Google's Project Tango effort to pack 3D mapping in a smartphone will reportedly hit the scene next month, starting with the Lenovo Phab2 Pro.
After Google's Project Ara got canceled and Lenovo's Phab2 Pro was delayed, there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding Project Tango. The Phab2 Pro was supposed to launch this summer as Google's first Project Tango smartphone, but was delayed to a vague "fall" release.
Some wondered whether Project Tango would ever see the light of day, but it now seems that it will — and soon. According to CNET, Google's Clay Bavor confirmed that Project Tango's Lenovo Phab2 Pro is all set to debut in November.
For those unfamiliar with the massive phone, the Lenovo Phab2 Pro boasts a 6.4-inch display and 3D mapping capabilities, tracking your surroundings and displaying content in an augmented reality manner like it's right there in front of you. This could be greatly useful in various scenarios where visualization is essential, such as redecorating or picking out new furniture.
The phablet packs a Snapdragon 652 processor specifically optimized for Tango apps, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, microSD support for up to 126 GB of additional storage, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow on the software side. The massive 6.4-inch display has a QHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels and can adapt to different lighting conditions.
The Lenovo Phab2 Pro will come at a $499 price point unlocked and go on sale in the United States sometime in November, albeit a specific date is not available at this point.
It's worth pointing that while the new Google Pixel smartphones will play nice with the Daydream VR headset, the Lenovo Phab2 Pro will not be compatible because it doesn't have an AMOLED display to properly support VR.
Consequently, those looking to buy a new Google phone next month may want to think twice whether they want AR or VR. Both the Lenovo Phab2 Pro and the Google Pixels will go on sale in November, but they will offer different experiences.
If you're looking for augmented reality, the Lenovo Phab2 Pro should do the trick. If VR is more up your alley, the new Google Pixel and Pixel XL will be the first two smartphones that are Daydream VR-ready.
Google has yet to make an official announcement regarding Project Tango and the Lenovo Phab2 Pro release, but we'll let you know as soon as it does.
