Obi Worldphone, the global smartphone company that has been making waves since the announcement
of its new range, is marking its Middle East debut at Gitex Shopper. The regional launch follows the global launch of the new devices, Obi Worldphone SF1 and SJ1.5, in San Francisco on August 26.
Co-founded by John Sculley, renowned tech investor and ex-CEO of Apple and Pepsi-Cola, Obi Worldphone offers a smartphone experience that is rich, personal and elevated. The beautiful line is designed by renowned Silicon Valley design studio Ammunition Group. Obi has seamlessly integrated elegant design with high-end technology from Qualcomm, Dolby, Sony, Corning Incorporated, Google, MediaTek, Japan Display, Inc. and Samsung to deliver a powerful performance, which appeals to the young and discerning, tech-savvy population in fast growth markets.
According to IDC, the UAE smartphone market has been growing at a rapid pace, witnessing 31.8 per cent year on year growth in 2014. As smartphone penetration continues to rise in fast growth markets, Obi aims to occupy a niche segment by being the first to bridge the gap between premium-design high-priced smartphones and generic design low-price smartphones through its new Obi Worldphone range.
Obi Worldphone SF1 is the company’s flagship 4G/LTE smartphone featuring state-of-the-art photography and audio capabilities. The SF1 has a raised 5-inch display made of durable Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4 – an instantly recognizable signature element that emphasizes the interplay of the hardware with the user interface. The SF1’s premium feel comes from its reinforced fiberglass body and metal accents at the top and bottom of the phone. The SF1 also features a long-life quick-charge battery and easy-access dual SIM slot with micro SD expansion.
Obi embraced the full capabilities of the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 615 processor to power the SF1’s 13-megapixel camera and best-in-class Sony IMX214 Exmor™ sensor to enable people to capture more professional-looking images. Hybrid auto focus enables split-second, perfect focus in any light – even when shooting into the sun – through phase-detection technology. The camera makes use of the Qualcomm® ChromaFlash™ camera feature to quickly snap two photos — one with flash, one without. The final image takes the brightness from the one with flash and the colour accuracy from the other, creating a single, well-balanced image. Users can select their focus after taking a picture through the Qualcomm® UbiFocus™ camera feature. After the photo is taken, users can also zoom in at a resolution beyond normal digital zoom levels, with crisply detailed images powered by the Qualcomm® OptiZoom™ camera feature.
The SF1 features Dolby Audio™, which delivers powerful and crystal clear surround sound through the device speakers and with headphones, for all your entertainment, everywhere. Dolby Audio simulates the placement of surround sound speakers to deliver sound true to the creator’s original concept, and as a result, consumers experience premium audio quality, with outstanding fidelity, bass impact, and dynamic range.
The SF1 also features Qualcomm® Quick Charge 1.0™ power management technology, which dramatically decreases the time required to charge the battery. The SF1 can charge to full power in less than three hours, which is about 40% faster than older phones. The SF1 runs on Google Android Lollipop. The SF1 is named after its city of origin, San Francisco.
