Former Nokia subsidiary Vertu has quietly transitioned from being considered as a reseller of overpriced Nokia Symbian smartphones with premium materials as the sole difference, into a smartphone manufacturer with something to prove in a niche that regularly favors the iPhone over all other devices. The Vertu Signature Touch is the manufacturer’s first Android smartphone with flagship specs that wouldn’t be out of place on a Samsung or HTC phone, but features materials that no smartphone manufacturer would ever touch without significant cost increases.
The Signature Touch is the second Android smartphone from the manufacturer and features a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor with 2GB of RAM , a 4.7-inch 1080p display, Category 4 LTE radio with bands covering the majority of deployed networks around the world, NFC and Qi wireless charging support along with 64GB of internal storage without a microSD slot running Android 4.4.2. It also features a 13-megapixel main camera with branding by high-end photography equipment manufacturer Hasselblad that extends to additional hardware and software development along with a 2.1 megapixel front camera.
As is familiar to all Vertu smartphones, premium materials dominate the body of the device with multiple choices for covering the Grade 5 titanium shell for the casing, reinforced zirconia for the ear piece and a sapphire crystal front for the screen in calf, lizard or alligator skin in differing color choices. Another key point of the Signature Touch is the audio, as the stereo speakers have received tuning by luxury audio equipment manufacturer Bang & Olufsen and the development extends to optional audio accessories for the phone in a new Bluetooth speaker and a new pair of over-ear headphones.
The Signature Touch now adds additional features to the standard Vertu Concierge service that is the cornerstone of the manufacturer. Along with the service which is included with the purchase of the phone for one year, Vertu has added secure calling support through Silent Circle software integration for encrypted calling along with complimentary global Wi-Fi access through iPass and the Kapersky mobile security suite in a new customer assurance program known as Vertu Certainty.
With all of the above, the new Signature Touch will not be an easily accessible device, as the “entry-level” model will cost €7900 Euro before additional customization, with pricing reaching up to €15,000 Euro when accessories and additional options are included in the purchase price.
