Art Lebedev Studio designs WiMAX cellphone

OLED keyboard and keypad maker Art Lebedev Studio has developed a cellphone concept for Russian network provider Scartel. The device would be one of the few to carry WiMAX for 4G-level Internet access but would also have an unprecedented 850x480 resolution touchscreen. Users will also be able to connect to the Internet via a built-in Wi-Fi module and make calls on tri-band GSM.

Specs are short, but from the photos one can glean that two integrated cameras adorn each side of the handset, and there is a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB connection and a microSD card slot. A/V connections are likewise part of the phone’s connections. Auxiliary controls to supplement the touchscreen come by way of a five-way joystick and call and end keys. Hold, volume and mute controls are on the side of the handset.

Scartel recently launched its network in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and if the phone ever sees production, it will likely launch in those markets first or even exclusively.