SAN FRANCICO – June 9, 2015: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today launched the much
anticipated PHAB2 Pro – the world’s first Tango-enabled smartphone to enable artificial reality
experiences – plus the dual-camera PHAB2 Plus and full-sized PHAB2 smartphones.
Phab 2 Pro: World’s First Tango-enabled AR Smartphone
Unlike any other phone, the Phab2 Pro, powered by Tango technology – a set of sensors and
software from Google that senses and maps its surroundings – makes a host of cutting-edge
smartphone augmented reality (AR) experiences possible. For example, using AR apps, students
can place true-to-scale virtual dinosaurs in their classrooms and enhance their learning through AR
data overlays that appear while they walk around the creatures. AR gaming experiences let you play
virtual dominos on your kitchen table, raise a digital pet in your bedroom and fight back swarms of
aliens invading your house. With Tango technology PHAB2 Pro can even begin to change the way
people think about mapping indoor spaces to create new experiences like future augmented reality
museum tours via the GuidiGO app. With Tango, PHAB2 Pro offers unprecedented experiences on a
smartphone that will continually learn and improve.
“Put simply, we wanted to take what was an amazing concept and transform it into a commercially
viable mobile device,” said Jeff Meredith, vice president and general manager of Android and
Chrome Computing, Lenovo. “From the moment we saw Tango, we knew it could become pervasive,
just like GPS. However, to truly make PHAB2 Pro a game-changer, we developed it at an affordable
price for mainstream consumers, delivering not just a bleeding-edge phone, but an all-around
fantastic phone, first to market.”
“Tango enables our devices to sense physical motion and space and, as a result, has the power to
change how we interact with our surroundings. We believe that devices with positional tracking
functionality will be pervasive and are happy that the PHAB2 Pro will introduces these new
capabilities, making your phone even more useful,” said Johnny Lee, Engineering Director at
Homeowners can also now use their PHAB2 Pro to remodel their homes by visualizing real home
furnishings in their living rooms and kitchens. Home improvement company Lowe’s is one of the first
partners to develop a Tango-enabled application, Lowe’s Vision. The app empowers customers by
leveraging Tango technology to measure spaces and visualize how products like appliances and
décor, or materials like countertops or backsplash tile, will all look and fit together in a room. With
Lowe’s Vision, customers will be able to control a new generation of augmented reality tools with a
“Tango technology will allow customers to see how their home improvement visions translate into
reality like never before,” said Richard Maltsbarger, Lowe’s Chief Development Officer. “By bringing
the PHAB2 Pro to Lowe’s, we want to empower customers with a tool to help them design, start and
complete their home improvement projects with confidence.”
The Technology Behind Tango
Three core technologies bring Tango experiences to life: motion tracking, depth perception and area
learning. Via motion tracking, the PHAB2 Pro’s “eye” sees its own location in 3D. Area learning tells
the smartphone its location. Depth perception lets it analyze the shape of the world around it by
detecting surfaces and obstacles. And now for the first time ever, your smartphone can visualize and
understand its surrounding objects and environment via sensors that capture more than 250,000
measurements a second.
Premium Smartphone Design
While Tango makes the PHAB2 Pro unique, the device stands on its own as a premium
smartphone. The PHAB2 Pro (along with the other PHAB2 devices) features Dolby AudioTM Capture
5.1 with Dolby Atmos® playback capabilities to help capture life’s moments on video with great
quality audio. With Dolby Audio Capture 5.1, you can use crystal-clear 5.1-channel surround sound
to record and share the full panorama of your life, adding amazing richness, clarity, and depth to
your special moments. Making this possible are three microphones, spatial capture with noise
reduction, along with an onboard 16mp camera that supports crisp 4K video recording, and an
optimized Tango edition Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 652 octa-core processor, 4GB memory and
Fluence Pro. Also, when you watch Dolby Atmos content over headphones, you’ll feel like you’re in
the middle of the action on screen with immersive, moving audio. The 6.4-inch PHAB2 Pro boasts
an intelligent Assertive Display with a pin-sharp QHD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution, capable of
optimizing image quality based on ambient lighting and content.
To find out more about Lenovo’s development of the PHAB2 Pro with Tango, please visit our
newsroom at news.lenovo.com/TechWorld2016.
Watch the livestream from Tech World here: www.YouTube.com/lenovo
PHAB2 Plus: Amazing Photos
Known for its photos, the PHAB2 Plus comes with two 13MP rear cameras that have instant focus,
fast f1.8 lenses and the same professional-grade Futjitsu Milbeaut® image signal processor that
powers the Leica camera. Shutterbugs can capture amazing pictures with crisp low-light shots, high
contrast while retaining lifelike colors, high detail in the shadow areas and a captivating background
blur. Meanwhile, the camera software incorporates a manual mode as well as other special effects.
PHAB2: Amazing Price
PHAB2 offers an affordable AR smartphone with many of the attractive features found in higher-end
models. PHAB 2’s AR mode, for instance, allows you to create more unique photos and videos by
superimposing effects such as virtual backgrounds or cartoons onto your pictures – perfect for
Snapchat-like sharing on Facebook or Instagram. Other highlights include a huge 6.4-inch HD
display, complete with a fast-focusing 13MP camera and 16GB onboard storage expandable via a
microSD slot.
Pricing and Availability1
The Lenovo PHAB2 will be available starting at $199 (USD); Phab2 Plus will be available at $299;
and PHAB2 Pro will be priced at $499. All will be globally available beginning in September. In the
US, the PHAB2 Pro will be sold at select Lowe’s stores nationwide and online by the end
Pricing and availability may vary from country to country.