YotaPhone

2017

There was third generation of the smartphone

On August 23, 2017 the Yota Devices company provided third generation of the smartphone with two screens.

Development of the smartphone took 10 months. Phone is presented in two modifications – 64 and 128 GB. Its bonus version is released.

YotaPhone 3, (2017) smartphone

In comparison with the predecessor, phone operates under operating system Android management 7 (Nougat). The device is equipped with slots for two SIM cards, the front screen - Samsung Super AMOLED with a diagonal of 5.5 inches, the back E-link screen - diagonal 5.2. Amount of RAM is 4 GB, accumulator capacity is 3300 mAh.

Resolution of the front camera of 13 megapixels, back – 12 megapixels. Phone is equipped with a touch control. From a reverse side of the smartphone the additional sensor is installed, it will help to define more precisely what screen the user wants to unblock. The sensor of fingerprints is installed on the front side.

This version of phone is addressed to the active young reading audience. YOTA3 has several pre-installed applications for reading e-books, library of classical and modern literature at once; the size of the preset library is different for each of modifications of the smartphone.

Sales of phone will be begun in China. Afterwards it will appear in other countries, including in Russia. In Asia the smartphone received name YOTA3. In Russia and in other markets the company is going to use the YotaPhone 3 brand.

YotaPhone 3 Yota3 is simple now

Preliminary characteristics

• the "double" YOTA OS 3.0 operating system based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat
• Screen: AMOLED, diagonal of 5.5 inches, permission of FullHD
• The second screen (behind): e-ink, diagonal of 5.2 inches
• Processor: eight-nuclear Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
• Memory: 4 GB of LPDDR of OZU and 64/128 GB of ROM
• Cameras: frontal — 12 Megapixels, the main — 13 Megapixels
• Accumulator: 3200 mAh

It is known that were not engaged in adaptation of the smartphone for the Russian market yet. According to preliminary estimates, process will begin at the end of 2017 and will borrow before half a year. So perhaps former "Russian" line of smartphones will strongly be delayed in Russia and in the first months (fall-winter) there will be only unofficial deliveries of small retail. The Chinese version is how suitable for correct work in the Russian networks without preliminary adaptation while it is unknown. The preliminary price of the smartphone^[1]:

• YotaPhone 3 on 64 GB — 350 dollars or about 20 thousand rubles
• YotaPhone 3 on 128 GB — 450 dollars or 26 thousand rubles

In Harbin provided YotaPhone3

In Harbin on June 16, 2017 presented^[2] at the Russian-Chinese exhibition^[3]. YotaPhone3 will be equipped with two screens, it will be released in two versions — from 64 and 128 GB of the internal memory. The cost of everyone will be from $350 and 450 (about 20 thousand and 25 thousand rub) respectively.

The YotaPhone smartphone has two screens, one of which works on e-ink technology and is always switched on.

Photo: press service of BaoliYota Technology

The release of YotaPhone 3 was postponed because of the shortage of financing

The head of Rostec Sergey Chemezov said in an interview to Russia-24 TV channel that entry into the market of new, third model of the Russian YotaPhone smartphone is postponed because of insufficient financing of the project by the Chinese shareholders, TASS reported in March.

"Our company created the third version of YotaPhone, but means so far we did not find. Our major shareholder does not allocate funds for it so far" — he told. According to Chemezov, there is yet no exact information when perhaps presents new model of the smartphone.

He also explained that the lack of success in the market of the previous YotaPhone models is connected with decrease of the activity of the Chinese shareholders who purchased 30% of YotaDevices company.

YotaPhone 3 was planned to release in the middle of 2016. Presumably, it will be the large smartphone with screen diagonal more than 5 inches and with an estimated cost about $550-600. Due to the release delay the company finishes model that it did not look outdated.

2015

96 thousand smartphones are sold

In March, 2016 it was reported that by the end of 2015 the YotaDevices company implemented 96 thousand YotaPhone smartphones.

