Alcatel drives upmarket with Idol 4 smartphone collection - The Register

MWC 2016 just forward of cellular World Congress in Barcelona, Alcatel has introduced the Idol four and 4S smartphones, comprehensive with VR headset in the box, and a windows 10 2-in-1 tablet/desktop.

Alcatel, previously referred to as Alcatel OneTouch, is a company of the China-based TCL Communications. At a press event in Barcelona, the business unveiled a new brand and announced that it's dropping OneTouch from the name. Specialising within the price range and mid-tier section, the enterprise claims to be the fiftth biggest handset manufacturer on earth, and goals to develop into quantity 5 in smartphones and drugs by using the conclusion of 2016.

Newly announced at MWC are the Idol 5.2" 4+ and 5.4" Idol 4S smartphones, operating Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The Idol four+ has a Qualcomm SnapDragon 617 chipset, 1.7 GHz Octa Core, 1080x1920 screen, 13MP rear digital camera and 8MP front, 3GB RAM and 16GB storage of which 10GB is free for the person.

The a bit of better 4S activities a SnapDragon 652 chipset, 1.8 GHz Octa Core, 1440x2560 display, 16MP rear and 8MP front camera, 3GB RAM and 32GB storage of which 25GB is obtainable for user storage. both fashions have MicroSD slots.

The problem at MWC is how to differentiate your products from the mass of alternative Android handsets. The Idol 4 collection has a few hints, most chiefly a VR handset protected in the container for the 4S, and available as an extra for the four+. What you get is a strap-on headset into which the phone slots, featuring a mobile VR journey which appears superficially corresponding to Samsung's Oculus-based mostly apparatus VR, into which you slot a Galaxy observe 5 - 6 collection cell.

The Alcatel effort feels moderately strong, notwithstanding a little fiddly to unpack and gather judging by our brief arms-on in Barcelona. it's bulky although, and the key questions are what VR content material will be purchasable, and even if the headset will be destined for colossal lively use or the returned of the drawer after purchase. A VR shop app for obtaining pictures, video clips and video games is pre-installed.

youngsters distinctive pricing has now not been announced, the business noted that the Idol 4 series might be available from April 2016, at expenditures from €279 to €449.

Alcatel Plus 10

subsequent up from Alcatel is a 32-bit windows 10 2-in-1 tablet/computing device. The Plus 10 is a 10.1" machine with a quad-core 1.92GHz Intel Atom x5-Z8350 chipset. The keyboard is detachable and includes a SIM slot for LTE (4G wireless) connectivity so you can use it as a wifi hotspot for up to fifteen users.

You also get primary cameras front and rear, 32GB interior storage, 2GB RAM, MicroSD slot, USB and HDMI ports. The Plus 10 isn't the slimmest of devices however weighs handiest 850g, and battery lifetime of eight hours "gentle utilization" is claimed. The mannequin on screen in Barcelona felt somewhat plasticky but its easy weight is a advantage.

The Plus 10 might be available from June 2016, priced "from €379", in response to the presentation in Barcelona.

The Alcatel Plus 10 has a detachable keyboard that doubles as a wifi hotspot

The enterprise is "very bullish on home windows", in line with VP and chief advertising and marketing officer Dan Dery. The Plus 10 joins the Fierce XL home windows 10 smartphone, released prior this yr within the US, and the Pixi 3 eight-inch windows 10 tablet announced at CES in January and set for availability in April 2016. The Pixi three is an ARM-based device working home windows 10 cell, whereas the Plus 10 runs full home windows and is the primary Alcatel device with an Intel chipset.

Why do a windows 10 machine? "there's a company market but there is additionally a good consumer market," Dery told El Reg. "A market that is terribly regularly occurring with home windows. Having a computer at domestic that will also be indifferent as a pill makes a lot of experience."

A VR smartphone, a hotspot keyboard: it is a little gimmicky; however Alcatel's aggressive pricing will entice some interest.®

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