CES 2017 | Alcatel unveils A3 XL phablet

Alcatel introduced at this year's CES the A series of devices, described as "a new premium range of affordable mobile devices" that "offers affordability, functionality and, most of all, fun." The first member of this family is the Alcatel A3 XL, a 6-inch handset considered to be "a cross between phone and phablet."

The screen of the Alcatel A3 XL, despite its massive size, only offers 1,280X720 pixels, a resolution obviously insufficient for most consumers. Its features include a fingerprint reader placed on the back panel, LTE Cat. 4 connectivity, but the specs are quite outdated overall. The A3 XL packs a quad-core MediaTek processor running at 1.1 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal storage and microSD support up to 32 GB, 5 MP & 8 MP cameras, all powered by a 3,000 mAh battery. Fortunately, the A3 XL comes loaded with Android 7.0 Nougat.

For now, the launch of this $200 USD phablet is still a few months away, and some of the specs might change (we hope for at least 2 GB of memory and support for larger microSD cards) since the official press release does not reveal any details. According to Alcatel, the launch is scheduled for the first quarter of 2017 in Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, while Europe should receive the A3 XL in the second quarter.