Cherry Mobile goes upscale with new Android devices

MANILA, Philippines - After its successful foray into the entry-level mobile phone segment in the Philippines with its price-leading dual- and triple-SIM handsets, Cherry Mobile is aiming its crosshairs on the high-profile upscale end of the market currently dominated by high-end smartphone brands like Apple, BlackBerry, Nokia and Samsung.

And it’s doing so with the help of no less than Internet giant Google, as the company recently introduced its initial range of touch-screen handsets that run on Google’s highly touted Android operating system.

The Nova, Magnum HD, and Superion are Cherry Mobile’s newest weapons in its aggressive upmarket thrust. The new phones come close on the heels of the company’s Eclipse handset, considered as its first high-end phone and which operates on Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 OS.

As it is with the new crop of Android devices, the new Cherry Mobile phones have touch-screen capabilities, 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, and even high-definition (HD) camera functionality.

The new phones are also the first Cherry Mobile handsets that run on Qualcomm processors, with the Magnum HD boasting a fast 1GHz processor.

OS-wise, the Cherry Mobile Nova runs on Android Eclair 2.1 while the Magnum HD and Superion run on no less than the very latest Froyo 2.2, the Android version deemed best for large-screen devices.

The company is also upgrading its Cherry Zone software download service to allow local users to download new Android apps.

Specs-wise, the new range of Cherry Mobile phones start with the quad-band Nova, which has a five-megapixel camera with flash, a 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touch screen, a Qualcomm MSM 7227 600MHz processor, 3G/HSDPA/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity, GPS/AGPS, and Google Mobile Services (Gmail, Maps, Marketplace).

The Cherry Mobile Nova is priced at P11,490.

Next up is the 3G/quad-band Magnum HD which boasts a super-fast Qualcomm 1GHz processor, a big 4.1-inch WVGA capacitive touch screen, 2GB ROM /512MB RAM, expandable MicroSD card slot of up to 32GB, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g connectivity, GPS/AGPS, Bluetooth 2.0, standard Micro USB 2.0, a 3.5-mm stereo audio jack, HDMI-D Type port, 720p HD recording, a rear five-megapixel camera with flash, and a VGA camera in front.

The Cherry Mobile Magnum HD is priced at P18,990.

Last but not least is the Superion, Cherry Mobile’s contender in the high-profile tablet/phone wars that include the pioneering Apple iPad and Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab. 

The quad-band Superion runs on Android OS 2.2, boasts a seven-inch WVGA capacitive touch screen, a Qualcomm MSM 7227 600MHz processor, 512MB ROM/ 512MB RAM, expandable memory of up to 32GB, 3G/HSDPA/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity, GPRS/AGPS, standard mini USB 2.0, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, G-Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Google Mobile Services (Gmail, Maps, Marketplace), a rear three-megapixel camera with auto-focus, and a VGA camera in front.

The Cherry Mobile Superion is priced at P19,990.