Known for making top-shelf cameras, electronics company RED is now dipping into smartphones with the Hydrogen One.
While we haven't heard too much about RED's ambitious phone other than its equally ambitious $1,195 (about £925, AU$1,575) starting price tag, a video breakdown courtesy of Marques Brownlee gives us a better sense of RED's Android-powered superphone.
While features like its holographic display were blurred out, the prototypes shown off clue us in on other details including the phone's size, materials and design.
For one thing, the Hydrogen One isn't kidding around in terms of size. A side-by-side comparison of the handset shows that the phone is on the larger end and though it can technically fit in a pocket, it's a tight fit and many will need two hands to operate this phone.
That serious size does look like it can support some equally serious hardware though, as one prototype showed off the Hydrogen One's potential for modular add-ons, including a high-quality image sensor attached where the phone's original dual-camera setup was.
Also highlighting the Hydrogen One's camera company lineage are its aesthetics. Absent are the sleek buttons, trimmed bezel and polished body enjoyed by the likes of the HTC U11 or Samsung Galaxy S8 and instead we see painted button icons, large rubberized grooves, and a stocky build reminiscent of a DSLR camera or the rugged Cat 560.
Given RED's pedigree for professional-level cameras and accessories, we can see the Hydrogen One potentially becoming a hit with cinematographers on-the-go.
However, given RED's reputation for bringing said tech at near-inaccessible prices, the company's foray into the smartphone market could be a rocky one.
Top Image Credit: Marques Brownlee
