First Close Up Look at the Yes 4G Android Phone

Fellow blogger and uber geek Albert Ng was doing his walkabout at this weekend’s KL PC Fair when he glanced upon a Yes 4G employee with something very peculiar in her hand.

Albert’s laser-sharp eyes saw that the Yes 4G employee held a device that he had never seen before. His fast thinking and epic photo-snipping skills produced the shot that you see above. It is probably the first real close-up look of the Yes 4G Android smartphone.

Always very economical with his words, Albert’s describes the device to have a back, home and menu button like the CSL Droidpad – and that’s it. Albert is usually very meticulous as well and if he had more details, we’re pretty sure he would have shared it with us. It’s very possible that he couldn’t get a real chance to examine the device in more detail but in any case, very little about the Yes 4G Android phone is secret anyway.

As far as we know, Yes 4G smartphone is expected to run Android 2.2 Froyo and feature a 1Ghz single-core processor, between 512MB to 1GB of RAM, a 4-inch LCD display and a 5MP rear camera. The device will also feature dual-mode 3G/4G capability allowing users to use a 3G SIM card for calls and texts and Yes’ 4G network for data.

The device hardware puts the Yes 4G Android phone well within the entry-level segment. Pricing for the device is still a mystery but we think anything over RM1,000 would make potential customers look elsewhere. Sources close to Yes 4G have indicated that the device is planned to be launched before the second half of this year with the operator possibly offering the device for free with contract.

The Yes 4G Android smartphone was first announced soon after the Yes 4G service was launched way back in November 2010. Tan Sri Francis Yeoh, the top front man of the YTL empire, the people that build the Yes 4G network, said early last year that the device will be launched in August 2011. That deadline has come and gone yet there’s still no Android smartphone from Yes 4G. Let’s hope that there will be no more delays this time around.

The Yes 4G Android phone will be facing some very tough competition from the likes of HTC, Samsung and Sony, all of which have very capable entry level and mid range Android devices that are attractively priced and are packed with features and run on the more current Android OS. The team at Yes will have their work cut out for them to attract buyers from this very price conscious segment. It’s going to be interesting.

Big thanks to Albert for the picture.