Russia Internet giant, Yandex has announced its first branded smartphone, the Yandex Phone (Yandex.Phone). The mid-tier smartphone comes pre-loaded with Android Oreo OS complete with Yandex’s various apps and services including Alice, the company’s take on AI virtual assistant.
Alice brings a personalized user mobile experience through artificial intelligence (AI). It uses the user’s location, routine and usage pattern to suggest and manage everyday tasks. Users will also be able to interact with Alice via voice and access over 34,000 existing skills to help with tasks such as ordering food, booking flights, making voice calls and calling a taxi.
The Yandex Phone has a notchless 5.65-inch (2160 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ LCD IPS display, USB-Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, rear fingerprint sensor, Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec, NFC tech for contactless payment and 64GB built-in expandable storage.
It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 octa-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM. For photography, the smartphone has 16MP + 5MP dual rear cameras with flash and a front facing 5MP camera with flash. Power is supplied by a 3,050mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.
The Yandex Phone (Yandex.Phone) is available starting today (December 6) via the Yandex Store in Moscow for RUB 17,990 (~ USD 270). Yandex’s Beru e-commerce site, Russian carrier – Beeline and other online or local retailers will commence sales this Friday, December 7.
