Tecno Mobile, earlier today, officially unveiled its first smartphone that features a fingerprint sensor, the Phantom 5, in Kenya. The device, also the first one that Tecno is openly marketing as a 4G LTE phone, is expected to appeal to the Kenyan high-end smartphone user by packing various features and a premium metal build.
The Tecno Phantom 5’s notable features include the fingerprint sensor, the camera and customizations in the software.
Users can unlock the Phantom 5 in just 0.2 seconds according to Tecno Mobile. The fingerprint scanner can recognize up to five different fingers on either hand.
On the camera front, there’s Phase Detection Autofocus that brings near-instant autofocus (0.2 seconds) according to Tecno. The camera will also recognize actions like posing with a V sign or smiling and in turn take snaps. Saying “cheese” or “capture” will also send the shutter into immediate action.
As expected, the software customizations on the Tecno Phantom are on the extreme side of things as there’s the familiar Tecno skin and with it several additions that the company believes add some value to the user. One of these is a bundled application, Boom Player.
The Boom Player app is no stranger to us. We had an extensive look at it on the music-centred Boom J7 earlier on and the version on the Phantom 5 looks to be built on that to even deliver better content. Instead of just audio, there will be videos as well for streaming as well as downloading. Music in both audio and video will be available. Other types of content available via the application include documentaries and comedy skits. There are playlists also both curated and user-created that are suited for different moods and times e.g. during workout (a la Spotify). There’s a preset equalizer and a timer users can use for setting how long music should play.
Since Tecno is giving music and photography a lot of focus on this device, all Phantom 5 buyers get a pair of “luxury” Hi-Fi headsets that Tecno promises will bring the music they are playing to life. There’s Dolby Surround as well.
These are the specifications of the Tecno Phantom 5 (model H531):
- Size: 151 x 75.8 x 6.8 mm
- Display: 5.5 inch Full HD
- Processor: 64-bit octa-core MediaTek TFA9890 clocked at 1.5 GHz
- Camera: 13 megapixels at the back with dual flash and image stabilization; 8 megapixels on the front with flash
- Memory: 3 GB RAM; 32 GB internal storage
- Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop
- Battery: 3,000 mAh. There’s built-in Ultra Power-Saving Mode that kicks in automatically when the battery drops below 10% and promises to add at least 4 more hours of use.
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, USB OTG
- Network: 3G, LTE
Tecno Mobile’s marketing manager Dickson Ireri showed off a lot of features of the Phantom 5 on stage during the launch and we’ll only be able to tell if everything works as advertised once we’ve had a proper hands on in coming days.
The device is available in two colours: Luxury Champagne Gold and Elegant Space Grey.
It costs Ksh 39,999 in stores countrywide.
