Australia is set to get a brand new Pop, Hero, and Pixie smartphone range with several carriers set to start ranging the new Alcatel mobiles shortly. Also set to be launched is a new Smartwatch that got rave reviews at CES 2015.
There is also the possibility that Palm Brand smartphones could return to Australia following a seven year hiatus after Hewlett Packard failed to make an impression with the brand that produced one of the original smartphones back in 1996.
Executives from Optus, Telstra and Vodafone along with Australian consumer electronics retailers will be shown the new range of Alcatel One Touch smartphones and a new range of smartwatches at next month’s World Mobile Congress in Barcelona.
Consumers will be given a choices of OS with Firefox, Windows and Android models set to be available.
Alcatel One Touch is owned by Chinese Company TCL who are producing the new ranges at a custom built factory in China that compiles every component in the budget range of smartphones under one roof.
According to sources Alcatel will show executives from Australian carrier’s new Palm prototypes at WMC.
Among the new models to go on sale in Australia will be the Alcatel Onetouch Hero 2 smartphone. This device will be shown for the first time at WMC.
The 6-inch device will compete head on with the Samsung Note and the Huawei Ascend Mate but will be significantly cheaper than both devices.
The device has an octa-core processor, a full 1080p HD display, a 13MP camera, 2GB of RAM, a 3100 mAh battery and includes a stylus pen.
Other features include handwriting recognition, camera live filters, and a music editor allowing a user to mix tracks and add sound effects through a companion flip cover: MagicFlip DJ.
The Pixi 3 smartphone series will come in sizes from 3.5 inches to 5 inches. Carriers are have been given the option of which OS they want the Pixi 3 smartphone range to run on.
Recently Company executives appointed a new PR Company in Australia, They have also hired several experienced communication industry executives.
Alcatel OneTouch regional MD for Australia and the Pacific, Sam Skontos, said on Friday “we have a great range of smartphones coming shortly and we anticipate the first Alcatel models being on sale by April”.
ChannelNews has been told that Alcatel will also enter the market with a smartwatch range that will also be sold by mass retailers.
The smart watch, which was first unveiled at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, US, in January, is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones.
Priced at a fraction of the cost of competitors, the smartphone has a series of fine finishes that meet the demands of those looking for the same look and feel as a traditional watch, the company told ChannelNews.
Available in a sporty black and red along with all-white and all-metallic options, the watch has already been feted with a slew of design awards, including Reviewed.com’s Editors’ Choice Best of CES, Stuff magazine’s Wearable Tech Award and Top Pick of CES from Tom’s Guide.
Available in several styles – sporty dark red/volcano black, feminine all-white, classic chrome/dark grey and elegant metal-white – the watch employs materials such as brushed chrome, micro-textured resin bands and white stainless steel. This choice of finishes assures that it will appeal to both men and women.
While offering choice and style, the smart watch also offers multiple fitness functions and connects to Android and iOS smartphones via Bluetooth.
The heart-rate monitor is embedded discretely on the underside of the watch face; there’s also an accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter and e-compass.
The watch also allows users to track their sleep cycle, distance covered, steps taken and calories burned. To monitor their fitness goals, users can access the activity overview that the watch offers.
When the smartwatch is connected to a smartphone, it sends users call notifications; social media updates and vibrates if users stray too far from their phones.
Touching the screen activates a multimedia remote control. Users can control music, take pictures from their phone from a distance or make their phone ring in order to locate it.
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The watch is compatible with a number of Alcatel One Touch smartphones as well as with any phone running on Android 4.3 or above and on iOS 7 or above. It is dust and water-resistant, with a long battery life.
It has a USB charger integrated into its band for simplicity of use.
With beauty and functionality integrated into one device, Alcatel One Touch says the new watch is a smart watch at a smart price, fulfilling its mission of making the latest technology available to all.
Alcatel One Touch is a brand within TCL Communication.