The world's first 3D screen smartphone
Priced at $1,595, the Hydrogen One prototype doesn’t show off many features. The manufacturer promises a finished product this summer.
Last summer, camera company RED made headlines when it announced it would launch the world's first holographic smartphone early this year.
The breakthrough technology that RED promises on the Hydrogen One is a holographic display, which can display 3D images without the need for special glasses.
Last month, RED founder Jim Jannard shared more information about the Hydrogen One and its release date.
This is a sample design released in July 2017. It can be seen that the design of the device is quite bulky compared to other smartphone models.
The back of the phone is made from a mixture of metal and bulletproof Kevlar for maximum durability. The phone is equipped with a dual camera, has four large screws in the four corners, and a large ruby logo.
RED says the base $1,195 Hydrogen One uses an aluminum case, while the more expensive titanium case version costs $1,595.
The two sides are designed with grooves that match the grip. The right side has a power button that also functions as a fingerprint scanner, and a separate button that activates the video recording function.
On the left side is a large volume button. On the bottom is a USB-C port and a headphone jack. The sound is optimized for both speakers and headphones. The phone supports 2 SIMs.
The front of the Hydrogen One looks no different. The speaker is large, the screen is 5.7 inches, the bezels are quite thick and of course cannot be compared to the super thin bezels of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone X.
In normal mode, the Hydrogen One screen has a resolution of 2560x1440, sharper than the iPhone X.
The Hydrogen One prototype can't yet demonstrate the holographic feature. However, according to Jannard, when the phone's screen is switched to holographic mode, it will dim slightly, giving the image a three-dimensional appearance without the need for special glasses.
Jannard calls this “4V resolution,” saying it’s “better than 3D,” but it’s unclear how.
Holographic is an optional feature. Users can choose the Hydrogen One without holographic if they want. The holographic-enabled Hydrogen One will have a larger battery to record and play back multi-dimensional content.
The Hydrogen One is quite large, thick, and rectangular in shape. Pictured here is the Hydrogen One with the iPhone 7 Plus and OnePlus 5.
This is the Hydrogen One's modular camera accessory. The idea is to change the smartphone's lens and sensor to bring the image quality up to par with a mirrorless camera. In simple terms, the Hydrogen One can be used by professional photographers.
The Hydrogen One doesn't need an additional module for the front or rear camera when recording 3D (or 4V as Jannard calls it).
The Hydrogen One's camera accessory doesn't work yet, and it adds a lot of thickness to the smartphone. Jannard mentioned some social media partnerships, implying that users will be able to share holographic videos on those platforms.
Also according to Jannard, the upcoming article on the RED forum will guide users on how to shoot and create 4V content.
RED also showed off a prototype version of the Hydrogen One to a number of potential content production partners, and said it will hold a product launch event next April.
The Hydrogen One will be available through carriers this summer, with pre-orders coming early.
Although bulky and expensive, if the Hydrogen One is indeed a modular device that can create and view 3D content without glasses, this model will be very popular.