If you haven’t already heard, Sharp Aquos is still very much alive and kicking, and the latest in the Aquos family is this: the Sharp Aquos R9. It is not quite a flagship device as far as the chip is concerned. It does however benefit from the latest midrange chip from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 with 12 GB of RAM.
For the uninitiated, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 series is positioned between the high-end 8 series and the more budget-friendly 6 series, offering a good balance of performance and efficiency for midrange smartphones.
The new Sharp Aquos R9 is set to launch in mid-July in Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Singapore. It is not quite a global launch; it is more like a regional launch. It is not known if the R9 will venture elsewhere.
The R9 is an exciting phone for at least two reasons in my opinion. There is the design and then there’s, well, Leica. The dual camera setup includes a “Leica-supervised” camera that offers a large 1/1.55-inch image sensor, Leica lens, and optical image stabilization for high-quality stills—even in low light conditions.
The device also features the largest stereo speakers in AQUOS history and a 240Hz Pro IGZO OLED display, enhancing both sound and visual experiences. Additionally, it includes a generative AI feature for summarizing voicemail messages (but, of course!).
Not going to lie. The design caught my eye even before the Leica branding on the camera module. It is a handsome device, boasting a revamped design overseen by Miyake Design founded by renowned designer Kazushige Miyake.
The new R9 adopts a straight-edge design featuring a recycled aluminum frame paired with a back cover with a very subtle curved edge. It has an uncommon squircle camera module with a chamfered silver edge that is both minimal and impactful at the same time.
It may not look like it but this latest Aquos device is one tough fellow. In addition to rocking IPX5, IPX8, and IP6X-rating, it conforms to MIL-STD-810G/MIL-STD-810H standards established by the US Department of Defense. The device is not just very waterproof, but it is also able to sustain drops, vibration, and extreme temperatures.
Here’s a rundown of the specifications straight from the source.
- OS: Android 14
- Chipset: Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform (2.8-GHz＋2.6-GHz＋1.9-GHz octa-core)
- Memory: 12 GB RAM/256 GB ROM
- Display: Approx. 6.5-inch full HD+ (1,080 x 2,340 pixels) Pro IGZO OLED display,1 to 240-Hz variable refresh rate
- Rear-facing Camera:
- Main Camera—Effective pixel count: Approx. 50.3 million; CMOS f1.9 lens [wide angle 84°; focal length: 23 mm equivalent], Optical image stabilizer
- Wide-angle Camera—Effective pixel count: Approx. 50.3 million; CMOS f2.2 lens [super wide angle 122°; focal length: 13 mm equivalent]
- Front-facing Camera: Effective pixel count: Approx. 50.3 million; CMOS f2.2 lens [wide angle 84°; focal length: 23 mm equivalent]
- Wi-Fi: IEEE802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be
- Bluetooth: Ver. 5.4.
- Battery: 5,000 mAh
- Durability: IPX5/IPX8/IP6X/MIL-STD-810G
- Biometric: Facial recognition (mask compatible), fingerprint authentication
- Others: Osaifu-Keitai (basically, mobile wallet), NFC, nanoSIM＋eSIM DSDV compatible, microSD card compatible
Pricing and exact availability vary from country to country. In any case, they are not made known to our knowledge. Meanwhile, if you read Japanese, you may learn more about the new Sharp Aquos R9 HERE [JP].
Images: Sharp [JP].
