FRONT camera functionality is becoming just as important as having an effective rear-facing camera, and is rapidly climbing up the UAE smartphone shopper priority list, according to the country's value-driven mobile brand, ‘Four'. In an era where selfies have become an integral part of the smartphone experience, a trend bolstered by the availability of photo-based applications, such as Instagram and Snapchat, high resolution front-facing cameras have become an essential smartphone feature for customers. Great pictures, however, often come with a high price tag, which is a problem Four aims to solve with its new S550 and S600 handsets. "Sharing experiences is one of the main objectives of owning a smartphone, and so a device's capacity to deliver on this promise plays a central role in consumer choice," said Faisal Al Bannai, Four CEO and Founder. "This is where hi-res front cameras come in – they enhance the device's selfie, and therefore experience-sharing, capability. Customers no longer want to compromise on photo quality when taking selfies of themselves or with their friends and loved ones – the time of the VGA or 2MP camera is long gone." "Nevertheless, shoppers are not prepared to make an extensive investment in a camera phone, and that is why it must be packaged intelligently with other key smartphone features to truly offer customers value." According to recent statistics from the International Data Corporation (IDC), phones priced under USD 200 account for more than one-third (36%) of the Middle East smartphone market, while at the other end of the spectrum the $450+ price band has seen its share fall from 25 percent in Africa and 48 percent in the Middle East in 2014, to 14 percent and 34 percent in 2015. The new S550 and S600 handsets represent Four's approach to the growing value market, combining high quality and low price by focusing on the features customers will use the most. At a very appealing AED399, the S550 features a 13MP Rear camera with autofocus and flash, as well as a front 5MP camera also with flash, and 1080p HD recording for lifelike photos and videos. In addition to the smartphone's 16GB of internal memory, the device also supports an external memory card of up to 128GB. Powered by a 1 GHZ Quadcore processer and featuring 1GB RAM. With the S550, camera and video are comparable with flagship models from major global brands despite the low price. For a slightly higher price of AED499, the S600 offers a high-speed smartphone to keep up with the large influx of data that comes through a high-speed network. With a 1.3 GHZ Quadcore processor and with 2GB RAM, it has the power to deliver an uninterrupted mobile experience. Four describes S600 as the ‘Super Selfie' phone, featuring an 8MP front camera for beautiful selfies with friends and family, as well as 1080p HD recording capability for videos, which can all be vividly displayed on the handset's 5.5-inch HD IPS OnCell touchscreen. Advanced camera features include multi-angle view mode, panorama mode, motion track mode, PIP mode, and beauty face mode. The device also doubles up as a remote control, enabling users to conveniently control their TV, DVD player, CD player, or home theatre system with their most prized possession – their smartphone. "Through close collaboration with our suppliers, we have been able to merge style with functionality, and this is precisely what we offer with our new range of handsets – the Four S550 and the Four S600. We're making it possible for everyone, regardless of income or status, to enjoy all the possibilities of enhanced mobile connectivity," Al Bannai noted.
