bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Ben Sin

Modular smartphones have not had much success in the past: Google’s Project Ara was cancelled before released, while LG’s G5 was a commercial flop.
But the idea of a smartphone that can be upgraded via add-on parts is so enticing that it was only a matter of time before another attempt was made.
This time, the modular handset comes from Shenzhen-based Doogee, a relatively small start-up specialising in selling budget handsets.
I put the S90 – dubbed “the most versatile and unbreakable smartphone” – to the test.

Design and hardware
The Doogee S90 is at its core a “rugged phone”, a niche category that caters to people who frequent rough environments (think construction workers or adventurous campers).
Its back and sides are covered in rubber, with thick bumpers above and below the 6.1-inch display. It has a relatively large 5,050mAh battery and is rated IP68 and IP69K, which means it is waterproof and able to withstand extreme temperatures.

Powering the device is a Helio P60 chipset from Taiwanese chip maker MediaTek, a solid processor that handles most daily tasks but falls far short of a Snapdragon 845 in terms of raw processing power.
This is all standard fare for rugged phones. What sets the S90 apart are the 24 pogo pins on the back that allow the device to connect to add-on accessories.
How much do Americans know about Chinese smartphone brands?
Currently, Doogee has developed four: an external battery pack, a digital walkie talkie receiver, a night vision lens and a gaming controller pad.
The first three are included with the phone and sold as a package.

Software and features
The phone runs Android 8.1, which is quite dated by now, and puts a really clunky software skin on top.
Additional software features are scarce, but there is a “Toolbox” app that uses the phone’s camera, screen and gyroscope to simulate digital versions of real-world tools such as a protractor and magnifier.
All these features are available on other phones via third-party apps anyway, but it’s nice to have them collected here.
Performance and battery life
As a normal smartphone, the S90 operates decently. The chipset handles daily smartphone tasks without issue, but because it lacks the power of Snapdragon chipsets, expect slower image processing and not being able to play graphically intensive games at the highest graphic settings.
The main 16-megapixel camera produces mediocre images, even by budget phone standards.
But no one would, or should, buy this phone just for running basic daily tasks. The add-ons are the star of the show, and they all work surprisingly well.

The battery pack is the most basic one. It doubles the phone’s battery life to 10,050mAh, which is enough to go at least three days even with heavy use.
The walkie talkie module has a frequency range of 400-480Mhz and allows the user to communicate without network reception.
The most interesting and useful of the modules is the night vision lens, which uses a Sony 131-degree lens. As the test video below shows, the night vision add-on works as advertised, and was able to show scenes in a dark alley and a dark room invisible to the naked eye.


All the modules work as soon as they are snapped into place. Removing them requires just a simple pull.
There are, however, some contradictions with the add-ons. While the phone itself is heavy-duty and easily able to survive a dip in water or drops, none of the add-ons are waterproof. In fact, they feel relatively cheap and plasticky.
Conclusion
Doogee is selling the S90 with three modules – battery pack, night vision lens and walkie talkie – plus a wireless charger for US$399. While the phone itself is nothing to write home about, the add-on accessories could make it a compelling package for people who go on extreme adventures regularly.

Doogee claims it will build more modular parts in the future, including a 5G module, but we’ll have to wait and see. I wouldn’t hold my breath, however, as the track record of small brands continuing to build accessories for an existing product is not good.
Specifications
Dimensions: 168mm x 80.7mm x 14.1mm
Weight: 300g
Display: 6.1-inch 1080 x 2246 LCD panel
Battery: 5,050mAh
Best of 2018: an iPhone so good it won over an Android fan
OS version reviewed: Android 8.1
Processor: MediaTek Helio P60
Cameras: 16-megapixel f2.0 sensor with an 8-megapixel depth sensor; 8-megapixel front-facing camera
Memory: 6GB RAM; 128GB ROM
Colours: Black
Price: US$399


How hair-raising prices for memory chips could take China’s top makers to new heights

China gives Apple ‘best iPhone quarter in history’ with 38% revenue growth

Apple slashes prices for Lunar New Year as competition heats up in mainland China

China’s Xiaomi, Transsion slash 2026 smartphone shipments as memory crunch bites

Smartphones

Doogee S90 modular phone turns into night vision camera, walkie talkie, and is rugged to boot: review

The Doogee S90’s night vision camera module allows the phone to see in places too dark for the human eye. Photo: Ben Sin

A product render provided by Doogee of the S90 and all of its modules, including a gaming controller that I didn’t test. Doogee says it will build more modules for the S90 in the future.

The highlight of the Doogee S90 are the pogo pins on the back, which are used to connect modular add-on accessories.

Doogee S90's walkie talkie module allows the phone to communicate via radio frequencies instead of network reception.

The Doogee S90 has a 6.1-inch display, wrapped in a heavy duty rugged build. The phone is rated IP68 for water resistance

Doogee S90 already has a built-in 5,050 mAh battery so together with a 5,000 mAh battery pack add-on, the handset has enough battery power to last at least three to four days.

Honor View 20 first look: hole-punch selfie camera replaces notch, and a 48-megapixel main camera

The Honor View 20 keeps some traditional smartphone components that other brands have eschewed, including a headphone jack and an IR sensor.

Side-by-side image comparison: at 10X zoom, of the Xiqu Centre captured with the Honor View 20’s 48-megapixel camera (left) and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3’s 12-megapixel camera (right). The higher megapixel-count allows for a photo to be blown up larger without losing image quality.

The Honor View 20 has a 6.4-inch 1080p LCD panel with a “hole-punch” technology that houses a selfie camera inside the display. It’s the first phone with this tech to hit the market.

The Honor View 20 has a glass back with a laser etched design that shows a subtle V pattern when light reflects off it. The main camera system on the back consists of a 48-megapixel Sony CMOS lens and a TOF (time-of-flight) 3D camera.

The Honor View 20 has a 6.4-inch, 1080p LCD display, with a “hole-punch” housing in the screen’s top left-hand corner for a selfie camera. It is the first phone with this technology to come to market. Photo: Ben Sin

Lifestyle

Gadgets

Shenzhen-based Doogee’s S90 is a modular ‘rugged phone’ catering to people who frequent rough environments
Four add-ons are available – battery pack, night vision lens, walkie talkie and game pad – with more, including a 5G module, apparently coming


Shenzhen-based Doogee’s S90 is a US$399 modular ‘rugged phone’ catering to people who frequent rough environments. Four add-ons are currently available, with more promised in the future.


China technology

Gadget reviews