BERLIN -- How do you put out something different in a world of smartphones that all look similar? Lenovo has an idea: layered design.
The company's new Vibe X2 is comprised of four layers (which you can see from a side view), with the front layer a bit smaller than the other three. It also accepts extensions, or add-on modules that can be easily attached to the back of the phone.
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It sets the phone apart from the rest of the Android pack, though the layered design seems to be little more than a visual gimmick. It does allow Lenovo to play with colors and materials, however, so the Vibe X2 will launch in five colors: charcoal, gold, white, red and bamboo (the back of the phone is actually made from bamboo wood).
The device has a 5-inch full HD screen, a MediaTek octa-core processor and a 13-megapixel rear camera, coupled with a 5-megapixel one on the front. It also runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and comes with Lenovo's latest Vibe 2.0 UI, which allows quick access to your apps.
Other nifty software tricks include a "beautification bar," which Lenovo says makes your selfies more beautiful, and "natural gestures," which let you take a selfie by blinking, showing a victory sign or saying "cheese," for example.
Lenovo also launched the Vibe Z2, a 5.5-inch, quad-core smartphone whose distinguishing feature is an 8-megapixel front camera (the one on the rear has a 13-megapixel sensor), which should make your selfies extra sharp. This phone weighs 5.6 ounces and is 0.3 of an inch thin; it, too, runs on Android 4.4 KitKat.
Both devices will first be available in China starting in October, and will then spread to markets in Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The price for the Vibe X2 is $399, while the Vibe Z2 will retail for $429.