Alcatel today announced three new smartphones that
run Android Nougat: Alcatel Idol 5S, Alcatel A50, and Alcatel A30 Plus. In
addition to being available as Amazon Prime phones (with adds on the home
screen), all tree handsets are also offered add-free in the US, though they're
a bit more expensive this way.
Succeeding the Alcatel Idol 4 from 2016, the Idol 5S
is built around an aluminum frame, and seems to be a nice mid-range smartphone.
Running Android 7.1 Nougat, the device features a 5.2-inch 1080p display, dual
front-facing speakers for stereo sound, fingerprint sensor, an 8 MP
front-facing camera, and a 12 MP rear camera. The Idol 5S is powered by an
octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, further offering 3 GB of RAM, 32
GB of expandable internal memory, and a 2620 mAh battery.
The Alcatel Idol 5S will be compatible
only with GSM/LTE carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. However, Alcatel says
that a future update (coming "later this summer") will enable the
handset to also work on CDMA/LTE carriers like Verizon and Sprint. The new
phone can be pre-ordered as of today for US$ 279.99 (unlocked).
Next on the list, the Alcatel A50 runs Android 7.0
Nougat, and is offered unlocked for US$ 149.99 (being compatible with AT&T and
T-Mobile). The handset sports a 5.2-inch 720p display, and is powered by a
quad-core MediaTek MTK6738 processor clocked at 1.5 GHz. Also on board are LTE,
5 MP and 13 MP cameras (front and rear), 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of expandable
storage space, and a 2800 mAh battery.
Interestingly, the Alcatel A50 supports various
snap-on accessories that will be available separately, at extra cost: a LightUp
SNAPBAK cover (for colorful notifications), a Power SNAPBAK (for doubling
battery life), and a Sound SNAPBAK (featuring 2.5 watt stereo speakers and
built-in kickstand).
Finally, the Alcatel A30 Plus is a larger version of
the A30 that Alcatel released earlier this year, sporting a 5.5-inch 720p
display and packing a 3,000 mAh battery. That aside, its features resemble
those of the A50, although this device doesn't support modular accessories. The
Alcatel A30 Plus costs US$ 129.99, and works on AT&T and T-Mobile (support for
Verizon will be added via an update later this year).
You can pre-order all three new Alcatel smartphones
from Amazon, although they won't ship before July
10.
