Lenovo introduces its own 'selfie phone,' the Vibe Z2

Lenovo introduces its own 'selfie phone,' the Vibe Z2 ,

Lenovo may have purchased Motorola from Google, but that's not stopping it from releasing a new pair of Android-based smartphones. The company just pulled the wraps two new Vibe phones, the Z2 and the X2. In line with a number of new phones, the Z2 is being marketed as Lenovo's "selfie phone." It could have the right hardware to back that claim up, however: Its back-facing camera rates at 13 megapixels, but Lenovo also threw in an 8-megapixel shooter in the front. Obviously, we can't judge these cameras by megapixels alone, but chances are the front-facing module will take better selfies than a lot of other phones on the market.

Beyond the cameras, the Vibe Z2 features a 64-bit, quad-core Qualcomm processor, 32GB of storage, a 720p 5.5-inch display, and a 7.8mm thin, brushed metal unibody design. It also features dual SIM slots, LTE, and a 3,000 mAh battery. While that 720p display might not look great when stretched out to 5.5 inches, it otherwise sounds like a capable enough device.

 

The X2 is a more compact device that trades the Z2's high megapixel front camera for what may be a better screen. The 5-inch, 1080p smartphone features MediaTEK's powerful, octo-core M6595 processor — and Lenovo also says the processor features a number of power-saving features that should keep it from being too big a battery drain. Other specs include a 13-megapixel back camera, 5-megapixel front camera, 32GB of storage, but what's most interesting about the X2 are a few neat design decisions Lenovo made.

The company calls the X2 the first "multi-layered" phone, and it indeed appears to be made of four distinct layers: the top glass panel and then three more colored panels that make up the rest of the construction. It doesn't offer any practical benefit that we can see, but it does look pretty cool in the press images Lenovo provided — we'll have to see how it looks in real life to really judge it. The X2 will come in four colors: white, red, gold, and grey, each with layered color design.

Perhaps more useful are the two click-on "Vibe Xtension" accessories Lenovo is making alongside the X2: one that extends the X2's battery life and one that amplifies the phone's sound for watching movies or making conference calls. They also serve as cases to help protect the phones from drops. There's no word how much these Xtension accessories will cost, but Lenovo says the X2 and Z2 will retail for $399 and $429, respectively. They're launching in China this October, with availability following in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East "in countries where Lenovo smartphones are sold." There's no word on where else these phones may end up.