Alcatel today announced that it is ditching its ‘OneTouch’ branding and unveiled two new smartphones: the Idol 4 and the Idol 4S. The former is the successor to the company’s popular mid-range Idol 3 handset from last year, while the latter is a more premium mid-range handset.
The Idol 4 comes with a 5.2-inch display Full HD display, while the Idol 4S comes with a 5.5-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display. They also feature Qualcomm’s Assertive Display technology to ensure that the display is readable in direct sunlight and from any viewing angle.
The Idol 4 is powered by a Snapdragon 617 processor, while its bigger sibling is powered by a Snapdragon 652 processor. Both chipsets feature an X8 LTE modem, Wi-Fi ac connectivity, and allow the handsets to deliver all-day battery life with their 2610mAh and 3000mAh battery, respectively. Other specs of the Idol 4 include 3GB RAM, 16GB storage space, microSD card slot, 8MP front camera and a 13MP rear shooter. The Idol 4S also comes with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, microSD card slot, 16MP rear shooter and an 8MP front shooter.
“The IDOL 4 series marks another milestone in ALCATEL innovation,” said Dan Dery, Chief Marketing Officer at ALCATEL. “The Boom Key boom-ifies everything, from the sound to photos to gaming. Something we’re really excited about, and something I’m eager to show my friends is that we’ve augmented IDOL 4’s multimedia experience. A screen that offers a stunning display from any angle, an all-in-one powerhouse audio ecosystem and a professional-caliber camera.”
Both handsets come with a ‘Boom Key’ that can be used to quickly take pictures while the phone is in standby mode, or optimise the sound quality while watching any media, or add some more 3D UI effects to the launcher and homescreen. On the software front, the handsets will run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box.
Lastly, the packaging of the Idol 4S can be turned into a VR cardboard that when used with the smartphone will allow users to immerse themselves in VR content. Alcatel will be offering the Idol 4 and Idol 4S in four different metal frames: Gold, Dark Gray, Rose Gold and Metal Silver. The release date and pricing of the phones have not been announced as of yet.
