Surprise! Haier releases phones and smartwatch

Whenever someone hears the name “Haier,” two questions usually pop up: “What is it?” or “Don’t they make TVs?” With that and the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona recently concluded, the next question is, “What are they doing at the MWC?” Well, they make mobile devices as well, branded as the HaierPhone. This year, Haier unveiled four new mid-tier Android smartphones starting with the HaierPhone V6.

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The HaierPhone V6 LTE smartphone has a 5.5-inch, 1080p display with a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP camera in front. Running the V6 is a MediaTek MT6750 64-bit, octa-core SoC with 3GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. It also has a 2,900mAh battery that supports quick charging. It runs on the latest Android OS, 6.0 Marshmallow.

Next is the HaierPhone V4. Similar to the V6, the V4 comes with a 5.5-inch, 1080p display along with a 13MP rear camera. The V4 has a fingerprint scanner at the back. Inside, you’ll find a MediaTek 64-bit, octa-core SoC (no mention on what model) with 2GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. Unlike the V6, the V4 will have Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box.

The HaierPhone L60 features a smaller 5.2-inch display with a 720p resolution and a 13MP rear camera. The L60 sports a MediaTek MT6735 quad-core SoC running at 1.3GHz. This is partnered with 3GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage with Android 5.1 Lollipop OS. There is also a fingerprint scanner found at the back of the L60.

The HaierPhone L56 has a bigger display at 5.5-inches but still has a 720p resolution. It packs the same MediaTek MT6735 quad-core SoC as the L60 but with only 2GB RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. It also has a 13MP rear camera and a fingerprint scanner as well.

This year, Haier introduces its first smartwatch, the Haier Watch, as well. Based on Android Wear and sporting the latest version, Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Haier Watch sports a round face but without the “flat tire” of other notable Android Wear watches. The 1.4-inch, 400×400 resolution display is inside a 42mm stainless steel casing. Although the Haier Watch does not have Wi-Fi or NFC, it has Bluetooth to connect to a smartphone. There is also 8GB worth of storage for apps and music. Speaking of music, the watch also has a built-in speaker where you can listen to music straight from the watch itself. It has a microphone as well; so you can use it as to take and receive calls without bringing out your smartphone. While Haier has not stated what is driving the Haier Watch, it does have 1GB of RAM to play with. As with most smartwatches, the Haier Watch features fitness functions such as heart rate and activity tracking.

The Haier Watch will be available in three colors (silver, gold, and black) and will have different straps as well.

While pricing has not been set on the L56, the V6, the V4, and the L60 will range around 246 Euros to 349 Euros or around PhP12,800 to PhP18,300 (before VAT). As for the Haier Watch, the company has stated it will cost around 200 Euro or PhP10,500 (before VAT). There is no word on when and if we’ll these devices in our shores.