FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2015
VERTU UPS THE ASTER APPEAL
Innovative materials and glorious colour enhance Aster
Collection

Luxury mobile phone manufacturer, Vertu, has added a
selection of exciting new editions to its
quintessentially English Aster smartphone collection

Glorious colour variants join the original Calf and
Ostrich line in luxurious materials, including Stingray,
Python, Alligator, Wood and Quilt

Aster responsible for attracting new customers and
broadening female appeal of Vertu; 60% of Aster customers
are new to Vertu, approximately 30% of which are female

Vertu Aster combines hand craftsmanship and fine
materials, unique services and cutting edge technology in
the ultimate lifestyle smartphone, with the ability to
individually tailor your phone via Vertu’s
personalisation service

Vertu Aster delivers exceptional connectivity through
quad-band GSM, 3G and worldwide LTE 4G capability

Extraordinary 5.1-inch 5th Generation solid sapphire
crystal screen with full HD display technology and
titanium casing delivers strength and beauty

Featuring Dolby® Digital Plus virtual surround sound for
rich and pure audio, free from distortions and enhanced
via front facing stereo speakers for exceptional mobile
acoustics

Hasselblad certified camera provides crystal clear
imaging

New editions to the Vertu Aster Collection arrive in
stores globally from spring 2015. Prices start at £4,200
Vertu Aster New Editions
Vertu, the English manufacturer of luxury mobile phones has
upped
the
appeal
of
Aster,
its
quintessentially
English
smartphone, with the addition to the collection of a host of
beautiful new variants, to be released throughout 2015. The
new collection is available in array of colours, each enhanced
by the qualities imbued upon it by the specific material from
which it is made.
Aster’s
canvas
purposely
for
a
minimalist
more
styling
adventurous
makes
approach
it
to
the
the
perfect
choice
of
material and colour, the addition of which can immediately
dial up its masculine or feminine appeal and lend character
and personality.
In
every
design
iteration,
the
textural
contrast
of
the
handcrafted leather and beautifully finished titanium conspire
to create contemporary design, relevant to consumers seeking a
cleaner aesthetic. For a final flourish, Aster can also be
personalised with a monogram or engraving.
Since its launch, Aster has attracted new consumers to the
Vertu brand. Aster’s more unisex design, has been the source
of its appeal and this is manifested in the fact that 60% of
Aster buyers are new to Vertu. Furthermore, thanks to specific
colours and materials variations, approximately 30% of Aster
buyers are women, versus just over 17% of Signature Touch
customers and 20% as a whole, across all Vertu products.
These
new
customers
are
maximising
their
Aster
in
subtly
different ways to the traditional Vertu customer; owners of
Aster are more likely than the wider Vertu owner population to
utilise
their
Concierge
service
to
seek
travelling
and
shopping solutions.
Head of Design, Hutch Hutchison has monitored the trajectory
of
Aster
sales
with
keen
interest.
He
said:
“Aster
has
achieved what it set out to do, namely to bring new people to
the brand – those that appreciate the technical engineering,
craftsmanship
and
services
that
are
a
defining
factor
of
Vertu, but who were looking for a cleaner aesthetic.
“Our challenge now is to build on this success and ensure that
we
continue
to
offer
new
and
exciting
variants
that
will
continue to appeal to a broader range of customers. We aim to
ensure
that
our
spectrum
of
designs
is
current
and
wide
ranging enough to enable people to be able to select a handset
that they feel reflects their unique taste and lifestyle.
We
believe our 2015 Collection achieves that.”
Its beauty of design and simplicity of use belie the cutting
edge technology at its heart, which facilitates its seamless
operation almost anywhere on the globe. Aster features Dolby®
Digital Plus virtual surround sound and Hasselblad certified
imaging, as well as Vertu’s full portfolio of services, which
comprises Classic Concierge as well as Vertu LIFE and Vertu
CERTAINTY packages. Together these features combine to create
in Aster a rare and indispensable lifestyle accessory.
Aster Collection 2015
Vertu Aster Quilt
The new Vertu Aster Quilt comes in two shades of supple calf
