Bentley and Vertu connect with Special Edition Android Smartphone
Bentley unveiled its first handset created in collaboration with Vertu, the manufacturer of luxury mobile phones. The ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset, with its combination of audio performance and curated services, delivers a unique sensory experience. It is the first joint product release from the new five-year partnership of the two British luxury brands, which was announced in July.
The partnership
At the headquarters of Bentley in Crewe, Kevin Rose, Member of the Board for Sales and Marketing of Bentley Motors, said: “The partnership between Bentley and Vertu allows customers to experience the Bentley brand while out of the driving seat. The look and feel of the handset is a consequence of a strong collaboration between the Bentley and Vertu creative teams. The handset’s design and materials, when coupled with its exclusive services, integrated Bentley content and high-performance technology, embody what both Bentley and Vertu stand for, and deliver what our customers are looking for.”
Vertu’s Chief Executive Officer, Massimiliano Pogliani commented: “The new ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset captures the essence of both our brands. It combines English handcraftsmanship, contemporary elegance, outstanding performance and cutting-edge technology.
“Our collaboration with Bentley unites both companies’ proud British heritage, as well as unrivalled expertise in the luxury and technology markets, to create a handset which exceeds the expectations of our mutual customer base. The result is ‘Vertu for Bentley’, a device which not only reflects sophistication and discerning taste, but also performs to an undeniably high technical standard to deliver an effortless, intuitive luxury mobile experience.”
The Design
The ‘Vertu for Bentley’ smartphone is swathed in quilted calf leather, in the classic Bentley shade of Newmarket Tan, and stitched with a diamond pattern.
The supple leather is encased in durable, yet lightweight, titanium, which features tactile diamond knurling. This detailing on the side rails is complemented by an engine-turned pattern on the handset’s titanium back plate, which opens to reveal the engraved signature of the craftsman who meticulously constructed the phone, from start to finish, at Vertu’s headquarters in Church Crookham, England.
The traditional ceramic pillow, synonymous with established Vertu handsets such as the Signature and Signature Touch collections, has been subtly remodelled to feature a sleeker pillow trim, to reflect Bentley’s elegant and sophisticated style.
Each and every ‘Vertu for Bentley’ phone celebrates the new partnership by sporting a discrete, metal Bentley ‘B’ wings motif on the face of the handset. The complimentary slip case which accompanies every ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset, also depicts the Bentley logo, embossed on the Newmarket Tan calf leather.
The Services
The ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset comes with the full spectrum of exclusive services which the luxury mobile phone manufacturer has become renowned for - comprising a dedicated ‘Vertu Concierge’ service, curated events and experiences via ‘Vertu Life’, and security services from ‘Vertu Certainty’ – alongside a unique ‘Vertu for Bentley’ app, which delivers exclusive Bentley content directly to the device.
This bespoke application provides customers with access to official Bentley articles, exclusive experiences, recommended routes and local chauffeur and dealer information, as well as a shortcut to the Touch Screen Remote features for Bentley Flying Spur drivers. Exclusive Bentley experiences and the latest Bentley content for owners and enthusiasts, plus Bentley dealer and service centres is also offered. In addition, the ‘Vertu for Bentley’ smartphone will feature custom start-up animation, 3D clock, 3D wallpaper and Bentley wallpapers.
The Performance
‘Vertu for Bentley’ is a high-performance smartphone using best-in-class technology with superior handcrafted materials, including grade-5 titanium, solid sapphire crystal which creates a virtually scratch-proof screen and hand-finished calf leather.
Mirroring the performance of the Vertu Signature Touch, the ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset incorporates the full breadth of the company’s expertise. The acoustics, tuned in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen, feature Dolby Digital Plus virtual surround-sound processing and stereo speakers. As for imaging, which is such an integral part of the smartphone experience, Vertu has continued to work with Hasselblad, the world’s most renowned professional photography brand, to perfect the image-tuning of the camera.
Alongside the sterling performance of the audio and imaging, ‘Vertu for Bentley’ features wireless charging, NFC and Android™ 4.4 (KitKat) software.
The Future
This inaugural ‘Vertu for Bentley’ model is planned to be followed by a further four distinctive, luxury smartphones, each of which will encompass authentic and iconic Bentley design elements and exclusive lifestyle services.
Limited to just 2,000 pieces, the new ‘Vertu for Bentley’ smartphone is available in selected Vertu Boutiques worldwide from October, and priced from £10,700 / €12,500 / $17,100.
