Lenovo’s partnership with Google’s Tango may not be over yet. According to a report from Tom’s Guide that cites a general manager at Lenovo, the company will launch a second Tango-enabled phone some time in 2017.
Tango is essentially aimed at helping phones map out real-world spaces in 3D. The technology uses a series of sensors and cameras, and has been used to create a number of augmented reality apps and games. Lenovo was the first company to launch a Tango-enabled phone for consumers — the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro, which cost only $500.
According to Lenovo, around 4,000 developers purchased the Phab 2 Pro, followed by another 2,000 at a hackathon. Still, most reviews for the device have been a little lackluster, suggesting that while Tango is interesting, it’s still in its very early days and needs a lot of work.
The confirmation of a new device comes from Jeff Meredith, the general manager and vice president of Lenovo’s Android and Chrome Computing Business Group, who said that a follow-up to the Tango phone would be launched in 2017. Meredith didn’t give any details about the device, but he did say that Lenovo would see similar products from competitors — so if you’re a fan of Tango 2017 could be a very good year for you.
Of course, developers could instead spring for a Tango development kit, which is built specifically for developers and comes with a Tango-enabled tablet.
Lenovo has certainly had quite the year in the mobile industry. The company is now releasing phones under the Moto name, and launched the Moto Z during the summer. The Moto Z brought with it an interesting, new modular design, and was among the first phones to get rid of the headphone jack.
