hardware and outdated software cost? Well, as mentioned earlier, there are some aesthetic options which ultimately impact the price point. The Vertu Ti starts at (hold that jaw) $9,600 if you are willing to settle for black leather. If not, there is an $11,500 "Pure Black" version, a $12,800 "Black Alligator" version, and a "Titanium Red Gold Mixed Metals" iteration for $19,900. It should be noted that these different tiers are based solely on the materials used and are in no way reflective of the phone's specifications.
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Shaun Beacham is musician and multidimensional journalist on Examiner. Subscribe to all of his channels and be sure to follow him on Twitter , Google+ , or other social media outlets.
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