Alcatel announces a bunch of LTE Cat 4 capable smartphones

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 24 Feb 2014

POP S7

Alcatel might not be known for its Android smartphones but it is determined to make a mark. The company today announced a bunch of One Touch and Pop S branded phones at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to cater to a wide range of audiences. 

The One Touch Idol 2 is the biggest and fastest smartphone in the company’s stable with a 7.3mm thick waistline, a 5-inch 720p display, quad-core 1.2GHz MediaTek processor, NFC, 8MP/1.3MP cameras and support for LTE Cat 4 networks. The Idol 2 Mini will sport a smaller 4.5-inch qHD display and a modest 1.2GHz dual-core MediaTek processor. Other specs of the handset remain the same as its elder sibling above.

Both handsets will be running on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and will be upgradable to Android 4.4 KitKat. Alcatel will also be releasing an LTE capable variant of the above devices under the Idol S branding. The 3G variant of the Idol 2 and Idol 2 mini will retail for $274 and $230, respectively, with the LTE versions coming in at $290 and $345.

The company also introduced a trio of colorful smartphones aimed at young consumers with its Pop S series. The Pop S7 sits in the middle with its 5-inch qHD screen, a quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek chip, NFC, LTE Cat 4 support, Bluetooth 4.0, 5MP rear camera, microSD card slot and a beefy 3000mAh battery. The handset will be coming to Asian and European markets first for only $260.

Screen Shot 2014-02-24 at 12.55.24 pm

The Pop S9 is the biggest and fastest handset in this series with its gigantic 6-inch 720p display, quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor and a beefy 3400mAh battery — inside a relatively thin 8.5mm body. Other specs include 8MP/2MP cameras, NFC, 8GB internal storage, microSD card slot and Bluetooth 4.0. The handset is expected to go on sale in Europe and Asia by March for $300 with a U.S. launch expected later this year.

Lastly, the company unveiled the Pop S3 that will come with swappable back covers. The handset sports a 4-inch WVGA display, a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, LTE connectivity, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, 4GB internal storage, microSD card slot and 5MP/VGA shooters. It will retail for around $220 and will be heading to the UK and US markets later this year.

Image Credit: Engadget