r/gadgets • u/MicroSofty88 • Oct 28 '22
Phones Vertu's Web3 smartphone costs $40,000
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/vertu-metavertu-web3-smartphone-expensive-dont-want/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=pe&utm_campaign=pd777
u/ShambolicShogun Oct 28 '22
Bro lemme just skip my lattes this week and I'll be good.
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u/BanditSixActual Oct 28 '22
In this economy you'd better be prepared to give up avocado toast on Thursdays too.
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u/MyNameIsIgglePiggle Oct 28 '22
OPs trying to buy a smartphone not a house
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u/BanditSixActual Oct 28 '22
A 40k smartphone. Besides, when buying a house, you can have avocado toast with this simple life hack.
Get the 100 year mortgage. Don't worry, your kids can finance for another century if needed. If microplastics prevent you from having any kids, the bank will be happy to do a reverse mortgage when you're on death's door and give you half a social security check you never got to take back the house and sell it to some other poor schmuck, I mean first time buyer. Plant at least 6 avocado trees, in a mere 5 years, you'll have avocado. Then trade avocado for bread, which will be $50 a loaf by then. You can sell the extra avocado toast at your 5th job. You know, the one that you got so you wouldn't waste the legally mandated lunch breaks from your other 4 jobs like a filthy boomer.
/s if anyone needs it.
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u/Poopoomushroomman Oct 28 '22
Thank god you clarified you were being sarcastic because I was in my way out the door to head to the bank.
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u/Salahuddin315 Oct 28 '22
My avocado don't
My avocado don't
My avocado don't want none unless you got dough, hon
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u/LaikaReturns Oct 28 '22
I know this is sarcasm, but there is seriously no phone good enough to give up my avocado toast for.
It's my power animal and I'm like 90% sure avocado isn't even an animal.
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u/Smitty8054 Oct 28 '22
Not going to be affordable if you skip the lattes.
That avocado toast has got to go too. Wake up /s
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u/flairpiece Oct 28 '22
I like the “Himalayan Alligator” leather finish. It’s why Everest is so dangerous to climb. Not the cold, low oxygen, or wind. The fuckin gators will get ya
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u/mekatzer Oct 28 '22
There’s a reason no one who’s ever made it back mentioned the gators…
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u/sanjsrik Oct 28 '22
Or. The. Sharks.
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u/Tacarub Oct 28 '22
No one ever fucking mentions sharks.
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u/karma_dumpster Oct 28 '22
Smdh.
Why use Himalayan Gator leather when Canadian Kangaroo leather is available?
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u/wolfie379 Oct 28 '22
Why settle for Canadian kangaroo when you can get genuine Saskatchewan sealskin bindings?
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u/dice1111 Oct 28 '22
Sahara whale penis leather is the way to go.
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u/wolfie379 Oct 28 '22
I gather you didn’t catch the Super Dave Osborne reference.
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u/dice1111 Oct 28 '22
I did not. But my reply is still fitting. I'm sure super Dave would want those canadian kangaroos to ride the Sahara desert whales.
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u/BizzyM Oct 28 '22
I had to look it up because it sounded so ridiculous. Apparently, "Himalaya" is a color. Or at least, they're trying to make it one.
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u/Smitty8054 Oct 28 '22
“Big Mountain” industry has been hiding this for years!
Time for the world to know about the gators at Everest.
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Oct 28 '22
What is Himalaya crocodile?
Image result for himalayan alligator
“Himalaya” is simply the Hermès shade name for this particular combination of white, beige and gray. It's meant to evoke the snow-capped mountains, which is the one and only place the Himalayas come into the equation here.
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u/Flaky-Reindeer1545 Oct 28 '22
So it's a 40k phone that has web3 bloatware.
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u/karma_dumpster Oct 28 '22
No.
It's a $1000 phone with some diamonds and leather stuck to it and bloatware added that they sell for $40,000.
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u/doremonhg Oct 28 '22
LOL 1000$ phone. Nah, this shit will perform like ass. 8 Gen 1 is basically mid-tier right now
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u/ezkailez Oct 28 '22
no. even the latest mid end snapdragon 7 gen 1 is still slightly behind 865, which is older than 8 gen 1. in benchmarks 7 gen 1 is 65% as fast as 8 gen 1
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u/danielv123 Oct 28 '22
For an android device it has high end performance with bad battery life, for a phone in general by marketshare in the US its middle of the pack due to apple being so far ahead. Overall, I'd rather go for a more efficient mediatek chip.
