Chinese company unveils smartphone with sensor that takes temperatures down to a tenth of a degree when held next to your wrist or face
- The phone can read one’s temperature when held next to a wrist or face
- Honor says that it can read temperatures down to a tenth of a degree
- The feature will look to capitalize on fears over COVID-19
- The phone will be released in China and doesn’t have an international date yet
Chinese smartphone purveyor, Honor, has unveiled a smartphone with the capability to read a user’s temperature.
The phone, called the Honor Play 4 Pro was unveiled in a video on the company’s Weibo account according to XDA Developers and can apparently use a built-in sensor to gauge temperature when held up to one’s wrist or face.
Honor, which is a subsidiary of the Chinese smartphone giant Huawei, plans to release the device in China but hasn’t announced any plans fo an international release.
The phone can be held up to a person’s face and read their temperature down to a tenth of a degree (pictured)
The handset will go on sale in China for about $420 including the temperature sensor or $407 without.
As reported by The Verge, the Play 4 Pro will work in a fairly extensive spectrum of temperatures that range from -20 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius or about -4 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to Honor, the phone can read temperatures down to tenths of a degrees.
While a sensor that’s capable of taking one’s temperature might not usually be big selling point in a smartphone, the device may find an audience among China’s consume base given the ongoing pandemic.
Honor’s Play 4 and Play 4 Pro (pictured) will also come with 8GB of RAM and two rear-facing cameras
Theoretically, having a thermometer on hand at all times could help people make informed decisions on whether to go to the doctor, stay home, or just generally check in on their wellbeing.
Outside of the the temperature sensor, the Play 4 Pro will come with 8GB of RAM, and two rear cameras, including a zoom. Both models of the phone will support 5G and have 1080p displays according to The Verge.