New Year new phone! The Elephone Vowney, remember that phone teased almost a year ago, has finally arrived and I’ve not wasted anytime to get it on camera in my Elephone Vowney unboxing video.
The Elephone Vowney was announced back in about January, was originally slated for a June/July launch and eventually went on pre-sale in October. Well it’s January 2016 now and the phone has finally arrived so let’s see if it was worth the wait.
Elephone Vowney unboxing Video
Elephone Vowney first impressions
If you have seen the Elephone Vowney images, teasers and videos then the appearance of the phone is going to shock or surprise at all. The gold phone features a 5.5-inch 2K display, front facing 8 mega-pixel camera and thick 8.9mm body with a 4000mAh battery on the inside.
The Elephone Vowney is really impressive for its hardware. This version of the Vowney costs $299.99 but features hardware that wouldn’t look out of place on more expensive phones. The 535ppi display is a 2K model with 2560 x 1440 resolution, the phone is powered by the impressive Mediatek Helio X10, and there is 4GB RAM.
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There are more highlights too such as the 21 mega-pixel Sony IMX230 rear camera, dual LED flash, NFC and stock Android 5.1 too.
Although I have hand some hands on time with the Elephone Vowney in the past I was still surprised by the chin and navigation set up of the phone. As you can see in the photos, the Vowney has an oval icon that looks like it should be a home button, but infact this is a notification ‘breathing light’. I’m not sure if the phone has hardware buttons but so far I haven’t found a way of accessing them (if they are there) so an onscreen solution is used.
Another surprise is the fingerprint scanner on the rear of the phone. It’s set quite deeply in to the phone with a wide bezel meaning you really have to press your finger in to it for the system to register. Oddly the scanner isn’t a one touch solution so you must first wake the Elephone Vowney up before it will unlock. This is really disappointing at this price point.
I’ve only been using the phone for a few hours so I’m still likely to come across a few more details, but if you have any questions about the Elephone Vowney please feel free to ask me in the comments below.
My Vowney’s fingerprint sensor turns on the screen and unlocks, just have to press it firmly. it vibrates once and unlocks :/ can sometimes takes 2 attempts though
I don’t know why, but Elephone phones are very repulsive to me. They had quality issues and shitty ROMs before. Maybe they are better now, but still I dislike them. And they make 10 new models and 100 new concepts per month instead of trying to make one or two good devices.
I have a former co-worker who swears by Elephone. He falls hook, line and sinker for every model they throw at him. Don’t know what these Elephone fans (like our own E8hffff) sees in this brand. There are much better options out there for the same price or less. The software is still terrible on them, there are so many bugs I feel like I;m holding a portable ant farm. Each phone he has had, has suffered some sort of mechanical defect about 6 months in, and Elephone’s “support” is non existent.
4x Elephone 6000 / 6000 Pro within my circle of firends and family
– all without any issues, even after more than 6 month
– all with near stock Android working perfectly fluid
– all priced very reasonably at the time they were bought
2 words : quality control
Andy, here’s a suggestion for your unboxing videos: Make weighing of the phones on a digital scale part of them. For me personally, the weight of a device is a very important criterium, and I’ve noticed sellers’ sites do not always present the correct weight (They will often present lower weights – Or no mention of the weight at all).
thanks
I have found GSM Arena to be the most reliable with weights. Not sure if they will even have the Vowney listed though.
True, but like you said: They don’t list every phones, especially some of the ones we see here on Gizchina.
I wonder if being utterly ugly on the back side is one of the prerogative of Elephone’s smartphones. One full year and they didn’t manage to make it look decent.
This is why Elephone has been leaning more towards P9000 series. The Vowney is really for those that want the hardware features at a good price. If people wait a few months they may get similar hardware but better aesthetics from newer phones from Elephone as the Vowney, has been trapped in its era due to delays.
Or you could get the same hardware, in better phones from better brands now and not have to wait.
That’s the capitalist point of view Not having to wait for anything, not saying you are, or that waiting for elephone is the greatest of the ideas, but give the guy break or he may break apart.
It’s a realist point of view. Elephone has a horrible track record, until they can prove they can make a good phone and offer good support there is no reason to wait for them. A lot of people who know nothing about Chinese phones come to this site and read the comments for help on buying their first Chinese phone. I don’t want any of them to fall in the Elephone trap of seeing good specs and a good deal and thinking it’s a good phone. Until Elephone can prove me wrong there will be no breaks!