Acer Announces Liquid S2, The First Smartphone To Feature 4K HD Video Recording Capability

Acer (TPE:2353), on Monday, announced its new Liquid S2 handset, the first smartphone with the capability to record 4K HD videos, a feature that has been rumored to be included in the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

In addition to the 4K video recording, the new Liquid S2 sports a 6-inch 1920x1080 full HD screen (338 pixels per inch) with in-plane switching, or IPS, technology. The IPS display technology is designed to solve issues such as slow response times, strong viewing angle dependence and low-quality color reproduction.

The Liquid S2 is powered by a 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor paired with 2GB of RAM. The smartphone is designed with soft curves, a red metal receiver mesh and metallic ring highlighting the 4 LED ring flash, which enables shooting pictures in low-light conditions and macro capturing.

The device also comes loaded with a “back-illuminated sensor,” a significant add-on to the device’s camera enhancements, which also includes a 13-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel front shooter capable of 1080p video.

The handset will run on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and will have 16GB of on-board storage, with an option to expand it to 128GB.

The Liquid S2, with a 3,300 mAh battery, supports 4G LTE connectivity and the new Wi-Fi 802.11 ac standard, and is also claimed to be the first smartphone to feature dual speakers powered by Dolby Digital Plus. The Liquid S2 comes with a curved Gorilla Glass 3.0 surface around the rim, which, according to the company, makes the handset stronger and more resistant to scratches.

Acer hasn't announced any plans for a U.S. release of the Liquid S2. However, it will sell the handset in Europe starting October.

In addition to the Liquid S2, Acer also announced two more devices -- Iconia A3 tablet and Aspire R7-572 notebook -- which the company will show off, along with the Liquid S2, at the IFA 2013 trade show in Berlin this week.