Acer announces new Liquid Z and 64-bit Liquid Jade Z

Three new Android Lollipop models have joined Acer's lineup, boasting Magic Selfie software and stylish hardware.

[custom:mwc15] This year at Mobile World Congress, Acer is unveiling a trio of smartphones aimed squarely at the same markets the company has been focused on for the last couple of years, which is to say budget focused European tiers of smartphones. The new Liquid Z220 and Liquid Z520 are breathing new life into the Liquid Z-series with the addition of quad-core processors and new textile patterns on the casing, while the new Liquid Jade Z focused on a higher tier through the use of a 64-bit processor and a new Zero Air Gap display. The one big thing all three phones have in common is lots of Acer-made software and new features that focus on selfies and media consumption.

Acer says the Z220 and Z520 are "all-rounder" phones built to deliver an impressive mobile experience. TThe Z220 is packing a 4-inch WVGA screen with 233ppi and a 5MP rear view camera, while the Z520 has been bumped up to an 8MP rear shooter and DTS Studio Sound speakers. Both smartphones are running on Qualcomm's 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor with 1GB of RAM under the hood, and 2MP front facing cameras to deliver those Magic Selfies.

Acer's custom software for these new Liquid Z phones includes all of the basics from Android 5.0, with three new usage modes aimed at the different kinds of users Acer thinks are out there. There's a Basic Mode for kids that focuses on offering fixed call and text tools, and Easy Mode for users who only want simple functions for things like calling and weather, and the Standard Mode for users who don't need their hand held. For the Z520, there will also be a voice-activated selfie mode when the camera is active.

The Liquid Jade Z is another creature altogether. This LTE-ready smartphone aims much higher, with a 5-inch HD IPS display, 64-bit Mediatek processor,a 13MP rear shooter with an F1.8 aperture, and a 5MP front facing camera. Acer is also focusing on external beauty with the Liquid Jade Z, with its 7.9mm body weighing in at 110 grams. The curved Gorilla Glass 3 panel over a Zero Air Gap display is coupled with Read Mode software that eliminates blue-light emissions from the image processor to make it easier to enjoy reading on the device in any environment.

European retailers will begin offering the Liquid Jade Z and Liquid Z220 in March for €199 and €89 respectively, while the Liquid Z520 will become available in April for €109. Acer's new lineup is trying to capture the hearts, minds, and faces of a huge number of demographics, and it'll be interesting to see how that works out.