1999 - it was a different time and place when the first Vertu phones rolled out of their exclusive manufacturing facility in England. Nokia set up Vertu as a luxury handset brand – the mobile equivalent of a handcrafted heirloom watch. Nokia exited the company in 2013; by then smartphones held sway. Expectation levels changed too. The 2010's Vertu customer didn’t just demand a luxurious product but also a smartphone that could hold its own against premier flagship devices. Does the Vertu Aster live up to that expectation?


the Aster is clearly for the same sort of customer who might buy the Apple Watch (18 Karat Gold) Edition on an impulse. A premium build and high grade components are a given. The Aster is designed to stand out in a meeting room; to show everyone who’s boss. It’s a beautiful blend of titanium and a calf leather back (you can customise the colour and the finish). The power button and volume rocker merge seamlessly into the right spine, crafted with titanium. A door on the rear of the device doesn’t just house the micro-SIM slot but also has the signature of the Vertu technician who built your mobile device. Yes, similar to a seasoned craftsman who handcrafted a pair of leather loafers. At 193g its reassuringly heavy. Disappointingly, there’s no fingerprint sensor.

The Aster is the entry-level (what?!) smartphone for the Vertu brand; the soon to be launched Signature Touch will don the mantle of the brand’s flagship device in India. The Aster packs a decent hardware spec sheet; it’s certainly not 2016-proof but has enough firepower to propel the device. At it’s heart is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.3 GHz processor with 2GB of RAM. We put the Aster through our routine tests and the results were average – 31749 on the AnTuTu benchmark and a modest 2284 on PCMark. Clearly, these scores are not the benchmark that prospective Vertu customers would go by but they all add up nevertheless. Overall, the device handled multi-tasking and low-intensive gaming quite admirably but the presence of a dated version of Android (4.4 aka KitKat) is a clear dampener. The 2275mAh battery packs enough power for most users; we managed a full day (about 12 hours) with a mix of 4G/Wi-Fi, WhatsApp, 15 minutes of gaming, some camera usage and video playback.  

The Aster comes with 64GB memory on-board; there’s no extendable memory option though. One of the big jumps is the 13MP camera. Vertu turned to Swedish photography expert Hasselblad for a superior camera experience. Hasselblad cameras were made famous by the images clicked as part of the Apollo space program (when the first humans landed on the moon). The Aster shooter produced some pretty good results across lighting scenarios. The 2.1 MP front cam is almost good enough for selfies in dim lighting; both cameras are protected with sapphire crystal.

The 4.7-inch display is also reinforced with Sapphire crystal; that’s something even the Apple iPhone would be envious about. The display specs might be modest – 1920x1080 at 473 ppi, but it’s quite vibrant and text is crisp. The speaker belts out solid sound too; just in case you need to catch videos on the go. Aside from the superior quality materials, the Vertu’s biggest draw is its bespoke concierge service. You are just one click away from the best events in the world or a table at a Michelin star restaurant. While multiple apps double up as your personal digital assistant, Vertu’s concierge service is quite simply inimitable and something other luxury smartphone users have not managed to emulate.
If just hardware specs were the only yardstick to evaluate a device, clearly the Vertu Aster is not at the top of the heap. Aside from the snob value, the Vertu experience is akin to a Saville Row suit; truly unique in the mobile space. Just in case you have a hefty festive bonus to splurge, the Aster might be one of the ways to spend it. 

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By now, we know phones are more than just phones. You've got your apps, your browsers, your 3D Touch. What about a luxury phone that represents your elite lifestyle?
British luxury phone brand Vertu announced the New Signature Touch on Thursday. Depending on which one you get, from the jet calf model to the pure jet red gold, it starts at $9,000 and goes up to $19,000. You'll also have the option to personalize it with various colors, leathers, rare metals and an engraving.
Each phone is handmade in England. The cases are made from natural hides and leathers, including calfskin, lizard and alligator, all sourced in Europe. The outer casing is Grade 5 Titanium, used in the automotive and aerospace industries. The 5.2-inch 1080p scratchproof screen is made from 130 carat sapphire crystal, and the earpiece pillow is formed with Zirconia.
That's just the flash, though. Let's get into the tech specs. The New Signature Touch runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop. The hardware includes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor with 64-bit computing on 8 CPU cores, which means faster and smoother usability. The 21 megapixel main camera also has 4K video capture, and there's also a 2.1 megapixel wide aperture front camera. There's also 64GB of internal storage and 4GB of RAM.
The luxury, allegedly, does not stop with the phone. The New Signature Touch comes with exclusive services, making your phone "a passport to a world of possibilities." With the phone comes a complimentary 18-month subscription to Vertu's dedicated concierge service. Contact a lifestyle manager at any time via live chat, email or telephone, and he or she will provide you with worldwide assistance: securing priority bookings, offering personal recommendations and other "local insider knowledge".
You'll get access to exclusive events like fashion shows, members-only clubs, sporting events and cultural experiences like exhibitions and red-carpet events — all because of an overpriced phone.
Lastly, and in probably the most practical of the additional services, you get security features: Remote Assist technology, encrypted communications services, global Wi-Fi connectivity via the iPass network and the Lost Phone Service.

For more details, and purchase.