‘VERTU FOR BENTLEY’ SPECIFICATION
Length: 145mm, Width: 69mm, Depth: 10.65mm
Weight: 192g
SERVICES†
Vertu LIFE. Vertu CERTAINTY. Vertu Concierge, Exclusive Bentley Content available on-device
OPERATING SYSTEM
Android™ 4.4 (KitKat)
HARDWARE CHARACTERISTICS
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 2.3GHz Quad-core processor
4.7” 1080p, brilliant, high contrast display at 473dpi, protected by sapphire crystal
13 MP main camera with autofocus and twin LED flash
2.1MP Skype™ compliant front camera
64GB of internal memory
Stereo High-fidelity 11mm x 15mm loudspeakers with Dolby® Digital Plus surround sound decoding support
A-GPS + Compass
Gyro and accelerometer for orientation and game play
Qi Compatible Wireless Charging
Battery†:
Internal 2275mAh Li-ion
Talk time: Up to 15 hrs 30 mins (WCDMA)
Stand-by: Up to 380 hrs
CONNECTIVITY
Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
WCDMA Bands I, II, IV, V, VIII
DC-HSPA+ Release 8, Cat24, 42Mb/s Downlink, Cat6 5.76Mb/s Uplink
LTE Bands# 1-5,7,8,17,20 & 25
LTE FDD# Cat4,150Mb/s Downlink, 50Mb/s Uplink
Dual-band WLAN 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac inc. WAPI for PRC
MicroAB USB system connector with USB On-The-Go support
3.5mm audio socket
Bluetooth® v4.0 + LE
CSR aptX® high quality encoded audio support
NFC including support for embedded and SIM based secure elements
WiFi hotspot (tethering & portable hotspot)
APPLICATIONS
Vertu applications†, including Life, Certainty, Recommended apps & Remote assist
Google Mobile services#, including Google Play™, Gmail™, Google Chrome™, Google+™, Google Maps™, Google Drive™ cloud storage, YouTube™ and other services.
Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Clock, Downloads, Email, Gallery, Messaging, Movie Studio, Music‡, People, Phone, Settings
Selected Baidu mobile applications‡ and AutoNavi Maps‡
USER INTERFACE DISPLAY LANGUAGES
Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Czech, English (GB), English (US), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish (ES), Spanish (US), Thai, Traditional Chinese (Twn), Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
WITH THE PHONE†
Vertu for Bentley phone
Vertu for Bentley slip case
Wired stereo headset with remote
Wall charger with regional plug heads
microUSB cable 1200 mm
Polishing cloth
NanoSIM card adapter
Collateral pack, including Quick Start Guide, Warranty Booklet and Authenticity Card
† Some features are location, network and/or service dependent
# RoW (Rest of the World) software build only
‡ China software build only
The partnership
At the headquarters of Bentley in Crewe, Kevin Rose, Member of the Board for Sales and Marketing of Bentley Motors, said: “The partnership between Bentley and Vertu allows customers to experience the Bentley brand while out of the driving seat. The look and feel of the handset is a consequence of a strong collaboration between the Bentley and Vertu creative teams. The handset’s design and materials, when coupled with its exclusive services, integrated Bentley content and high-performance technology, embody what both Bentley and Vertu stand for, and deliver what our customers are looking for.”
Vertu’s Chief Executive Officer, Massimiliano Pogliani commented: “The new ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset captures the essence of both our brands. It combines English handcraftsmanship, contemporary elegance, outstanding performance and cutting-edge technology.
“Our collaboration with Bentley unites both companies’ proud British heritage, as well as unrivalled expertise in the luxury and technology markets, to create a handset which exceeds the expectations of our mutual customer base. The result is ‘Vertu for Bentley’, a device which not only reflects sophistication and discerning taste, but also performs to an undeniably high technical standard to deliver an effortless, intuitive luxury mobile experience.”
The Design
The ‘Vertu for Bentley’ smartphone is swathed in quilted calf leather, in the classic Bentley shade of Newmarket Tan, and stitched with a diamond pattern.
The supple leather is encased in durable, yet lightweight, titanium, which features tactile diamond knurling. This detailing on the side rails is complemented by an engine-turned pattern on the handset’s titanium back plate, which opens to reveal the engraved signature of the craftsman who meticulously constructed the phone, from start to finish, at Vertu’s headquarters in Church Crookham, England.
The traditional ceramic pillow, synonymous with established Vertu handsets such as the Signature and Signature Touch collections, has been subtly remodelled to feature a sleeker pillow trim, to reflect Bentley’s elegant and sophisticated style.
Each and every ‘Vertu for Bentley’ phone celebrates the new partnership by sporting a discrete, metal Bentley ‘B’ wings motif on the face of the handset. The complimentary slip case which accompanies every ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset, also depicts the Bentley logo, embossed on the Newmarket Tan calf leather.
