Lenovo IdeaPhone K900
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
|---|---|
| Founded | November 1, 1984 in Beijing, China |
| Headquarters | Beijing , China |
| Products | Smartphones, computers, electronics |
The Lenovo IdeaPhone K900 represents a premium smartphone equipped with a sizable 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display boasting a pixel density exceeding 400 pixels per inch, safeguarded by Corning Gorilla Glass 2. Introduced at the 2013 International CES in Las Vegas, the device features a slim profile of 6.9 mm thickness and weighs 162 grams. Its unibody design integrates stainless steel with polycarbonate materials to enhance durability.
At its core, the K900 is driven by an Intel Atom Z2580 dual-core processor capable of reaching speeds up to 2.0 GHz with hyper-threading technology. The system incorporates an Intel graphics engine paired with a PowerVR SGX 544MP2 GPU, delivering competitive performance within its segment.
One of the device’s distinguishing attributes is its 13-megapixel rear camera, which includes an f1.8 aperture lens—a first in smartphones—allowing for exceptional low-light photography without the need for flash. The front-facing camera features an 88-degree wide-angle lens designed specifically for selfies and video calls.
Primarily aimed at emerging markets in Asia, Lenovo rolled out the K900 across China, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Philippines, and Vietnam by mid-2013, with intentions to enter ten more markets later that year. To enhance its appeal in these regions, Lenovo collaborated with professional basketball player Kobe Bryant to endorse the smartphone throughout China and Southeast Asia.
Reviews
In their evaluation, CNET editors observed that Lenovo implements its proprietary Le Phone user interface on top of Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) for the K900. They acknowledged features such as shortcut buttons providing quick access to settings and an animated swirling transition between app drawer pages but expressed reservations regarding the overall UI experience.
Mario Aguilar from Gizmodo commended the K900’s Full HD IPS display with 400ppi for its clarity and seamless integration with the bezel design. He also praised the device’s slim and smooth rear panel, noting the absence of any camera bump.
The Times of India highlighted the robust hardware capabilities of the K900, pointing out efficient multitasking, fluid app transitions, and competent performance in demanding gaming and web browsing scenarios. GPS functionality and call quality were described as dependable though not exceptional. The primary critique focused on Lenovo’s customized UI replacing stock Android Jelly Bean; while this did not affect performance, it was considered less intuitive and visually appealing than standard Android interfaces, albeit acknowledging that UI preference varies individually.
Updates
Lenovo issued a software update that upgraded the operating system to Android version 4.3 and substituted the Lotus UI with Vibe UI. Users have the option to perform this update through PC software or by manually flashing the Vibe ROM.