leather, Blue and Black. The quilted calf leather on the Vertu
Aster
Quilt
epitomises
classic
elegance,
exuding
charm,
femininity and understated luxury.
Each
handset
has
a
recognisable
chevron
stitch
pattern,
inspired by the Vertu ‘V’ logo, which has become an integral
Vertu design cue. This running stitch gives the soft calf
leather
polished
shape
and
titanium
form,
body
–
which
a
complements
material
twice
the
as
handset’s
strong
as
stainless steel, but only half the weight.
Vertu Aster Stingray
The new, limited edition Vertu Aster Stingray comes in three
colours, Pure Black Stingray, Blue Stingray and Pink Stingray,
each limited to 280 pieces. It is the first time Vertu has
produced a phone in this distinctive leather.
The beauty of the Vertu Aster Stingray lies in is its eyecatching, yet elegant, aesthetic as well as its incredible
durability. Every Aster Stingray handset is truly unique in
terms
of
individual
its
texture,
piece
of
colour
leather
and
being
appearance,
meticulously
with
each
sanded
and
polished to produce a glistening finish.
The distinct pearl of the stingray is celebrated by being
prominently positioned on the back of the phone - as well as
on the back of the matching Stingray Leather Case, which is
available to purchase separately, to accompany the handset.
The use of Stingray leather became popular in the 17th century
French court of Louis XV by the master craftsman, Jean-Claude
Galuchat. It regained prominence in the art deco period and is
still used in many luxury products today.
Vertu Aster Wood Veneer
Following customer feedback from vegan admirers of Vertu, we
are delighted to include in the 2015 Aster Collection, Wood
Veneer. Comprising a red, black and natural mosaic of fine
grain basswood in a seamless smooth plane, Vertu Aster Wood
Veneer
is
an
example
of
Vertu’s
innovative
approach
to
materials. Warm, robust and tactile, wood is in many ways the
ideal material in which to encase a Vertu Aster; when one
considers
its
innate
natural
beauty
and
chameleon-like
adaptability to aesthetic manipulation, it could be considered
perfect.
As
each
piece
of
wood
is
unique,
so
too
is
the
resulting Aster. Customers can enjoy the juxtaposition of the
basic but honest nature of the wood veneer against the high
tech context of a highly engineered smartphone.
Vertu Aster Python
For
those
Python
of
more
Natural
glamorous
adventurous
launch
Python
is
in
July.
definitely
tastes,
Python
Emerald
and
Decadent
and
sophisticated,
not
the
faint-hearted.
for
Highly conspicuous, the raw beauty of the unique and vivid
patterns of Python attract immediate attention.
Vertu Aster Diamonds Alligator
The
first
addition
collection,
Aster
to
the
Diamonds
original
Alligator,
calf
is
leather
now
Aster
available
in
Black Alligator and Red Alligator. From July 2015, Diamonds
Pearl Pink Alligator will further enhance this collection.
Vertu Aster Calf
Summer 2015 will see the addition of four new Calf colours,
each wrapped in a tactile but resilient, fine calf leather,
sourced from the oldest tannery in Europe. The playful, new
Aster Calf collection has been inspired by the fashion capital
of Milan and features a youthful, palette of colour of Orchid
Pink, Caramel Brown, Aqua Blue and Lime Green, celebrating the
timeless,
pastel
colour
trend.
This
new
palette
will
complement the launch collection of Onyx, Blush and Lagoon
Calf variants.
Performance
Vertu
Aster
optimised
delivers
antenna
which
exceptional
enables
connectivity
access
to
via
its
high-speed
data
through quad-band GSM, 3G and LTE 4G capability.
Aster’s
facility to connect to 4G networks means that web pages load
instantly and downloading a song takes mere seconds.
Six months’ complimentary access to unlimited, global Wi-Fi,
at over 18 million hotspot locations, further enhances the WiFi experience on your Aster.
Aster’s exceptional acoustic profile delivers flawless sound
through
Dolby®
Digital
Plus
virtual
surround
sound.
Call
quality is assured via noise cancelling uplink and downlink
and the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 2.3GHz 801 Quad-core processor
delivers stunning speed. High quality, integrated front facing
stereo speakers are tuned for an extraordinarily pure and rich
acoustic experience without distortion in any environment.
In addition to promising exceptional sound via its hands free
speaker,
Vertu
Aster
