Obi Worldphone Launches Android MV1 Smartphone

Obi Worldphone has revealed its recent creation, a remarkably capable and affordable smartphone aimed at emerging markets. The $149 MV1, announced at Mobile World Congress 2016, joins the two phones Obi Worldphone introduced last year, the $250 SF1 and the $149 SJ1.5.

Obi Worldphone Launches Android MV1 Smartphone

Also Read: Apple Ex. CEO John Sculley to Launch His Own Brand obi in Pakistan

However, Obi appears to have made some sacrifices in the name of cost cutting. The MV1 keeps the SJ1.5’s eight-megapixel camera, but drops the five-megapixel selfie-shooter for a two-megapixel camera.

Specifications:

• 2500mAh battery
• 2GB and 1GB of RAM
• 16GB of built-in storage
• 1GB RAM model has been priced at $139
• Android Lollipop 5.1 and Cyanogen OS 12.1.1 variants
• Truecaller and LiveDisplay, which adjusts the user’s screen based on light
• 5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) display and comes with a pixel density of 294ppi
• Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• 1.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 processor with Adreno 304 GPU
• 8-megapixel rear autofocus camera with LED flash with f/2.2 aperture and also sports a 2-megapixel
• Expandable storage up to an additional 64GB via microSD
• Dual-SIM, Supports a Micro and a Nano-SIM
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi direct, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS/ A-GPS, GLONASS, and Micro-USB.
• Dimensions 145.6×72.6×8.95mm and weighs 149 grams

In markets led by expensive handsets that all look same, the MV1 would really be a breath of fresh air. Obi, was co-founded by former Apple CEO John Sculley. Robert Brunner was also present, who was Apple’s director of industrial design from 1989 until 1996.

“This is an industry with 200 different brands vying for consumers’ attention. There will be 1.4 billion Android phones produced in 2016 alone, so there needs to be a way to stand apart from the pack.”

John Sculley said.

“The components for all these different phones are mass produced, in the same countries, and often in the same exact factories. What we’ve done with the Obi Worldphone from the very beginning is show that it’s possible to have a beautifully designed phone that fits into your lifestyle at an accessible price without sacrificing form and technology. You don’t have to give up style in exchange for substance. With the MV1, you can have both.”

Sculley’s coworker Brunner added that while creating the MV1, Obi took specific care to be a welcome exodus from the usual cookie cutter smartphones available to consumers in developing markets. The Obi Worldphone MV1 will be available in Asia and Africa while will also launch in Latin America and Europe in March.