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For the rich and powerful, a run-of-the-mill iPhone 6S or Galaxy S6 Edge just won't cut it. Vertu is offering the glamorous crowd a luxury smartphone with high-end specifications with an even higher price tag.
Right off the bat, a Vertu smartphone looks (and likely feels) like a true luxury item with its elegant handcrafted leather and titanium case. The back plate opens via a gull-wing door for ease of access to the nano-SIM slot and MicroSD.
Money can buy a lot of good things and, apparently, this includes better phone specifications. A unit from the Vertue Signature Touch line offers 5.2-inch 1080p (FullHD) LCD display with a virtually shatterproof and scratch-proof Sapphire Crystal glass. Underneath, it runs with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of onboard storage, up to 2TB of expandable storage with a MicroSD card, and a massive 3,160mAh battery.
The camera clocks in at 21 megapixels with f/2.2 aperture, dual-tone LED flash, face detection, auto-focus, and 4K video recording on its rear side. It is coupled with an inferior, but good enough 2.1-megapixel front snapper for the million dollars selfie.
The new model from the European luxury brand also offers support for Quick Charge 2.0, Qi Wireless Charging, and NFC connectivity among many others.
Vertu's smartphones are expensive for a reason. A couple of thousands of dollars will also get you "Dedicated Concierge" or the company's own point-of-contact that acts as a personal assistant. This feature is complimentary for 18 months.

To protect its high profile clientele, Vertu included encrypted communication by Silent Circle and an option to wipe or locate a lost or stolen smartphone. Partnership with iPass provides WiFi connection virtually anywhere in the world.
The phone will also come with subscription to Life or Certainty packages which will be your all-access pass to the world's most glamorous, most exclusive clubs, parties, and closed-door shopping events. Clearly, owning a Vertu phone will instantly grant you A List status.
There are different variations of Vertu Signature Touch units to choose from. The cheapest, entry level unit sells for US$9,000 (about AU$13,000) and it offers a calf leather case in either black or red. Next is a lizard skin smartphone in purple for US$10,100 (about AU$15,000) or black for US$11,200 (around AU$16,00). Moving up to the top of the reptile chain, an alligator skin encased smartphone sells for US$13,000 (approximately AU$18,500) in black, US$14,000 (about AU$20,000) in navy, and US$16,600 (around AU$24,000)in grey.
The most expensive unit is the quilted black calf leather with gold accents and it sells for US$19,000

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The $10,300 Signature Touch out of your budget range? Vertu understands your plight, which is why the luxury phone manufacturer just announced the Aster, a $6,900 hand-crafted smartphone constructed out of titanium.
The Aster will be offered in a range of back options which include calf leather in black, pink or blue. For an additional, $2,200, you can get a snake skin in black or orange, or you pay $9,700 to get the handset covered in ostrich skin in brown or purple.
While Vertu's first two devices in the Android segment were decidedly outdated by the time they launched (at least in terms of the internal hardware), the luxury phone manufacturer is looking to incorporate specs comparable to what the rest of us call high-end devices. As such, the Aster comes with a 4.7-inch 1080p display on a 5.1-inch 117 carat sapphire screen (because 114 carats just don't cut it anymore), 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 CPU, 13-megapixel Hasselblad-certified camera with dual LED flash, 2.1 MP front camera, NFC, Qi wireless charging, Wi-Fi ac, 19-band LTE connectivity and a 2,250mAh battery.

 The device also comes with front stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus tuning and noise cancellation. One of the reasons as to why the Aster is more affordable is that it comes with a six month subscription to Vertu's concierge services as opposed to the yearly plan that is standard with higher-end models. As well as making the device more accessible, Vertu has announced that it will enter the e-commerce segment with Vertu Digital, through which interested customers will be able to customize and order their handsets online instead of visiting a boutique.

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Bentley is a brand synonymous with luxury and quality, so when the company lends its name to a new smartphone, it’s not unfair to expect something pricy, but jaw-droppingly brilliant. You’d expect this bauble to be super-luxurious, with hardware that makes top-end smartphones from other vendors want to go and weep quietly in a corner.
Except, that’s not what’s happened. Instead, Bentley teamed up with another luxury firm called Vertu to bring the world the Vertu Signature for Bentley smartphone, a badly-specced phone with 2008-era hardware and software.

Its claims of luxury stem from its ridiculous £14 500 starting price tag (R275 550), its “Beluga Calf-skin Leather” backing and access to an exclusive “Vertu Concierge” service that is apparently “…designed to meet your every need, 24/7″. Press a button on the phone, and a real person picks up, ready to do whatever it is you need doing. Within reason, of course… probably.

Central to the phone’s design is the use of high-end, super-expensive materials like an 83-carat, nigh-on unbreakable sapphire screen, a key pad that uses 4.85 carat ruby bearings and, perhaps most importantly to Bentley owners, the option to personalise the phone to look as much like the Bentley they drive as possible.
That’s all well and good if your ambitions include looking like the world’s most pretentious douchebag, just don’t let anyone use the thing because, quite frankly, they’re going to laugh at you.

That’s because it uses Nokia’s very old Series 40 operating system from the days of its mid-tiered feature phones – yes, really – and is powered by a processor Vertu’s page doesn’t list. If that wasn’t bad enough, the phone sports a TWO INCH LCD screen, has a keypad rather than touch functionality, 4GB of internal storage and a battery so tiny it only provides five and a half hours of power,
For a phone that costs considerably more than the annual salary of a mid-level manager in a big company, that’s beyond laughable, leading us to believe the target market is indeed rich twits with more money than sense.

And that starting price? That’s what you’ll pay if you don’t add gold, titanium, platinum, diamond, or alligator skin to it, all of which are options, apparently.
Vertu has other phones on offer that are better-specced and prettier than this one, of course, so the fact that this one is even a thing is a puzzle all of its own.
If you were super-rich and drove a Bentley, would you pick one up? After all, what’s a R275 000 phone when you drive a R4m car?

Me, I’d rather have a four-GPU, three-screen 12K PC gaming rig setup than this thing, but then I have more sense than money.

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