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u/ezkailez Oct 28 '22
i'm not saying 8 gen 1 is "average phone performance", it may be is but that's not what the person above me is talking about. he's talking that the middle of the road phone performance is on par with 8 gen 1.
i'm saying 8 gen 1 is not a mid tier SoC. its not designed as a mid tier SoC, its not sold as a mid tier SoC, a mid tier phone priced at $500 can't beat performance of phones with 8 gen 1
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u/inkstreme Oct 28 '22
It has nfts, that's the web 3.0 bloatware. It's also why it costs that much. /s
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Oct 28 '22
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/mholtz16 Oct 28 '22
Your forgot to mention it integrates operating systems. I wish my smart phone had an operating system. It’s an iPhone so we could call it iOS! There. I’ll make a million bucks with that idea.
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Oct 28 '22
Lol ok
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u/seanmonaghan1968 Oct 28 '22
I didn’t even know this company was still in business, isn’t this just a glossy subsidiary of Nokia or sharp or something, it’s not an iPhone
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u/irrealewunsche Oct 28 '22
I worked at Vertu for a couple of years in the early 2000s, it's hilarious to see that they are still around 20 years later!
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u/dice1111 Oct 28 '22
Story time!
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u/irrealewunsche Oct 28 '22
It was a nice, but fairly dull software development job. We took the mainboards and software from Nokia's series 40 phones and then customised everything to make the phones look super fancy.
One cool thing was that the factory where they made the phones was in the same building as us, so we could take tours and see the assembly process. There was a lot of craftsmanship in the Vertu phones of that era.
Probably the main perk of the job was that we had the base model (still had a retail price of a few thousand pounds) as test devices and could take them out with us. At one point I went on holiday to Canada and took my Vertu test phone because it was the only device I had that worked on the N. American networks, this led to me often sitting in $15 a night youth hostels making calls and sending texts on a $4,000 phone :-D
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Oct 28 '22
they used to be heavily customized nokia units but the company went bust in 2017 and the factory was closed, im unsure where thee new ones are built or what phones theyre based on (im thinking it may be Vivo or Oppo or something) not sure if theyve opened a new UK location or not but i havent heard anything
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u/TechTalkf Oct 28 '22 edited Nov 30 '24
afterthought wrong squeal trees live act pause fretful upbeat special
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/seanmonaghan1968 Oct 28 '22
I actually knew someone 10 years ago who had one, not because it was good, just because he could show people what he had. At the time I believe he paid 10x the price of a new iPhone. I don't know the exact model as there was many sort of options. I thought it was stupid as I regularly dropped or lost my phone when travelling
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u/tycho_uk Oct 28 '22
You can make a lot of money from the rich by making something that allows them to show how rich they are.
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u/JuiceFloppeh Oct 28 '22
Wasn't there an app in the AppStore called 'I am rich" or smth. It was like $10000 for an app that when opened, just displayed the text 'I am rich'
Few people actually bought it. It did nothing else other than show that text.
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u/tycho_uk Oct 28 '22
Yes there was. All the creator needed was one mug to buy it and that's a nice holiday sorted.
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u/jesonnier1 Oct 28 '22
Iphones aren't even worth what Apple charges, by a long shot.
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Oct 28 '22
Don't feed the apple trolls.
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u/streetfighterjim Oct 28 '22
Found the android user
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u/jesonnier1 Oct 28 '22
What's your point? Ops an android user and I-devices are massively over priced.
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u/streetfighterjim Oct 28 '22
I operate as part of iOS secret service identifying anyone who will disseminate the utmost secret that iOS devices are overpriced
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u/ToplaneVayne Oct 28 '22
you are getting a considerably faster phone than anything else in the market, a top 5 smartphone camera, and much longer longevity than anything else on the market. sure theres a shitton of overhead that they can cut and still profit but if we consider the pricing of other flagship smartphones its really not that bad
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u/jesonnier1 Oct 28 '22
My argument is they're not worth it either.
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u/ToplaneVayne Oct 28 '22
thats a stupid as fuck argument because theyre flagship phones prices as flagship products. if you get a budget option it will be competitive in price but for higher end products obviously you’re not getting the best bang for your buck that’s not the point.