Reduction of price of YotaPhone 2 of a quarter

On start of sales in Russia the cost of YotaPhone 2 was 32.99 thousand rubles, by the end of 2014 it increased to 39.99 thousand rubles because of depreciation of the ruble (the company works with foreign suppliers of component parts, calculations with which are conducted in currency), but then was reduced to 33.99 thousand rubles, and from the middle of 2015 — to 29.99 thousand rubles. Since December 1, 2015 YotaPhone 2 cost in Russia is reduced more than for a quarter — up to 21.99 thousand rubles. This reduction of price extends only to Russia, specified in Yota Devices.

There is a preparation of Sailfish OS for YotaPhone

On June 29, 2015 it became known of probable replacement of OS of the device by the Sailfish YotaPhone operating system^[4].

The Finnish company became the winner of competition on import substitution in the field of mobile operating systems Jolla. According to media, the meeting of representatives of the company Jolla with heads of the companies STC OF ROSA and Alt Linux for discussion of completion of the Finnish mobile operating system Sailfish, and the subsequent its installation on YotaPhone took place.

For June, 2015 YotaPhone is controlled the Android operating system.

The YotaPhone smartphone prototype under management Sailfish is available for the Minister of Communications Russia Nikolai Nikiforov. However the minister does not consider yet that the smartphone ready to an output to the market.

Sailfish developers in September, 2013 announced capabilities their operating room systems to start applications for Android as it maintains full software and hardware compatibility with OS from Google. At Sailfish the interface is organized in Covers style, it allows to operate applications from the uniform screen, thus there is no need to open each of them separately.

Screenshots of a window of the smartphone, 2015

Two companies took part in tender on import substitution: the Finnish Jolla with Sailfish and the Korean Samsung with Tizen. Koreans suggested to develop for the Russian smartphones the new operating system on the basis of own practices for 1.23 billion rubles from which 65% were financed by the state. The Finnish developer requested 2.225 billion rubles from which 1.89 billion will lay down on shoulders of the state budget. High degree of security of Sailfish and also participation of Russians among shareholders of Jolla (Grigory Beryozkin) became a decisive argument in tender.

Sailfish should adapt for all hardware YotaPhone functions. It is supposed that on the basis of this operating system the release of the protected smartphone for the staff of the state enterprises of the Russian Federation can begin.

White YotaPhone 2 at the price of 42.9 thousand rubles.

On April 21, 2015 Yota Devices released YotaPhone 2 of white color, it is 3 thousand rubles more expensive than model of black color. Along with the announcement of the device the company provided accessories and the new, "grown wiser" firmware^[5].

The producer submitted the white version of the smartphone worth 42.9 thousand rubles, the black version costs 39.9 thousand rubles. The increased price of the white device - for an execution exclusive.

White YotaPhone 2, 2015

Together with the announcement of the smartphone the company announced the SDK 2.0 interface, for the help to third-party developers in creating applications for YotaPhone 2, and, at the same time, presented updating of a firmware for YotaPhone 2. It will be available to loading since April 22, 2015.

As a part of updating new version of Android 5.0 Lollipop OS and corporate YETI platform (Yota E-paper Technology Integration). The new firmware is collected on the basis of the YotaHub application, it manages the second screen without the need for studying of additional gestures - the same as it is accepted in the Android system, including using the Home button.

YETI contains a number of the appendices adapted for work with e-ink as the smartphone screen. In particular, the Yotagram application - the special version of the Telegram messenger, for implementation of complete functionality of communication during the work with the second screen is created.

Vlad Martynov, the CEO of Yota Devices, noted: YotaPhone 2 becomes smarter.

• At exhaustion of battery power, the smartphone will automatically include the energy saving YotaEnergy mode, and upon transition to the aviamode the user will receive the offer - to open the e-book.
• Yota message developers improved function of automatic adding in the entering Sms of pictures of the messages corresponding to the contents.

