Google may be the most popular search engine in the world but in some countries, it takes the back seat. For example, in Russia, the popular search engine is Yandex. The latest news is that Yandex has launched its first smartphone, the Yandex Telephone and it comes with its own voice assistant pronounced Alissa (sounds familiar?) but translates to Alice.
When it comes to specs, the Yandex Telephone can’t hold a candle to Google’s new Pixel smartphones. It has a 5.65-inch FHD+ LCD display, a Snapdragon 63. processor and 4GB of RAM. Built-in storage is 64GB and a hybrid dual SIM slot will let you use a MicroSD card for adding up to an extra 128GB.
On its rear is a 16MP + 5MP dual camera combo and a fingerprint scanner while the front is home to a 5MP camera with its own LED flash for brighter selfies.
The Yandex Telephone has an audio jack on top and Qualcomm Aqstic™ on board for better audio quality. There is NFC for contactless payment and it works with Yandex.Money, the search engine’s version of Google Pay.
The phone has a 3,050mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0, a USB-C port and dual-SIM dual LTE support,
Another main feature of the phone is its own voice assistant, Alissa/Alice which can do a lot of stuff such as identify songs, set reminders and alarms, give directions, make calls, and tell you about the weather etc.. You can also chat with it and play games with it if you are bored.
Yandex also says the phone has unlimited photo and video storage backup just like the Pixels. There are also some bunch of official cases made from different materials including silicone and fabric and a protective film to cover the screen.
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The Yandex Telephone is priced at RUB 17,990 (~$270) while the cases start at RUB 290 (~$4). You can purchase it on the official online store here.
