Sharp’s New Smartphone Matches iPhone 4’s Retina Display

The iPhone 4 has a great, super-high-resolution screen, but it’s about to have some company. Sharp’s new smartphone, dubbed the IS03, houses a screen which has the same dimensions and resolution as that of the iPhone 4’s. Measuring 3.5 inches diagonally and bearing a 960 by 640 resolution, Sharp’s IS03 has the highest pixel density found on a non-Apple smartphone.

Sharp claims that the display has great viewing angles thanks to the advanced super view (ASV) display technology found within–a technology which is said to be similar to that of In Plane Switiching (IPS).

The high-end phone will run on Google’s Android operating system, however it won’t run on the latest version of the OS. Instead of coming preloaded with version 2.2, the device will ship with the older 2.1 version of Android. Lame.

Other things packed into Sharp’s Japan-only smartphone include a 9.6-megapixel camera, contactless technology for payments, and a TV-tuner.

Sharp offered no word on whether the handset will be released outside of Japan.

[via Phandroid]

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