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RED’s Hydrogen Android phone is a contender for ‘WTF?’ product of the year

High-end camera maker RED is getting into smartphone business. The firm behind some of the most powerful 4K and 3D cameras in Hollywood has announced Hydrogen, an expensive new Android phone, featuring a “holographic” 3D screen.

With the Hydrogen phone, RED seems to touting display tech similar to the glasses-free 3D available on the Nintendo 3DS, but it’s difficult to tell given the amount of marketing guff in the press release on Thursday.

While real details are still thin on the ground, the company confirmed (via TechCrunch) the 5.7-inch display uses nanotechnology to move “between traditional 2D content, holographic multi-view content, 3D content, and interactive games.”

Related: Best smartphone

The phone is also modular too, with RED promising Hydrogen will be compatible with its camera products and an “ever-expanding modular component system.” It has USB-C connectivity, multi-dimensional audio tech, a headphone jack and microSD connectivity.

Today’s announcement features no mention of the device’s cameras, which you’d assume would be front and centre of any RED release.

For the privilege of this AR-friendly display, RED is charging $1,195 for the aluminium edition or $1,595 for a titanium-built device.

Amazingly, with so few details confirmed, the company is taking pre-orders for Hydrogen ahead of shipping in early 2018.

The firm says it “will NOT be able to fill all orders on time due to display production limitations,” so it is assuming plenty of people are willing to hand over a huge sum for a smartphone they know little about.

Can you recall a more bizarre smartphone launch than this? Drop us a line in the comments section below.

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