can
be
effortlessly
linked,
via
Bluetooth® v4.0 + LE and using CSR aptX® high quality encoded
audio support, to the Vertu V Speaker (SP-1V), a powerful room
filling wireless speaker.
Vertu has worked with Hasselblad, the world’s most renowned
professional photography brand, to perfect the image tuning of
the Aster camera. The Hasselblad-certified 13mp rear camera
has a sapphire crystal lens and anti-reflection coating, while
the front facing camera facilitates video calling. The 4.7”
full HD display has a resolution of 473ppi and is protected by
the 5.1” sapphire crystal screen.
Services
Aster
ownership
includes
six
months’
complimentary
Classic
Concierge service from a team of lifestyle managers available
24/7. Vertu Concierge is accessible via voice, email or Live
Chat from anywhere in the world.
Vertu
LIFE
offers
customers
a
personalised
selection
of
exclusive privileges and unrestricted access to elite events,
available directly on device. Features include complimentary
entry to the most exclusive Private Members’ Clubs, spas and
gyms around the world, access to invitation-only events and
closed-door shopping experiences as well as recommendations
based on your tastes and location.
Vertu
CERTAINTY
through
includes
protects
best-in-class
encrypted
their
Vertu
technology
and
communications,
phone
and
expert
comprising
their
data
partners. This
voice
calls,
text and video, delivered in partnership with Silent Circle
and complimentary to Aster owners for 12 months. A six month
complimentary
service
provided
by
iPass
offers
unlimited
access to secure WiFi globally via 18 million secure WiFi
hotspots across 123 countries. Complimentary 12 month’s access
to Kaspersky mobile security, including anti-virus and antitheft protection protects the phone itself.
ENDS
PHYSICAL SPECIFICATION
Length: 143.4 mm, Width: 69 mm, Depth: 11.2 mm
Weight: 193g
SERVICES1
Vertu LIFE. Vertu CERTAINTY. Vertu Classic Concierge
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM
Android™ 4.4 (KitKat)
HARDWARE CHARACTERISTICS
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 2.3GHz Quad-core processor
4.7” 1080p, brilliant, high contrast display at 473dpi, protected by sapphire crystal
13 MP main camera with autofocus and twin LED flash
2.1MP Skype™ compliant front camera
64GB of internal memory
Stereo High-fidelity 11mm x 15mm loudspeakers with Dolby® Digital Plus surround sound decoding support
A-GPS + Compass
Gyro and accelerometer for orientation and game play
Qi Compatible Wireless Charging
Battery1:
Built-in rechargeable 2275mAh Li-ion battery
Talk time: Up to 15 hrs 30 mins (WCDMA)
Stand-by: Up to 380 hrs
CONNECTIVITY
ASTER (VM-01)
ASTER T (VM-01T)
Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
WCDMA Bands I, II, IV, V, VIII
DC-HSPA+ Release 8, Cat24, 42Mb/s Downlink, Cat6
5.76Mb/s Uplink
LTE Bands 1-5,7,8,17,20 & 25 2
LTE FDD Cat4,150Mb/s Downlink, 50Mb/s Uplink 2
Dual-band WLAN 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac inc. WAPI for PRC
MicroAB USB system connector with USB On-The-Go
support
3.5mm audio socket
Bluetooth® v4.0 + LE
CSR aptX® high quality encoded audio support
NFC including support for embedded and SIM based secure
element
WiFi hotspot (tethering & portable hotspot)
Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
WCDMA Bands I, II, IV, V, VIII
DC-HSPA+ Release 8, Cat24, 42Mb/s Downlink, Cat6
5.76Mb/s Uplink
LTE FDD Bands 1-5,7,8,20 & 25
LTE TDD Bands 34,38,39,40 & 41
LTE Cat4,150Mb/s Downlink, 50Mb/s Uplink
TD-SCDMA Bands 34,39 & 40
Support for Circuit-Switch Fallback
Dual-band WLAN 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac inc. WAPI for PRC
MicroAB USB system connector with USB On-The-Go
support
3.5mm audio socket
Bluetooth® v4.0 + LE
CSR aptX® high quality encoded audio support
NFC including support for embedded and SIM based secure
element
WLAN hotspot (tethering & portable hotspot)
APPLICATIONS
Vertu applications1, including Life, Certainty, Recommended apps & Remote assist
Google Mobile services2, including Google Play™, Gmail™, Google Chrome™, Google+™, Google Maps™, Google Drive™
cloud storage, YouTube™ and other services.
Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Clock, Downloads, Email, Gallery, Messaging, Movie Studio, Music3, People, Phone, Settings
Selected Baidu mobile applications3 and AutoNavi Maps3
USER INTERFACE DISPLAY LANGUAGES
Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Czech, English (GB), English (US), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese,
Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish (ES), Spanish (US), Thai, Traditional Chinese (Twn), Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
WITH YOUR PHONE1
Vertu Aster phone
Wired stereo headset with remote
Wall charger with regional plug heads, microUSB cable 1200 mm
Polishing cloth, NanoSIM card adapter
Collateral pack, including Quick Start Guide & Warranty Booklet and Authenticity Card
1 Some features are location, network and/or service dependent
2 Not China. RoW (Rest of the World) software build only
3 China software build only
COST
Aster phones
Vertu Aster Diamonds Alligator
Vertu Aster Diamonds Alligator Black £7600
Vertu Aster Diamonds Alligator Black Red £7600
Vertu Aster Diamonds Pearl Pink Alligator £7600
Vertu Aster Alligator/Calf Flap Case Black £510
Vertu Aster Alligator/Calf Flap Case Red £510
Vertu Aster Alligator/Calf Flap Case Pink £510
Vertu Aster Quilt
Vertu Aster Quilt Blue £5100
Vertu Aster Quilt Black £5100
Vertu Aster Quilt Purse Style Case Black £640
Vertu Aster Quilt Purse Style Case Blue £640
Vertu Aster Stingray
Vertu Aster Pure Black £6400
Vertu Aster Blue £6200
Vertu Aster Pink £6200
Vertu Aster Pure Black Flap Case £900
Vertu Aster Blue Flap Case £900
Vertu Aster Pink Flap Case £900
Calf
Vertu Aster Orchid £4200
Vertu Aster Caramel £4200
Vertu Aster Aqua £4200
Vertu Aster Lime £4200
Vertu Aster Orchid Slip Case £280
Vertu Aster Caramel Slip Case £280
Vertu Aster Aqua Slip Case £280
Vertu Aster Lime Slip Case £280
Python
Vertu Aster Python Emerald £5600
Vertu Aster Python Natural £5600
Python Case £TBC
Wood Veneer
Vertu Aster Wood Veneer TBC
Wood Cases £TBC
Aster T phones
Vertu Aster Diamonds Alligator
Vertu Aster Diamonds Alligator Black £8100
Vertu Aster Diamonds Alligator Black Red £8100
Vertu Aster Diamonds Pearl Pink Alligator £8100
Vertu Aster Quilt
Vertu Aster Quilt Blue £5300
Vertu Aster Quilt Black £5300
Vertu Aster Stingray
Vertu Aster Pure Black £6800
Vertu Aster Blue £6500
Vertu Aster Pink £6500
Calf
Vertu Aster Orchid £4500
Vertu Aster Caramel £4500
Vertu Aster Aqua £4500
Vertu Aster Lime £4500
Python
Vertu Aster Python Emerald £5900
Vertu Aster Python Natural £5900
Wood Veneer
Vertu Aster Wood Veneer £TBC
Notes to editors:
About Vertu
Vertu aims to deliver the world’s best luxury mobile phone experience for its customers by combining expert craftsmanship and
peerless materials with innovative technology and unique services. Today, Vertu leads the market that it pioneered over a
decade ago.
The Vertu range of mobile phones is made up of three distinct models – Signature, Signature Touch and Aster. The Vertu
Audio Collection comprises V Headphones (HP-1V) and V Speaker (SP-1V). Vertu mobile phones are handmade in England
using the world’s finest materials, with each one assembled by a single craftsman.
Vertu is renowned for its curated services; a suite of carefully selected exclusive offers, content and assistance especially
selected to enhance the Vertu customer’s lifestyle. At the heart of these services is Vertu CONCIERGE, offering luxury lifestyle
assistance and enrichment. Vertu CONCIERGE is on-hand 24/7 to facilitate your every request. Vertu LIFE offers personalised
recommendations and privileged access to experiences and events. Vertu CERTAINTY delivers security for customers, their
data and their phones.
Vertu is available from around 500 stores, including 70 Vertu Boutiques, in 66 countries.
For more information please visit vertu.com or the Vertu Media Library media.vertu.com.
Global and UK Press Office
Jon Stanley
Head of Global and UK PR
jon.stanley@vertu.com
Glenys Dawson
Global and UK PR Manager
glenys.dawson@vertu.com
China Press Office
Tracy Wang
tracy.wang@vertu.com
+8613916340842.
SEAP Press Office
Tracy Wang
tracy.wang@vertu.com
+8613916340842.
France, Spain Portugal & Benelux
Press Office
Sarah Garcia Delporte
sarah.garcia-delporte@vertu.com
+33 1 42 86 56 61
+33 6 09 34 32 54
EEUR Press Office
Venera Bagishvili
venera.bagishvili@vertu.com
+7 910 495 96 04
Italy & Switzerland Press Office
Sara Allegri
sara.allegri@vertu.com
+39 02 777 31723
UAE Press Office
Julia Berridge
julia.berridge@vertu.com
+971 52 6700049
Hong Kong Press Office
Meonne Hung
Meonne.hung@vertu.com
+852 9721 3723