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This phone copies both the iPhone 8 and the Essential, even though they aren’t out

Published Aug 8th, 2017 8:33PM EDT
Sharp Aquos S2
Image: Zach Epstein, BGR

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Sharp just released a phone that “copies” two phones that don’t even exist, but have been leaking with regularity. One of them is Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone, a high-end Android device that’s been delayed with no apparent explanation. The other one is even more famous, as we see it pop up in rumors and reports on a daily basis: the iPhone 8.

How can the Sharp handset copy devices that aren’t even out? Well, take a quick look and within seconds you’ll recognize some similarities between the Sharp phone and the devices that may have inspired it:

Image source: Sharp

The phone in the image above is called the Aquos S2, an Android handset that wants to deliver a partial edge-to-edge screen experience. The top side features a camera notch reminiscent of the Essential Phone’s front-camera (below). But, curiously enough, the phone also packs a front-facing home button that houses a fingerprint sensor. So this isn’t the edge-to-edge display you were looking for. And what’s the deal with those top screen corners? Why aren’t they round?

On the back, we have a vertical dual lens camera setup that looks almost exactly like the iPhone 8’s rumored rear camera (see top image). However, the flash is placed below the cameras, not between them:

Image source: Sharp

When it comes to specs, the Aquos S2 packs a 5.5-inch 2K display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630/660 processor, 4GB/6GB of RAM, 64GB/128GB of storage, and a 3,020 mAh battery. That means the Sharp handset will not fight in the same league with the iPhone 8 and the Essential Phone when it comes to performance.

The cheapest Aquos S2 version costs around $373 and it’s available only in China right now.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.