Vertu readying second-generation Ascent phone

Vertu today inadvertently revealed that a first true successor to its Ascent luxury phone is in the works. A just-published FCC filing reveals that the new device, simply named the Ascent Ti, will show changes both inside and out. The phone will gain its first camera at 3 megapixels and will gain UMTS mobile Internet access for when the phone is used in Europe. The design should also revolve around a more ergonomic grip with a ridged titanium shell that inspires the device's name. Sapphire, scratchproof coating on the LCD as well as gold trim are features inherited from earlier Vertu models.

The relatively complete state of the phone at the FCC points to a close release that could occur before the end of the year; software development is not a likely obstacle as the device is known to use a customized version of its parent company Nokia's Symbian Series 40 OS, rather than the more smartphone-oriented Series 60. [via Engadget]