The Chinese manufacturer ViewSonic, hitherto best known to market TV and computer monitors, has launched the A8 Plus, a new rugged smartphone between the entry and midrange.
Cured smartphones are perhaps not the best sellers in the market, but they are highly valued by professionals working outdoors and extreme sports enthusiasts.
Some manufacturers such as MTT, CAT or Crosscall are also specialized in this niche by offering rugged and waterproof terminals. ViewSonic, known previously to market TV and LED monitors, also seems to want to rush in this niche market by launching its new A8 Plus.
Equipped with an HD LCD 5 inches, ViewSonic A8 Plus are powered by a quad-core processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 1.2GHz accompanied by a GPU Adreno 203 and 1GB of RAM. For storage, 16 GB of memory is available, while the battery has a capacity of 3000 mAh. It also embeds an 8 megapixel sensor on the back of the unit. Everything runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. A version not quite recent since, from two new versions of the mobile operating system from Google has emerged.
The ViewSonic A8 Plus also has a dual SIM GSM port and compatibility, which should allow it to be used in Western countries, although BlogOfMobile, which tells us the information, did not mention if it will be sold or not outside of China.
This terminal also has the specificities of rugged smartphone market. Thus, it integrates physical buttons to be used even in extreme conditions (heat, humidity …). It is also distinguished by its imposing size with thickness of 18.3 mm and a weight of 270 grams. However, BlogOfMobile does not indicate whether this device has specific characteristics of hardened smartphones, allowing it to be waterproof and robust, but its size and its position make us think that it should benefit.
Considered a smartphone between the entry and mid-range, this ViewSonic A8 More has not price or release date associated. Cannot whether there will ever be available in Europe, but we will inform you if necessary.