Australia’s third largest seller of smartphones has shown off its new range of budget smartphones which are soon to be available in even more places with the addition of three new retailers.
Officeworks, Australia Post and Amazon will join the likes of JB Hi-Fi, Telstra, Vodafone and Optus in stocking Alcatel phones.
While competition is mounting in the budget smartphones market with the introduction of Samsung’s A-series budget phones among others, Alcatel is seeking to retain its share of the space by providing maximum value at the minimum price.
The cheapest Samsung A-series phone costs as much as the most expensive new Alcatel device.
“We continue to redefine what is possible in a sub-$300 device, with Australians more aware than ever before that it is possible to deliver exciting, innovative smartphones that don’t demand top dollar or compromise on performance,” said Alcatel vice president and regional managing director Sam Skontos.
Alcatel’s new 1X (A$179), 1S (A$199) and 3 (A$279) are “budget” phones proudly aimed at the bottom end of the market, offering what the company called “affordable innovation” with “upmarket design”.
The 1X and 1S both offer 5.5″, 1440 x 720 resolution displays, 16MP + 2MP dual camera arrays and biometric security through fingerprint scanning and face key.
The 1X runs Android 8.1 Oreo on a quad-core 1.5gHz processor with a 3000mAh battery and a pebble paint finish while the 1S gets Android 9 Pie on an octa-core processor with a 3060 mAh battery and a metallic paint finish.
The slightly more upmarket 3 gets a bigger 5.9″ full-screen (with camera drop) display, 32GB/3GB memory configuration, and 3500mAh battery.
The 3’s 16MP + 5MP dual camera can refocus parts of the image even after it’s been shot, with AI scene detection for more than 20 subjects including portrait, food, and animals.
One of the biggest design changes on the new models is the shrinking and lowering of the Alcatel branding on the rear of the phones and the addition of the “TCL Communications” name.
The move represents the first in a long process of introducing and establishing the TCL name in Australia’s smartphone market as the company prepares to introduce a TCL branded device later this year.
Mr Skontos said the company sold close to a million devices in Australia last year, but plans to take the brand to another level with the new phones.
The new phones will be available from next month.
Full specs below.
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Alcatel 1s |
Alcatel 1x |
Alcatel 3 |
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5.5” 18:9 |
5.5” 18:9 |
5.9” 19.5:9 |
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4G |
4G |
4G |
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SC9863A, Octa-core CPU
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MT6739, Quad-core CPU
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SDM 439, Octa-core CPU
|
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Android™ Pie |
Android™ Oreo™ |
Android™ Oreo™ |
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3GB/32GB |
2GB/16GB |
3GB/32GB |
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Rear: 13MP + 2MP with single LED flash |
Rear: 13MP + 2MP with depth sensor and single LED flash |
Rear: 13MP + 5MP |
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Front: 5MP |
Front: 5MP |
Front: 8MP |
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Fingerprint |
Face Key |
Fingerprint Face key |
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3060mAh |
3000mAh |
3500mAh |
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$199 |
$179 |
$279 |
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Amazon |
Amazon & Officeworks |
Amazon & Officeworks |