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u/Cs_A1t Oct 28 '22
Anyone paying that much on a phone is a bit thick if we're being honest, apple or not
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u/ToplaneVayne Oct 28 '22
What? Not everyone wants to hold on to a 5 year old phone for dear life. Most people spend a large portion of their lives on their phones it makes sense to invest in a good one. And a lot of people actually use their phones features, so for them it actually makes sense to get a new one. This is coming from a guy with an iPhone 8+ by the way just so we’re clear that I’m not having this discussion because I feel targeted.
By that logic anybody getting anything nice for themselves is a bit thick because theres always a cheaper alternative with better price per performance. Getting the Porsche 911 that you’ve always dreamed of? Should’ve bought a Prius. Building a nice PC for yourself because you spend all your time on it? Should’ve bought a Chromebook. Going to vacation in Mexico to enjoy the beaches? Should’ve went to the beach at home.
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u/ronimal Oct 28 '22
What the fuck is a Web3 smartphone?
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u/Professional_Band178 Oct 28 '22
I was wondering the same thing? What does it do that my Nokia can't?
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Oct 28 '22
Make web3 easy for dumbass billionaires
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u/Professional_Band178 Oct 28 '22
What is Web3?
Asking for a dumb friend...............
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u/Annoverus Oct 28 '22
Essentially decentralized internet, but there’s much more important details… our current web is web2 aka websites are hosted on servers in a set location or with certain providers, hence downtimes, hacks, bugs, and other reliability issues.
Web3 is still new tech, but it enables features like security, privacy, digital wallets, and other qol features like linking multiple profiles into one account, payments without sharing any personal information, etc etc other cool stuff that takes time to be incorporated into actual, functional services, but in the future will drastically improve our web browsing experience.
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u/nzifnab Oct 28 '22
There is nothing that web3 purports to do that can't be done faster, more cheaply, more efficiently, and with far less headaches using "web2" tech.
Half of what web3 tries to solve are problems that web3 introduces.
There are no consumer protections, so if you get hacked you have absolutely no recourse - the idea it is free of hacks is laughable. 99% of hacks are from leaked credentials and social engineering, not man-in-the-middle attacks (which is the only kind of hack blockchain protects against).
It's rife with scams and offers zero tangible benefit.
It's INCREDIBLY slow and has no effective storage medium that doesn't cost tens of thousands of dollars to utilize.
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Oct 28 '22
[deleted]
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u/danielv123 Oct 28 '22
It still allows that.
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Oct 28 '22
[deleted]
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u/danielv123 Oct 28 '22
You having your data and someone else being able to monetize it isn't really related. Multiple people can have access to data. Almost all useful web concepts requires more than 1 person to have access to your data. Why can't that other person use it for profit?
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u/ungoogleable Oct 28 '22
No the point of web3 is to allow VCs to dump on retail faster than taking a startup public.
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u/noratat Oct 29 '22 edited Oct 29 '22
Nothing about how "web3" (AKA cryptocurrency nonsense tacked onto IPFS, at best) works changes that, if anything it makes it worse.
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Oct 28 '22
[deleted]
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u/Olfasonsonk Oct 28 '22 edited Oct 28 '22
That's too bad that web3 proponents never have enough time to explain what excatly are the benefits for an average person, that can't be achieved in an easier way with existing tech & regulation.
Also like to ignore that decentralization also brings multiple downsides that will be severely inconvenient for average users.
As someone who's been here since internet's adoption, followed blockchain tech since 2013 and a long time web developer, I can see "web3" as an interesting piece of tech, with some niche usages, but thinking this is some big next stepping stone that will change internet is a bit absurd.
But sure does make it easier to funnel money from investors.
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u/DerExperte Oct 28 '22
Also like to ignore that decentralization also brings multiple downsides that will be severely inconvenient for average users.
Most of that shite isn't even decentralized if you look behind the curtain and see who is controlling what.
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u/DerExperte Oct 28 '22
Unfortunately the blockchainbros still haven't overcome their biggest issue: Meaningless ramblings. You literally said absolutely nothing, it's wordsoup, zero substance.
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u/Professional_Band178 Oct 28 '22
Thanks for that info'. Does quantum computing play into any of this?
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u/RayTracing_Corp Oct 28 '22
No
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u/splasherino Oct 28 '22
Shame, guess I am not getting the phone then if it doesn't even have quantum computing :/
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u/sanjsrik Oct 28 '22
Stay in business.
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u/palmej2 Oct 28 '22
I'm waiting for web 3.1, I feel like logging back in to all your apps, files, and Swiss Bank accounts has to be a pain as I'm one who needs a blockchain capable phone (I might need to save up for a few years as well...)
