Remember the Red Hydrogen One? The ambitious phone from Red which was supposed to have already hit the market by now with a holographic display and a modular design? Well, the handset’s launch has been delayed, though the company is making up for it by making it better.

By delaying the release of the handset, Red was able to ensure that the Hydrogen One can shoot real-time 4V videos from both front and rear cameras. In the original iteration, users would have been required to buy a module priced at around $750 to $1000 to be able to shoot videos in real-time 4V.

By adding 3D cameras to the front and rear of the handset, RED was able to get the Hydrogen One to record videos in 4V but the process was still not good enough as converting 3D videos to 4V required access to the cloud or to a PC. While the actual conversion process could also be done on the phone itself, it was very slow.

Now, the delay allowed the Red team to work on the software and hardware thereby allowing the Hydrogen One to record 4V videos in real-time from the front and rear cameras.

Another advantage of the delayed launch is that it has allowed Red to work closely with carriers for the carrier certification of the Hydrogen One. While the process is still ongoing, the handset should launch around August, though the final date is yet to be determined.

In its announcement, Red says that it has great “working advanced prototypes” of the Hydrogen One which they will be showing off in their studios on May 19th. Apart from showing off the device and answering questions related to it, the team will also give a demo of content being played back in 4V.

Our Take

By the time the Red Hydrogen One launches, it would be outdated in terms of its internals. However, it is the modular design, the camera, and the 4V recording capabilities that will make or break the device. It is definitely not going to appeal to the masses as it is geared more towards video professionals.