The Services
The ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset comes with the full spectrum of exclusive services which the luxury mobile phone manufacturer has become renowned for - comprising a dedicated ‘Vertu Concierge’ service, curated events and experiences via ‘Vertu Life’, and security services from ‘Vertu Certainty’ – alongside a unique ‘Vertu for Bentley’ app, which delivers exclusive Bentley content directly to the device.
This bespoke application provides customers with access to official Bentley articles, exclusive experiences, recommended routes and local chauffeur and dealer information, as well as a shortcut to the Touch Screen Remote features for Bentley Flying Spur drivers. Exclusive Bentley experiences and the latest Bentley content for owners and enthusiasts, plus Bentley dealer and service centres is also offered. In addition, the ‘Vertu for Bentley’ smartphone will feature custom start-up animation, 3D clock, 3D wallpaper and Bentley wallpapers.
The Performance
‘Vertu for Bentley’ is a high-performance smartphone using best-in-class technology with superior handcrafted materials, including grade-5 titanium, solid sapphire crystal which creates a virtually scratch-proof screen and hand-finished calf leather.
Mirroring the performance of the Vertu Signature Touch, the ‘Vertu for Bentley’ handset incorporates the full breadth of the company’s expertise. The acoustics, tuned in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen, feature Dolby Digital Plus virtual surround-sound processing and stereo speakers. As for imaging, which is such an integral part of the smartphone experience, Vertu has continued to work with Hasselblad, the world’s most renowned professional photography brand, to perfect the image-tuning of the camera.
Alongside the sterling performance of the audio and imaging, ‘Vertu for Bentley’ features wireless charging, NFC and Android™ 4.4 (KitKat) software.
The Future
This inaugural ‘Vertu for Bentley’ model is planned to be followed by a further four distinctive, luxury smartphones, each of which will encompass authentic and iconic Bentley design elements and exclusive lifestyle services.
Limited to just 2,000 pieces, the new ‘Vertu for Bentley’ smartphone is available in selected Vertu Boutiques worldwide from October, and priced from £10,700 / €12,500 / $17,100.
‘VERTU FOR BENTLEY’ SPECIFICATION
Length: 145mm, Width: 69mm, Depth: 10.65mm
Weight: 192g
SERVICES†
Vertu LIFE. Vertu CERTAINTY. Vertu Concierge, Exclusive Bentley Content available on-device
OPERATING SYSTEM
Android™ 4.4 (KitKat)
HARDWARE CHARACTERISTICS
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 2.3GHz Quad-core processor
4.7” 1080p, brilliant, high contrast display at 473dpi, protected by sapphire crystal
13 MP main camera with autofocus and twin LED flash
2.1MP Skype™ compliant front camera
64GB of internal memory
Stereo High-fidelity 11mm x 15mm loudspeakers with Dolby® Digital Plus surround sound decoding support
A-GPS + Compass
Gyro and accelerometer for orientation and game play
Qi Compatible Wireless Charging
Battery†:
Internal 2275mAh Li-ion
Talk time: Up to 15 hrs 30 mins (WCDMA)
Stand-by: Up to 380 hrs
CONNECTIVITY
Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
WCDMA Bands I, II, IV, V, VIII
DC-HSPA+ Release 8, Cat24, 42Mb/s Downlink, Cat6 5.76Mb/s Uplink
LTE Bands# 1-5,7,8,17,20 & 25
LTE FDD# Cat4,150Mb/s Downlink, 50Mb/s Uplink
Dual-band WLAN 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac inc. WAPI for PRC
MicroAB USB system connector with USB On-The-Go support
3.5mm audio socket
Bluetooth® v4.0 + LE
CSR aptX® high quality encoded audio support
NFC including support for embedded and SIM based secure elements
WiFi hotspot (tethering & portable hotspot)
APPLICATIONS
Vertu applications†, including Life, Certainty, Recommended apps & Remote assist
Google Mobile services#, including Google Play™, Gmail™, Google Chrome™, Google+™, Google Maps™, Google Drive™ cloud storage, YouTube™ and other services.
Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Clock, Downloads, Email, Gallery, Messaging, Movie Studio, Music‡, People, Phone, Settings
Selected Baidu mobile applications‡ and AutoNavi Maps‡
USER INTERFACE DISPLAY LANGUAGES
Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Czech, English (GB), English (US), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish (ES), Spanish (US), Thai, Traditional Chinese (Twn), Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
WITH THE PHONE†
Vertu for Bentley phone
Vertu for Bentley slip case
Wired stereo headset with remote
Wall charger with regional plug heads
microUSB cable 1200 mm
Polishing cloth
NanoSIM card adapter
Collateral pack, including Quick Start Guide, Warranty Booklet and Authenticity Card
† Some features are location, network and/or service dependent
# RoW (Rest of the World) software build only
‡ China software build only