Yota's LCD/e-ink phone could go global thanks to Qualcomm licensing

Yota Phone
The aptly named Yota Phone is truly unique

If you think smartphone designs are getting a little stale, you may want to hold out for the next export from Russia-based Yota Devices.

Thanks in part to a licensing deal with Qualcomm, the company's two-sided Yota Phones, which combine e-ink and LCD displays, could soon hit the global market.

Yota Devices announced at Mobile World Congress on Wednesday that a new software licensing agreement with Qualcomm will bring LTE smartphones, modems and routers to market in Russia.

As TechCrunch pointed out, the deal will also help Yota compete on a global scale.

But what's in it for me?

This is Qualcomm's first software licensing deal in Russia, a market that it sees as "strategically important," according to Qualcomm Europe President and Senior Vice President of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Enrico Salvatori.

"We expect strong growth in the number of 3G smartphones [in Russia] over the next two years," he said.

But for Yota Devices, the Qualcomm deal means an easier way into the global market.

Yota has made its bread and butter up to now with modems and routers within Russia - the Android Jelly Bean-powered Yota Phone being its first foray into smartphones.

According to TechCrunch, the Yota Phone will debut in Russia during the second half of 2013, with an Asian release to follow. If the two-faced phone catches on, the company will undoubtedly look to a worldwide release, and with Qualcomm's weight behind it, that transition could be easier than some might expect.

That is, of course, if people want to buy a two-faced phone.

'Yoda' or 'Yota?'

The Yota Phone certainly has strange powers.

There's a 4.3-inch, 1280 x 720 LCD display on the phone's face, while the back features a 4.3-inch e-ink electronic paper display.

The e-ink side can be used to see notifications, check the time, answer calls and more, while the LCD display only needs to be woken up for videos, web browsing, and other similar functions.

Since the e-ink display uses just a trickle of battery power, the Yota Phone apparently can last a fair amount of time a single charge.

Presumably, it will make a decent e-reader, too.

Via TechCrunch

Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.

Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.

Latest in Phones
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge colors seemingly revealed in new video, and there’s another sign of an imminent launch
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
The iPhone 17 Air looks impressively slim in this new comparison image, but that just makes me more worried about the specs
Two Android phones on a green and blue background showing Google Messages
Google Messages just added a fun upgrade to one of its best chat features
Samsung Galaxy S25 on a blue deals background
Bored with your iPhone? The ‘incredible’ Samsung Galaxy S25 just hit a record-low price in the Amazon Spring Sale
Samsung Galaxy S25 from the front
The Now Bar on Samsung One UI 7 is about to get a lot more useful – and could soon match Live Activities on iOS
An iPhone running iOS 18 on a purple and blue background
iOS 18.4 could launch soon with a major upgrade to your iPhone’s notifications
Latest in News
Garmin clippd integration
Garmin's golf watches just got a big software integration upgrade to help you improve your game
Robert Downey Jr reveals himself as Doctor Doom to a delighted crowd at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
Marvel is currently making a major announcement about Avengers: Doomsday's cast on YouTube, and I think it's going to be a long-winded reveal
Samsung QN90F on yellow background
Samsung announces US prices for its 2025 mini-LED TV lineup, and it’s good and bad news
Nintendo Switch Lite
Forget the Nintendo Switch 2, the original Switch is getting one last hurrah in a surprise Nintendo Direct tomorrow
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge colors seemingly revealed in new video, and there’s another sign of an imminent launch
Microsoft Copiot Studio deep reasoning and agent flows
Microsoft reveals OpenAI-powered Copilot AI agents to bosot your work research and data analysis