Even Lamborghini’s $2450 Android Phone Knows Where the Fingerprint Reader Belongs

Let’s talk about “luxury” Android devices. Typically, they are overpriced nonsense for the super rich who have nothing better to spend their money on. They sometimes have funky designs, specs that won’t knock your socks off, and are basically just a heavily-skinned, super expensive Android device that can’t compare in terms of overall usefulness to flagships from Samsung, LG, or HTC.

The same may likely be said about the new Lamborghini Alpha-One, but let’s get one thing straight — they clearly know where a fingerprint reader is supposed to go. If that’s the one positive thing I can about this phone, that’s a good one.

The Alpha-One features a 5.5″ WQHD display, Snapdragon 820 processor (ouch!), 4GB RAM, 20MP camera, a rear-facing (middle of the back) fingerprint reader, and Android “Nougat.” The price of this phone is listed at $2,450. For a SD820, that’s, umm, a lot of money.

Specs

  • 5.5-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) display
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
  • 4GB of RAM with 64GB of storage and up to 128GB of expandable storage
  • 20-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 8-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 3,250mAh battery
  • Dual SIM card support
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • Android 7.0+ “Nougat”

Honestly, the design of the Alpha isn’t awful. The phone is draped in Italian black leather, gold trimmings, “liquid metal,” as well as a pair of front-facing speakers. You also get that legit Lambo badge on the phone’s backside, just so everyone knows you have superb taste in phones and automobiles.

If you’re somehow interested in purchasing this phone, follow the link below. And while you’re at it, can I have some money?

Buy

// The Verge

Tim

Stumbling upon Droid Life randomly after purchasing a Motorola DROID in late 2009, then setting out to learn everything he could about Android, Tim quickly became an integral part of the site's comment section. After quite some time of strictly commenting on Droid Life, Tim was offered an opportunity to write feature stories for the site, such as custom ROM overviews, as well as interviews with Android community members. Following success of those, Tim became a full time writer and editor for Droid Life, now spending his time on news articles, device reviews, producing videos, and much more. Tim currently resides in Portland, OR with his longtime girlfriend and two wonderful dog children (Loki & Thor). In his spare time, Tim enjoys playing guitar, drinking coffee, practicing photography, and destroying kids on Call of Duty.

Post navigation

43 Comments

  • In all honesty, the 820 isn’t THAT bad to have on this. Most of these would come with 600 series Snapdragons or a few year old 800 series (like 810 would be for today’s standard.) Still insane it doesn’t have the newest (836) for that price, but I’m sure people who are spending $2450 on a smartphone have other things to worry about as long as this thing works.

  • Given how tacky both this phone and Lamborghinis look, I take “just so everyone knows you have superb taste in phones and automobiles” as a joke. Spending this kind of money on either the cars or this mediocre phone feels like a tax on stupidity.

  • If there’s any phone to absolutely max out the specs on, it’d be one like this. A phone 1% of users are going to own. Why doesn’t it have the latest and greatest processor, 8GB RAM, a 4500mah battery, water proof, yadda yadda yadda. Something like this shouldn’t skimp out on anything. It could be the true unicorn. Oh well. Instead you’re getting midrange phone that looks pretty. For 3 grand.

  • These phones have a huge market in China where your phone can say as much about your status in life as your job does. And the use of car brands isn’t anything new. Huawei tapped Porsche Design Group for their last luxury phone.

    But even the clone phones of China know where to put the fingerprint sensor. Look at the current clones of the S8 and the only difference you will find (other than build quality and specs) is the fingerprint sensor is in a place where you can actually use it.

  • For a company that makes mostly beautiful cars, they sure make one terrible looking phone. Go back to making automobiles and leave the digital hardware to the professionals.

    • To me it’s just as over the top and ugly as their cars are. It’s actually a little more tame that I expected.

  • You fools all going on about should be under the screen….wtf??
    It should be in the power button on the side, why do you want to keep leaving finger prints on your screen?
    You’re only gonna keep wiping it,

    • After using the Nextbit Robin (I phone which I still love), I would never again buy a phone with a fingerprint sensor in the power button.

  • Droid Life last year: the capacitive buttons on Galaxy devices are in the place.

    Droid Life this year: the fingerprint reader is in the wrong place.

    I can’t wait until Samsung changes the location of it so that you can quit complaining about it.

    Droid Life next year: the Samsung logo in the wrong place.

    • Samsung fans last year: dual cameras are nothing but a gimmick, I hope Samsung never uses one.

