Umeox X5 could be the thinnest smartphone yet, just 5.6mm-thick

It seems like every time we turn around a new device is vying for the title of “world’s thinnest smartphone”. For a while, the Alcatel One Touch Idol held the honors. Then the upcoming Huawei Ascend P6 prepared to take the title. Now it is apparently the Umeox X5’s turn.

I know you are thinking it, so I’ll just say it: Who the hell is Umeox? Fair question. Umeox is a smaller Chinese handset maker that sells its products primarily in China, though it also sales some of its devices in Europe through Thomson Mobile. In other words, they aren’t exactly a big name company, but they hope to change this with the X5.

If you thought the P6 was small at 6.3mm, you’ll drop your jaw at the Umeox X5’s 118 x 60 x 5.6mm profile. Beyond its small size, what else do we know about the handset? Not much. We know it will run Jelly Bean and it will launch in China sometime in July. That’s it, though.

It seems that Umeox is hoping it can generate hype for the phone solely based on its thin design. That’s all well and good, but being a few millimetres smaller than your average handset probably won’t make too much of a difference if the hardware isn’t up to snuff.

Even if the Umeox X5 does end up killing it in the hype and sales department, it will more than likely never make it too far beyond its homeland. Certainly don’t expect it make its way to the U.S. market, as its ultra-thin profile will likely prevent it from obtaining FCC certification (as was the case of the Alcatel One Touch Idol).

Are you impressed by the Umeox X5’s incredibly thin 5.6mm design, or do you feel that the war over becoming the “thinnest” handset is nothing more than a gimmick that matters little when it comes to real-world use?

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