The next generation of Windows mobile hardware is here, just in time with the new year, and Acer is firing (or re-firing) its cannon shot. Those intrigued by Continuum during its earlier introductions should remember the Liquid Jade Primo from Acer being one of the first high-end phones with support. Previously spotted in the Philippines, during CES 2016 this year, the Taiwan PC maker finally revealed pricing and availability in other regions of their newest attempt at a Windows 10 Mobile handset.
As a quick refresher, the Acer Liquid Jade Primo may not look the part, but spec-wise, it’s toe-to-toe with the highest end of flagships out there. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, 3GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage, 802.11ac Wifi powers a 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED screen, 21MP AF rear camera and 8MP “wide-angle selfie” front cam. The mouth-watering capabilities do not stop there, as the Liquid Jade Primo took a page from the newest Lumia flagships with support for Continuum through its USB Type-C port. All of this is wrapped in a glossy “award-winning Liquid Jade design” reminiscent of pre-Note-3 Samsung aesthetics. Like I said, not a looker, but it’s the inside that counts. Also somewhat explicable given Acer’s reported initial plan for the device.
Up till now, third-party OEM’s attempts at Windows phones, especially PC makers, have been conservative and lackluster, with forgettable hardware design and middling specification, to say lightly. The most commendable attempts have been from HTC who actually made some good-looking, original Windows phones before resorting to cloning their Android flagship, and then stopped trying. Not a good pattern. Acer’s new phone is the first time ever a PC maker has provided some competitive hardware chops for the platform, and we are looking forward to seeing it revitalize the ailing third-party Windows mobile market.
The Acer Liquid Jade Primo will be available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from February this year at the starting price of 569€, with other regions expecting a gradual roll-out. We will be keeping a close eye on this one and get back to you once more info becomes available.
