At the Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona, Acer unveiled the Liquid Jade 2, the latest addition to its flagship smartphone lineup. The device quickly garnered attention for its unique approach to storage: a hybrid system that effectively offers up to 1TB of space. This is achieved through a combination of 128GB of built-in memory and a microSD card slot that accepts cards up to 200GB, with the potential for even higher capacities as technology evolves. Acer positions this as a solution for users who store large amounts of high-resolution photos, 4K video, and apps directly on their phones, bypassing the need for constant cloud reliance.
Design and Display
The Liquid Jade 2 continues Acer's design philosophy of blending premium materials with ergonomic comfort. It features a unibody metal frame and a curved glass front, giving it a sophisticated look while maintaining a relatively slim profile of 6.9mm. The 5.5-inch display offers a Quad HD resolution (2560x1440 pixels), resulting in a crisp pixel density of around 534 ppi. This makes it ideal for viewing high-definition content and immersive gaming. Acer has also incorporated their “Vivid Color” enhancement technology to improve outdoor visibility and color accuracy.
Performance and Camera
Under the hood, the Liquid Jade 2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor, paired with 3GB of RAM. This chipset, also used in flagships like the LG G4, provides a good balance of performance and power efficiency. The phone runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box, with Acer’s custom UI overlay. For photography, the device sports a 21-megapixel rear camera with f/2.2 aperture, phase-detection autofocus, and a dual-LED flash. The front-facing camera is 8 megapixels, suitable for selfies and video calls. Video recording reaches 4K at 30fps, leveraging the storage capabilities of the device.
Innovative Storage: The 1TB Hybrid Solution
The standout feature of the Liquid Jade 2 is its storage flexibility. While many flagship phones in 2016 offered 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, Acer opted for 128GB as standard. Additionally, the microSD card slot supports cards up to 200GB officially, but with faster UHS-I standards. This theoretically allows users to reach 328GB today and could exceed 1TB as higher-capacity microSD cards become available. Acer markets this as “hybrid storage” – a combination of fast internal memory and expandable external storage. This approach was relatively uncommon at the time, as many manufacturers were moving toward sealed, non-expandable designs.
Audio and Connectivity
Acer has included a few audio enhancements, such as a dedicated DAC and support for DTS Sound, aiming for a richer audio experience through headphones. The device also supports dual-SIM functionality (depending on market) and includes 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1, and NFC. The 3,000mAh battery promises a full day of moderate use, with Quick Charge 2.0 support for faster top-ups.
Market Context and Competition
The Liquid Jade 2 entered a crowded market dominated by devices like the Samsung Galaxy S7, LG G5, and HTC 10 – all announced around the same time at MWC. Acer’s strategy was to differentiate on storage capacity and price. By offering a large base storage and expandability, Acer targeted power users who needed to carry extensive media libraries without resorting to cloud services. The company also emphasized the device’s build quality, hoping to appeal to consumers who value both aesthetics and functionality.
Background: The Liquid Jade Series
Acer first introduced the Liquid Jade line in 2014, focusing on thin design and good ergonomics. The original Liquid Jade featured a 5-inch HD display and a MediaTek processor. The Liquid Jade S followed, improving performance and adding LTE. With the Liquid Jade 2, Acer aimed for a true flagship status, upgrading the display resolution, camera, and storage. The series has generally received positive reviews for its design and value proposition, though it has struggled to gain significant market share against larger competitors.
Availability and Pricing
Acer announced that the Liquid Jade 2 would be available in select European and Asian markets starting in March 2016, with a suggested retail price of around €499 (approximately $550 at the time). The phone came in two color options: Black and White. It was also demonstrated at the Acer booth at MWC, where attendees could experience its 1TB storage demo – a setup that used a 200GB microSD card alongside the internal 128GB to show the concept.
The announcement of the Liquid Jade 2 highlighted a broader industry trend: consumers were demanding more onboard storage for apps, photos, and videos, especially as 4K video recording became standard. While cloud storage was growing, offline storage remained crucial for many users. Acer’s move to offer a hybrid 1TB solution, though not truly 1TB out of the box, was a forward-thinking step that anticipated the future need for larger phone capacities.
Overall, the Liquid Jade 2 represented Acer’s most ambitious smartphone effort to date, showcasing innovative design and a clear focus on storage flexibility. While it did not revolutionize the market, it earned a place as a noteworthy device at MWC 2016, particularly for those craving more space on their devices.
Source: 9to5Google News