The $11300 Vertu Signature Touch blends British glitz with high-tech muscle

Does the world really need a US$11 300 smartphone? British luxury phone manufacturer Vertu thinks so, after it yesterday unveiled its latest model, the Signature Touch. The brand, part owned by Nokia, is known for producing extravagant phones at ridiculous prices, and its latest handset is no exception.

The Signature Touch is handmade “to order,” and looks decidedly brilliant, if not lavishly flash. The discerned buyer has a choice of cover material adorning the titanium alloy shell, ranging from conservative and classic “Jet Leather” to the more farfetched “Alligator” and “Lizard.” There’s no hint of a plastic band-aid finish on this device. The phone isn’t an overweight slouch either. It’s 10.6mm thick and 69mm wide, while weighing a comfortable 192g.

A Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 2.3GHz quad-core CPU provides thrust aided by 2GB RAM and 64GB storage. The Signature Touch also flaunts an iPhone 6-sized 4.7″ 1080p, 473dpi screen protected by scratch-proof Sapphire glass. A set of dual cameras round up the hardware offerings, with a 13MP Hasselblad-tuned snapper at the rear, and a 2.1MP video calling camera at the front. In addition, the Signature Touch runs Android 4.4 KitKat and comes with its own host of bespoke applications and services. This includes Vertu’s Concierge service, offering “24-hour worldwide assistance, recommendations and priority bookings, all with a personal touch”.

But that’s merely skimming the surface, as you should expect with a phone that costs the same as a family sedan. Bang & Olufsen provide Dolby Digital Surround sound and encoding support, while offering a range of exclusive audio accessories. The customary wireless standards, including Bluetooth 4.0 LE, dual band WiFi, LTE and NFC (Near Field Communication), are all offered.

The Signature Touch will be available to order this month for those technology lovers who enjoy the finer things in life. Each device will be signed by its own craftsman, a tradition premium Mercedes owners will be well familiar with.

But is this phone a bit over the top? Let us know what you think in the comments.