Created: 27 March 2018 · Last edited: 21 September 2026

Whereas Japanese models are mostly branded AQUOS and usually carry the AQUOS logo on their bodies, Foxconn-built models sold outside Japan use SHARP AQUOS for some higher-end devices and simply SHARP for lower-end ones. These phones do not carry the AQUOS logo on their bodies, but instead display the SHARP brand.

Since they acquired the majority of shares in Sharp, Foxconn have been trying to show Sharp that cool smartphones aren't necessarily all made in Japan. In late April 2018, their third attempt and the second in the SHARP AQUOS S series was announced: the FS8032, more popularly known as SHARP AQUOS S3. This was followed, about a month later, by the SHARP AQUOS S3 High Edition, model number FS8015 – but sales started in June.

The SHARP AQUOS S3 High Edition has very few differences from the "low edition".

The differences are in what powers it: the Snapdragon 660 (SDM660) processor instead of the Snapdragon 630. While both have four cores clocked at 2.2 GHz and four more clocked at 1.8 GHz (1.84 GHz on the SDM660), the bigger CPU has double the memory bandwidth and higher RAM speed. It also has a better video graphics processor: Adreno 512 vs. Adreno 508. Nevertheless, the processing power of both Snapdragons is very much comparable and nothing like putting a high-range vs. a mid-range processor. This is why Foxconn's decision to announce the second S3 as "High Edition" is questionable. Good thing they put 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of onboard storage on it, because the processor difference would have cut it.

The SHARP AQUOS S3 High Edition also added Qi wireless charging.

Everything else is the same. The price difference of NT$2,000 (US$65) is definitely worth the upgrade: NT$11,990 (US$391) for the lower-spec and NT$13,990 (US$456) for the higher-spec model. My suspicion is the base S3 would struggle to work smoothly with the humble 4 GB of RAM.

The SHARP AQUOS S3 has a 5.99-inch screen with a 18:9 ratio and a Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 px, giving it a ratio of 91% of the device's total surface area (the S2 has 87.5%). With a bezel of just 0.8 mm on three sides, and a very small bottom bezel – achieved by moving the fingerprint sensor on the back – this is the world's smallest 6-inch smartphone.

To further reduce the device size, the TFT Chip-on-Film (TFT COF) technology has been utilised (the integrated circuit driving the display is placed on a thin flexible film that is then attached to the LCD, resulting in a thinner display module – Sharp have been doing this since 2001). The display itself, seemingly the only element actually made by Sharp Corporation, flaunts 550-nit high-brightness, is able to reproduce 135% of sRGB colour gamut, and has 1:1500 contrast ratio – all impressive specifications never found on a mid-range smartphone (according to processor type and price range).

There is a huge iPhone X-style notch in the top part of the display to house the front camera on the left, various sensors to the right, and the earpiece in the middle. The top corners have been cut in a round shape – unlike those on the Aquos S2, which has diagonal cuts (fugly!). The display is covered by 3D curved tempered glass (Gorilla Glass, unspecified version), which enhances the "bezelless" impression.

The SHARP AQUOS S3 cameras are also something to brag with. The rear camera comprises two vertically-aligned CMOS sensors: one 13 and one 12-megapixel. The 12-MP sensor uses 1.4 μm large pixels with 0.1 sec. dual-pixel phase, differential auto focus, aperture of f/1.75. The 13-MP sensor has 2X optical zoom, shallow-depth capture mode, and aperture f/2.6. AI portrait mode is also supported. The sensor manufacturer is most likely Sony.

For all those selfie-obsessed, the SHARP AQUOS S3 has a 16-megapixel front camera. Aperture here is f/2.0, 4-in-1 high-sensitivity 1.4 μm large-pixel technology employed. AI portrait model is featured in the front camera, too, further enhanced by face-recognition screen unlocking. The AI camera is advertised as being able to detect up to 1024 different facial features for accurate 3D face recognition.

The supported radio frequencies make it usable just about anywhere around the world (dual-SIM) and are as follows:

• 2G: GSM: 900/1800/1900 MHz
• CDMA: 800(BC0) MHz
• 3G: WCDMA: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
• TD-SCDMA: B34/B39
• CDMA 2000: 800 (BC0) MHz
• 4G: LTE FDD: B1/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B17/B28
• 4G: LTE TDD: B34/B38/B39/B40/B41 (2555-2655 MHz)
• 2CA: B1+B3/B3+B8/B3+B28/B39+B39/B40+B40/B41+B41/B39+B41
• Downlink Cat. 6; Uplink Cat. 6

Nearby connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.0, wi-fi a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 + 5.x GHz dual-band), NFC Type A/B, USB Type-C (Quick Charge 3.0). GPS/aGPS/GLONASS navigation is featured, too.

The battery capacity is 3,200 mAh.

The SHARP AQUOS S3 High Edition measures 148.2 x 74.2 x 7.98 mm and weighs 167.4 grams – two grams heavier with the exact same dimensions. It ships with Android 8.0 (Oreo) pre-installed, with Smile UX on top of it – except for South Korea, where it has Android 8.1 at launch. No OS upgrades were provided to the other country versions of the S3.

Follow this link for a very detailed review and camera samples (in Chinese, but you can use Google Translate).

Unlike last year's S2 and S2 Plus, which were offered in a range of colours, and the base S3 model, which was offered in black, blue, or gold, the SHARP AQUOS S3 High Edition was only available in Gilded Black – a black finish with gold/rose-gold accents.