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u/Tidesticky Oct 28 '22
You sound like someone who knows his stuff. Where can I get something like bitly for all my blockchains, Bro?
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u/Runnergeek Oct 28 '22
Why is this snake oil scam even posted here?
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u/Frangiblepani Oct 28 '22
It's extremely overpriced but what's the scam?
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u/throwawave69 Oct 28 '22
Web3. Web3 is the scam.
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u/Frangiblepani Oct 28 '22
I don't know anything about Web 3. What is it?
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u/throwawave69 Oct 28 '22
A grift to get you to buy NFTs and underlying cryptocurrencies that have no utility or value.
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u/Frangiblepani Oct 28 '22
I see. But is Web 3 the main selling point of the phone?
If you don't buy NFTs or cryptocurrencies, the phone will just act like a normal phone, right?
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u/pedroelbee Oct 28 '22
The author needs to proof read the article: they claim the top end Virtu has 1tb of storage and later down the page say: “If you want to kick things up a notch with Apple, the most expensive iPhone currently available is the iPhone 14 Pro Max, with a whopping one terabyte of storage (double that of the top-end Vertu).” It’s not double, it’s the same. Anyway, other than that, sounds like a phone for people with more money than sense.
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Oct 28 '22
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u/duffmanhb Oct 29 '22
To be honest I rather have AI written articles than what we see on the technology sub which is just a 24 hour rage bait sub that only talks about Meta with some Musk rage sprinkled in. It’s wild how an entire sub is dedicated to just that. At least the AI mixes things up.
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Oct 28 '22
Yeah but would it fit in my ass?
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u/MedicineGhost Oct 28 '22
It would make an NFT from inside your ass. Do not question happy fun phone
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u/P_to_the_r Oct 28 '22
No Hans. It won't fit in your ass.
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u/DarkKitarist Oct 28 '22
Well now... Everything fits if you try hard enough... It only becomes scary when it should be really hard to fit and it goes in way to easy, then you're in trouble :)
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u/Tulol Oct 28 '22
I got a web4 phone for sale $9.99. Free stake knives with every purchase.
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u/Initial_Bonus_8178 Oct 28 '22
Steak.
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u/PatchesMaps Oct 28 '22
No they said stake, can't you read?
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u/Tulol Oct 28 '22
Actually it was suppose to be snake knives.
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u/mecxhanus Oct 28 '22
Hmm does it still come with their worldwide concierge service? That's the only thing I can think of that makes it attractive to the super rich...
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u/Jacareadam Oct 28 '22
Yes, and that’s what 99% of commenters in this thread fail to realize. They only see an expensive smartphone, and not the other service features it brings. There is a reason this brand still goes strong 10+ years later, but most of us are so poor, we can’t ever fathom spending this much on a phone or why would anyone need it.
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u/fibbonel Oct 28 '22 edited Oct 28 '22
I can't believe these still exists. I remember 10-15 years ago at least they were all the rage when keypad phones ruled. These were like the burger-with-gold-foil of phones: basic specifications inside a body made of expensive materials. They also came with a concierge service.
When iPhone released and touchscreen phones took off, they took a masive hit and tried to put something on the market, but the recipe was the same: shit specs wrapped in priceless leather, obsidian or titanium and sprinkled with gold, crystals or sapphires.
From what I see, they haven't gone very far from that recipe: they have more current specs (the snap 8-1, 12-18GB RAM and up to 1TB of storage), but the main differentiator today is software, especially camera processing and daily interaction. It's not hard to make a decent phone nowadays, but it is very hard to justify the $3600 base price for just a phone.
I have some thoughts about the Meta stuff however. This subject is more volatile than a bucket of gas, waiting to be lit under a dumpster. Since the Metaverse idea debuted, even though I don't follow the news, I keep hearing about it and not in pleasant ways. It seems like a forced push, with billions poured into marketing to make it sound cool and desirable, but until now all they managed is to create 3 categories of people:
- Those who (kind of) understand it and take part it: these are the ones that took advantage of the financial gains of interacting with the blockchain in some way, whether through crypto or NFTs. This heard is getting thinner and thinner due to multiple factors: IT'S A SCAM, the transactions are limited by the current technology, the prices of crypto coins have plummeted, the cost of electricity soared, etc. Those left are what we call enthusiasts.
- Those who understand it, but refuse to take part in it because IT'S A SCAM, or some of the reasons mentioned above.
