While Leica has been quite busy with partnerships where it lends its expertise in optics and anything photography-related, the German brand surprised everyone by announcing their first smartphone in the form of the Leitz Phone 1. There’s no idea if Leica will actually bring the Leitz Phone 1 to the Philippines for now—the phone is set to be exclusive to Softbank in Japan come July.
Leica Leitz Phone 1 Specs:
- Snapdragon 888 processor
- 12GB LPDDR5 RAM
- 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, expandable via MicroSD
- 6.67-inch WUXGA+ IGZO OLED quad curved display, 240hz variable refresh rate, 10-bit color
- 20-megapixel 1-inch f/1.9 main camera with EIS, 7P lens and Leica optics; ToF sensor
- 12.6-megapixel f/2.2 selfie camera
- 4G, 5G
- WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, in-display fingerprint scanner
- IPX5/8 rating
- 5000mAh battery
- Android 11
If those specs sound familiar, that’s because the Leitz Phone 1 is essentially a rebadged Sharp Aquos R6. Both phones have the same set of specs—1-inch 20-megapixel main camera, Snapdragon 888 processor, 6.67-inch IGZO quad-curved display, and a 5000mAh battery—though the Leitz Phone 1 gets double the internal storage at 256GB (also expandable), a different design, and a unique UI.
Described to deliver “a true Leica experience”, the Leitz Phone 1 shares the same design language with most Leica cameras. These include the iconic Leica Red Dot and a magnetic circular lens cap that is dressed in classic Leica silver. The back panel is made of glass and is dressed in matte black—which goes well to the Leica silver metallic body. To protect it, the Leitz Phone 1 comes with a hard case that also has the Leica Red Dot.
Also unique to the Leitz Phone 1 is a largely monochrome UI that is based on Android 11. While it does look like your typical Android UI, the camera app has a “Leitz Looks” mode for capturing monochrome photos.
Leica is making the Leitz Phone 1 exclusive to Japan for 187,920 Yen or roughly Php 82.2k when converted. That’s a pretty hefty asking price for a phone that is literally a rebadge phone. There’s no word if Leica will make the Leitz Phone 1 available in other countries including the Philippines for now, though pre-orders in Japan start on June 18.
