Lenovo and Google will launch first consumer-ready Project Tango smartphone

Lenovo has announced their latest partnership with Google, one that will see the launch of the first Project Tango smartphone aimed at consumers. While official details on the device’s build are scant, the phone will feature a display under 6.5 inches (shocker) and Qualcomm Snapdragon processing in addition to camera hardware that will enable it to view the world in a three-dimensional way, opening new ways of interacting with apps and the environments that they exist within.

In addition to the device itself (which is being shown off in prototype form), Google and Lenovo are calling upon developers to submit their  ideas for applications utilizing Project Tango ecosystem. They are looking for apps that take advantage of Project Tango’s unique way of viewing,  mapping, and interacting with real-world spaces, and will offer funding to the top picks. The finished products will launch alongside the first Project Tango devices expected to arrive later this year.

Lenovo is not alone in this endeavor. Intel has already announced their own developer-oriented smartphone and RealSense 3D development kit, which also utilizes Project Tango. That phone will sell for $400. Lenovo’s consumer-minded device is also expected to retail for less than $500 when it does launch.