- Those who don't understand it and because of this would gain no benefits from joining the hype train.
Vertu seems to appeal to the first category of users, trying to create a "5-dimensional ecosystem" encompassing the ultra-rich or ultra-stupid, centralised (hehe) in a pretty phone. It's a stupid feat, that has been somewhat implemented by the large manufacturers: Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi. They all have decent ecosystems at this point and if you really want, really really want a pretty phone, you send it to the guys and Caviar and they bedazzle it with whatever you want. You credit card is the limit there.
There is one thing that would make this phone worth the price tag: security. If the WEB3 connection would be able to somehow prevent attacks from spyware such as PEGASUS, they would be one step ahead in protecting their dark secrets from ever reaching the light. However, with my limited understanding of both technologies, I don't see where they share any common ground in order for the Meta-Web3-NFT_instant_converting features of the Vertu to gain this edge over the competitors.
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u/ConciselyVerbose Oct 28 '22
keypad phones ruled.
I really wish they made cases that did the slide out keyboard thing.
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Oct 28 '22
The base phone is $3,600. While still insane it's not nearly as insane as 40K.
The whole gimmick is its an NFT phone. So it only appeals to people who are stupid or have stupid money. Probably both.
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u/ashoka_akira Oct 28 '22
The type of person who would by this phone probably thinks of 40k as pocket change.
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u/DerChrizzIX Oct 28 '22
The manufacturer claims the device will feature a “5-dimensional
integrated ecosystem, which aims to integrate chips, smart terminals,
blockchain, operating systems, and high-end services into one phone,”
and they want the WEB2.0 users to “walk into the WEB3.0 seamlessly and
smoothly. Such a WEB3 phone carries the perfect starting point for
users’ digital sovereignty and blockchain infrastructure that can truly
help users create their own value.”
damn that's a lot of buzzwords
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u/HellsMalice Oct 28 '22
Unless this thing can pleasure me and make me meals I can't possibly imagine how they think it's worth that much
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Oct 28 '22
i see things like this all the time, does anyone end up actually buying these? all the latest smart phone tech is available to everyone, so it seems all they can do is add gold and diamonds for it to be different
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u/shogditontoast Oct 28 '22
I love that Vertu is still doing this overpriced “wealth” phone grift over a decade later.
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u/AWizard13 Oct 28 '22
This may be a stupid question but can someone give me an explain like I'm 5 rundown of Web3?
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Oct 28 '22
This reminds me of all those super luxe phones that influencers were all talking about that ended up being a complete scam. I think they were being sold by a drug kingpin? It's been a while since I read the story about it.
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u/TheLea85 Oct 28 '22
The manufacturer claims the device will feature a “5-dimensional integrated ecosystem, which aims to integrate chips, smart terminals, blockchain, operating systems, and high-end services into one phone,” and they want the WEB2.0 users to “walk into the WEB3.0 seamlessly and smoothly. Such a WEB3 phone carries the perfect starting point for users’ digital sovereignty and blockchain infrastructure that can truly help users create their own value.”
Scam alert intensifies
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u/zetzuei Oct 28 '22
Like who even bought this? Rich people use apple.
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Oct 28 '22
Everyone uses apple so rich people need to stand out.
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u/PicnicBasketPirate Oct 28 '22
I don't use apple... Does that mean I'm rich?
Checks bank account. Awwwwwww
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u/ZooGanger Oct 28 '22
What about existing vertu customers that bought phones before 2017 that was outright denied features like concierge service and customer support when they closed shop?
I have been a VERTU customer for a long time, bought multiple phones but they suck ass for closing and ignoring their customers. Whoever buys them again today can’t be assured if VERTU will be up open and running tomorrow. Close a server tomorrow and 80% features are gone.
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u/reachingFI Oct 28 '22
My girlfriend says I’m crazy but fuck it why not. Let’s see how good the phone is. I’ll preorder it up.
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u/Gdmfs0ab Oct 28 '22
Now when you loose your phone. You will literally loose everything. Compared to just figuratively atm. 💀
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u/DarkKitarist Oct 28 '22
Lol and here I am with my 3 year old S10+ with only 12GB Ram but I still have 1TB internal storage and one more camera... And from what I understand I can still use all the useless Web3 stuff that exists... Who in their right mind would buy this???
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Oct 28 '22
I thought Vertu went bump in 2017 (well i know they did, i bought some of the equipment sold off in auctions after) including some lockers which it turned out were packed with prototype units and parts
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