For the second screen applications of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are adapted. Using the second an ekr the user can browse messages and photos from social networks, to leave comments, to put "likes", and in a case with Twitter "retweets". At the same time new Sms, e-mail and notifications from social networks will appear on the second display in a full-screen format.

The YotaFitness application - the fitness tracker is added, it works on the second display and never "fills up". For the second screen are provided:

• the MusixMatch application - for recognition of music,
• the adapted application version Aeroflot - for viewing information on runs and bonus miles,
• YotaNotes for voice and text notes,
• YotaSport for viewing text broadcasts of sports matches (it is created based on the SportsCaster application),
• Quotes&Facts for viewings quotes and the interesting facts,
• Bookmate library for reading offline e-books.

For the first month Yota Devices sold 30 thousand YotaPhone 2 in Russia

According to the producer, 20 thousand devices sold via the website yotaphone.com, 3.4 thousand more smartphones — through retail outlets of Yota operator. Other sales fell on Ulmart, Ozon.ru and Wikimart shops.

Sales of first generation of YotaPhone "were far more modest", note in Yota Devices. For the first two months then only 12 thousand smartphones were implemented.

According to the Vedomosti newspaper with reference to a source, close to shareholders of Yota Devices, for December-January about 70 thousand YotaPhone 2^[6] were sold^[7].

2014

As make the Russian YotaPhone smartphones — the report, FOTO

The correspondent of CNews visited the Chinese factory Hi-P on which the YotaPhone smartphones developed by the Russian company Yota Devices gather.

Integration of the second display — to that unique part thanks to which the Russian smartphone is selected against the background of competitors became the most difficult in production YotaPhone. The CEO of developer of the device, company Yota Devices, Vladislav Martynov told about it during the excursion on production^[8].

YotaPhone received the safety certificate from FSB

The YotaPhone smartphones received in the fall of 2014 the certificate on compliance to requirements of FSB of Russia to cryptographic tools of class KC1. Enciphering in YotaPhone is provided with the solution ViPNet Client for Android developed by Infotecs company. Were engaged in certification of the party together.

Received the certificate of FSB of class KC1 both YotaPhone of first generation, and the second (which release is expected at the end of 2014). However on all released Yota Devices devices will not preset ViPNet Client for Android. The software solution will be integrated in a firmware of the corporate version of YotaPhone only by the special order, reported CNews in the company.

Yota Devices and Infotecs submitted the application to FSB for certification on higher class of protection of KC2 which will allow to protect the smartphone from the attacks of professional malefactors and the persons who are engaged in espionage.

Yota Devices releases the first YotaPhone smartphone

The Yota Devices company released the first domestic smartphone which is positioned as development of Russia.

The smartphone under the name YotaPhone is developed in two modifications. It is equipped with two screens with a diagonal of 4.3 inches which are located on both sides of the device. The main screen is the LCD display, and external is black-and-white and is executed on the technology which is applied production of displays of e-books — e-ink. In issues of consumption of a power supply such screen is very economical.

This option allows to duplicate all information messages on the additional screen, without spending smartphone charging. In phone the Android operating system is used, it supports work in LTE networks. The weight of the device is 146 grams, the diagonal of displays - 4.3 inches. The smartphone is delivered in two color schemes - black and white. Besides, it is equipped with two cameras: permission the main makes 13 Mpiks, frontal - 1 Mpiks. In the smartphone the Snapdragon 8960 PRO processor of production of the American company Qualcomm is used. Amount of RAM of phone - 2 GB, the internal memory - 32 GB. Especially for YotaPhone the Corning company made Gorilla Glass 3D for the curved surface always of the switched-on screen.

Sales of the new smartphone are started at the end of last year — in December. Now the device is available to acquisition already in 19 countries. For the two first month the company implemented 12 thousand copies. According to the CEO of Yota Devices Vladislav Martynov, is in the plans of the company to increase this digit to one million that will allow it to reach profitability.

