Yota to launch new dual-screen YotaPhone in Q4

Yota Devices announced a new version of its dual-screen YotaPhone at Mobile World Congress. With the first generation YotaPhone, launched last year, notifications and other important information appear automatically on the front display of the phone. The new YotaPhone allows users to touch the screen to open and respond to these notifications, without having to wake up the main colour display of the phone. Users can respond to mails and SMS, accept and decline meeting invites and post to social media. 

The new YotaPhone comes with an improved front screen, a 4.7 inch electronic paper display higher resolution, greater pixel density and a built-in light for viewing in the dark or bright sunlight. The main screen, a 5.0-inch Amoled, was also improved and now comes with a Smart Power Mode to turn it off and rely on the front screen to preserve battery life. 

Other features of the new YotaPhone include a Qualcomm quad-core 800 processor, wireless charging, NFC, anti-theft protection and hands-free audio. Yota Devices also announced that it is opening the YotaPhone SDK to third-party developers. In addition, Yota Devices unveiled several new apps at MWC, including Sportscaster and Fitness Tracker, and announced a partnership with Israel-based Cellrox to include the company’s multi-persona technology on the YotaPhone to support private and business use. An agreement was also reached with MobiSystems to allow for reading of office docs on YotaPhone’s always-on display. 

The new YotaPhone will go on sale in the EMEA region and Russia in Q4, and a version for the US and Asian markets will follow 3-4 months later. Yota Devices will be announcing soon an upgrade program for consumers who purchased the first-generation YotaPhone to buy the new phone at a significant discount.