“Why can’t we be friends?” seems to ask Bluebird, the South Korean manufacturer of business smartphones that run Android along with Windows Phone.
The idea of making dual OS smartphones is not particularly new, as others planned to bring Android and Ubuntu or Android and Firefox OS together. However, none of the previous OS cohabitation projects implied something so radical. After all, Ubuntu and Firefox OS are Linux-based operating systems, so there couldn’t have been any compatibility issues. Putting Android KitKat and Windows Phone 8 in the same device, on the other hand, looked from the start like a challenge Bluebird was willing to take. As a sidenote, Asian companies seem to be a lot more adventurous when it comes to innovation, while others prefer to play it safe.
Bluebird did not actually include the vanilla version of Windows Phone 8 in their BM180 and BP30 devices, but Windows Embedded Handheld 8, which is a build for enterprise smartphones such as the ones offered by this South Korean company. Bluebird BM180 will come in two versions, both sporting a 5″ display. On one hand, consumers will be able to choose between 1920×1080, 16GB of internal storage, 2GB of RAM, a 4,500 mAh battery, and 1280×720, 8GB of internal memory, 1GB of RAM and a 3,000 mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the device will feature 4G/LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and HSPA+, everything a businessman could want in an enterprise smartphone.
I must admit, the first option seems very appealing, even though today’s trend is to go for more internal memory and QHD displays. The only major drawback of the BM180 is the 8 MP rear camera, something that leaves a lot to be desired, by current standards. Bluebird also equipped the device with a HD front facing camera that could prove useful for video calls. To compensate for that, Bluebird included a barcode scanner, an integrated MSR (magnetic stripe reader) and a contactless card reader. Bear in mind that the last two features, pictured below, are optional.
BM180 will also come in a rugged version known as Bluebird BM30. The manufacturer pointed out clearly that both these devices are aimed for enterprise use, and for typical consumers. Bluebird did not disclose any details regarding the price and availability of these two devices, just that they will soon come to the US, as companies located there have already purchased such handsets for business use.
If you liked this post, please check the Chrome OS-Windows 8 cohabitation and the patent Samsung filed for a dual-screen smartphone.
