The dual-screen YotaPhone 2 Android smartphone has been spec revamped and price sliced in a bid to boost its popularity. The new model is also going to be available in white with, of course, a black on white e-ink screen on its reverse. However, from the front, both black and white versions of the handset look the same except for the thin white border being visible on the white model.
First of all, and one of the most important factors in a buying decision, the new YotaPhone 2 has been subjected to a price cut. The new price is £440 for either the new white or new black models, unlocked, with 32GB storage built-in. The smartphone originally went on sale at £555, so that's quite a decent cut.
Other changes evident with the latest version of the YotaPhone 2 come mainly from the software. The white YotaPhone 2 will ship with Lollipop installed, while the existing black version will receive it via OTA. The OS upgrade is said to improve the smartphone's performance and responsiveness, and helps to make the camera work better.
Further improvements come courtesy of the updated YETI (Yota E Ink Technology Integration) software. YETI apps run on the 540×960 pixel always-on e-ink screen which the YotaPhone is famous for using. Added to the previous selection Yota has added new Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter widgets (YotaPanels), which periodically refresh, providing glanceable status updates to the user.
Improvements also come to the YotaCovers – it's now much quicker to change e-ink wallpapers. A new TV remote app (YotaRemote) and live scores app (YotaSports) are present on the updated handset.
If you want a reminder of the full tech specs of the YotaPhone 2 please refer to the extensive list available on the smartphone's official product page. UK and European folk can order the updated phone today from the Yota website. For US based customers Yota plans to follow an IndieGogo sale and distribution model starting sometime in July.