The YotaPhone smartphones are available in online store of the company and in its own salons and also in shops of Euroset.

Is declared that in development of the business and production of the device Yota Devices invested 50 million dollars.

These investments were exclusively private means. The Russian Technologies State Corporation owning 25.1% of the stocks Yota Devices did not participate in financing of the project. This amount joined the organization of retail network, personnel training, ensuring protection of intellectual property. Also expenses went for creation of development centers. The retail network of the company is open in Europe, America, Southeast Asia and in the Middle East.

2013: Prototype of the smartphone with two screens

At the beginning of 2013 Yota Devices which already separated from Skartel presented a prototype of the smartphone with two screens at the world's largest exhibition of mobile communication in Barcelona of Mobile World Congress. And in June, 2013 won prestigious Golden lion at a festival of the advertizing "Cannes Lions" (in the Innovations nomination).

In September, 2013 the company promises that the device will be available for sale in November, 2013.

As happens almost to any innovation, first work with YotaPhone caused difficulties. Developers essentially refused buttons including from the returning user to the initial screen. Instead of her under screens on both parties of the body touchpads so the smartphone only using contacts and gestures is controlled are placed. So, for return to the previous screen it is necessary to run over the display a finger from right to left, and long clicking in the center of a panel outputs the list of the started applications. I cannot tell that at once seized this skill, but phone response to productive gestures in the form of weak vibration strongly helped me with this^[9].

The second, monochrome YotaPhone screen based on technology of electronic ink (e-ink) can seem an excess, attempt to be selected from some other new products. Nevertheless it is more, than just feature of phone.

Such screen has the shortcomings: it is rather slowly updated, on it it is impossible to watch video. But sense of the monochrome screen not in duplication of the scenario of use of the normal color LCD display, and adding new features and scenarios which on normal screens are impossible today, the representative of Yota Devices explains.

The matter is that the screen of the smartphone spends an accumulator charge hardly no more, than all its other components therefore for reasons of economy of energy producers program the screen on the fastest shutdown as soon as the user distracted from it. And the display on the basis of e-ink spends 4-5 times less energy, the CEO of Yota Devices Vladislav Martynov explains. Unlike the normal screen "electronic paper" spends energy only for updating of the image so such screen always remains included. Thanks to it it is not necessary to play constantly with phone, to turn on the screen to learn whether you missed the important message. The screen from "electronic paper" works constantly, displaying information on the missed calls or unread sms. Also it will be possible to bring to it, for example, a tape of messages of Twitter or the stock quotation to monitor them in a constant duty, Martynov tells.

YotaPhone developers specially made the device body convex from the screen on e-ink that the person automatically put the smartphone on a table this screen up.

Information on the monochrome screen is saved even at completely discharged battery. For example, it is possible to bring the electronic boarding pass to the main screen aboard the plane with a barcode and not to worry about low battery power. It is enough to run over this screen two fingers from top to down — and the image will pass about it on the second working constantly including when there is not enough battery power for operation of the basic display unit.

The second screen can become also means of self-expression, the representative of Yota Devices Kirill Lubnin says: it is possible to bring the text or the picture which people will see on the back panel of phone when you are busy with the basic to it. I, for example, for couple of seconds found in the Internet and hung out on the second screen of a photo of one of candidates on last elections of the Mayor of Moscow.

Especially for the second Yota Devices screen developed several applications — the program for reading e-books, the notebook, an organizer, etc. But as YotaPhone works at the open Android platform, for this device also third-party developers can create applications.

2010: Chemezov presents to Medvedev model of the future Yotaphone

When in 2010 the CEO of Rostec Sergey Chemezov came to a meeting with the then president Dmitry Medvedev with model of future smartphone from the Skartel company working under the Yota brand, the market was skeptical about this development. Reasons for scepticism became even more when the release of the smartphone was postponed from 2011 promised by Chemezov for later term.

Notes