      Samsung fans this year: the dual cameras on the Note 8 are going to be the most amazing thing to ever happen to a phones camera!

      All jokes aside, the fingerprint scanner on the S8 is one of the worst of any phone.

      • Probably is, but constantly bitc……complaining about something you can’t change is beyond pointless.

        • And that’s where you’re wrong. It’s called feedback. Enough people complain enough, things will change. Think of the S5. Remember that ugly band-aid backside? Enough people complained and Samsung finally dedicated themselves to premium design. Think of the S6. Remember no microSD? Enough people complained and Samsung gave us the S7 with microSD support.

          So to sit here and say that complaining about something you think is pointless, because you don’t have the courage or initiative to affect change, then your complaint about the complainers is actually pointless. I guess all those people complaining for social change are probably being pointless too.

          • “Think of the S6. Remember no microSD? Enough people complained and Samsung gave us the S7 with microSD support.”

            I only agree with this part of all that you said. Your last 2 sentences, totally different subject.

        • It’s not completely pointless. If enough people complain and bring light to the issue Samsung will change it. Don;t discount the power of the consumer complaint.

          • When it comes to the people who complain about a product they actually use, you’re absolutely right. Those who have no intentions of getting the product & still complain about it, it’s pointless.

          • That has a point to. Consumers who are thinking about buying it and don’t know about it are made aware of it by those people.

  • I don’t think they do. The side is where it belongs. It’s the best of both worlds and always accessible.

  • Maybe the engineers thought people would be smart enough to use there thumb to unlock their phone while holding it in one hand if placed on the bottom front. :/

  • LOL! I guess it isn’t the worst looking phone, love the cars but shouldn’t a company like Lamborghini, that makes cars that are the bleeding edge of what is technically possible(with gasoline). Shouldn’t they have a phone that is at least trying to be as technically advanced as the automobiles are? Just sayin. Fools and money.

    • Most likely this is made by some company in China who is just licensing the Lambo name, Lambo just collects a paycheck from it. That’s usually the way these deals work.

    • Umm no. Unless it’s going to be in the screen I don’t want no part of a finger print sensor on the front. It will take much of the screen space. So yeah….it’s where it belongs.

      • Umm no. Rear fingerprints suck. Try unlocking your phone when it’s on a desk or a wireless charger, or in a car dock or bike mount etc etc. Hate rear sensors after getting a phone with a front mounted one there’s no going back.

        • Well you do that then. While the rest of us enjoy the phone with the sensor on the back. I prefer a clean front over a damn sensor anyway.

          • Well i prefer a clean front and back, the scanner should always be on the side inside the power button like my sony, you should try one before you say the back is best..

          • “the rest of us”, 4 people liked your comment, 9 liked his. I would say he is more qualified to speak for the “rest of us”.

            Personally I think both have their benefits, but if the choice is mine give me front for many of the reasons he mentioned.

      • Under the screen is obviously the most ideal place for sure in this day and age but on the front IS the ideal place period, and manufactures know it otherwise they wouldn’t be spending ungodly amounts of R&D trying to figure out a way to make it work under the screen.

        • Disagree. I prefer it on the back. I want my front all screen and no damn buttons or finger print sensors. Companies wanting to put it under the screen… That’s fine. Until then, it’s a no. Glad Google is putting it on the back. ????

          • Agreed. I’m still not a fan of glass backs, but if a manufacturer figured out how to put a FPS under the back glass I would make an exception to the glass back for that.

        • It’s not “ideal” by any stretch of imagination. Placing it on the back is far more ergonomic, since that’s exactly where your index finger goes, and you can activate it while you hold the phone securely on both sides.

          Front activation needs to be done with the thumb, it’s an awkward movement, and since you need to lift the thumb, you cannot hold it securely.

          Just because Apple doesn’t offer geofenced unlocking or allways-on notifications doesn’t make the placement good.

          • The two positions are really no worse than the other, but what I’m saying is Apple and Samsung both know the ideal position for most is on the front since a) that’s where it’s always been on their devices and b) that’s where people have gotten used to it being.

            It’s honestly no less awkward than hitting the on-screen home button, and you can’t say if someone figured out how to integrate a fingerprint reader in that same area that it’d somehow become magically unsafe to handle a phone when that’s how we’ve been using phone’s for years.

            I’ve never heard someone say “Gosh, hitting the home button on my Pixel or Nexus REALLY feels unsafe.” Like, boy, please…

Comments are closed.

back to top