Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 available for pre-order from April 21

This $250 smartphone offers a well-balanced set of mid-range components and runs an up-to-date Android version.

Andrey Konstantinov, Published 04/09/2015

Originally announced at the MWC 2015 exhibition in Barcelona, Spain, Alcatel's OneTouch Idol 3 smartphone is now nearing release. It can be pre-ordered via Alcatel's website from April 21 at a discounted prive of $250 (MSRP: $280). Pre-ordered units will ship in May.

The smartphone's specifications more than exceed the usual expectations from this price range. OneTouch Idol 3 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core (four 1.5 GHz cores + four 1 GHz cores, all Cortex A53) 64-bit SoC with Adreno 405 graphics and 2 GB RAM. There's 16 GB inbuilt storage with support for microSD cards up to 128 GB. A 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display tuned by Technicolor is framed by two front-facing JBL speakers. Its multi-touch capacity is limited to 5 points instead of the usual 10, but that shouldn't be a serious drawback in most applications and even games. The main camera uses Sony's IMX214 f/2.0 13 MP sensor, supports autofocus and HDR and is equipped with an LED flash. The 8 MP front camera offers a wide-angle lens and is capable of recording Full HD (30 fps) videos.

Battery capacity is relatively high with 2910 mAh, but the phone is quite light (141 g) and thin (7.4 mm). Connectivity includes UMTS, HSPA+, LTE Cat. 4 (150/50 Mbps DL/UL), dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.1, Miracast, NFC, microUSB 2.0 and GPS with A-GPS. The phone will be sold unlocked in the US and is claimed to be compatible with all major carriers' networks. Android 5.0.2 is installed out of the box.

If Alcatel's new smartphone succeeds, the competing manufacturers will be forced to re-evaluate their mid-range smartphone portfolios: currently, there are very few models below $300 that combine a Full HD display with a modern 64-bit SoC, high resolution cameras and LTE connectivity.

Source(s)

Alcatel

+ Show Press Release

Press Release

IRVINE, Calif. – April 9, 2015 – ALCATEL ONETOUCH - the fifth largest smartphone manufacturer in the U.S.* - is disrupting the flagship smartphone market, today announcing that the award-winning IDOL 3 will be available to pre-order unlocked for an online exclusive price of $249.99 (MSRP of $279.00) beginning on April 21, with pre-orders shipping in May.

One of the big surprises at this year’s Mobile World Congress was the award-winning IDOL 3, which challenges the convention of a feature-rich flagship offered at an entry-level smartphone price point. This global flagship will be available unlocked in the U.S., initially available through www.alcatelonetouch.us and is compatible on every GSM LTE network in the U.S.; including T-Mobile and AT&T.

“We’ve always differentiated ourselves by challenging the expectations of what consumers experience for their money,” said Steve Cistulli, Senior Vice President & General Manager of North America for ALCATEL ONETOUCH. “With IDOL 3, we’ve partnered with top brands like Qualcomm, JBL and Technicolor to bring a truly flagship experience at an accessibly affordable price. Where others try to justify outrageous prices for their top devices, we’re focused on ensuring our customers get a device with the high-end features they want, at a price that won’t empty their wallet.”

Packing the best in flagship smartphone specs, the IDOL 3 delivers three key user experiences: sound, camera and display. Dual front-facing JBL Audio speakers make the IDOL 3 an on-the-go sound system, without the need of an additional Bluetooth speaker. The 13MP main camera has an industry-leading Sony IMX sensor, offering superior low-light performance. The display has also been specially tuned by Technicolor, giving colors on the Full HD screen more richness and vibrancy, and better viewing in sunlight conditions. The IDOL 3 is truly a flagship style smartphone, with unique enhancements like the fully reversible user interface that makes the screen adaptive to be right side up, even if the phone itself is upside down.

IDOL 3 Key Features:

DISPLAY
5.5-inch Full-HD IPS Display (1920x1080), with Technicolor Color Enhance for greater viewing angles – even in direct sunlight + Fully Reversible UI

PROCESSOR
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 615 MSM8939 Octa-Core 1.7GHz (64-bit), Adreno 405 @ 550MHz

CONNECTIVITY
LTE FDD: B2/4/5/7/12/17, 150Mbps Downlink, 50Mbps Uplink + VoLTE

OPERATING SYSTEM
Android Lollipop 5.0.2

CAMERA
13MP Main Camera with Sony IMX214 Sensor (F/2.0) + 8MP Wide-Angle Front Camera

SOUND
Dual 1.2 Watt Front-Facing JBL Stereo Speakers + Harmon Clari-Fi™ Technology

MEMORY
16GB ROM + 2GB RAM (LP-DDR3); Expandable Memory Via MicroSD (up to 128GB)

BATTERY
2910mAh With Up To 13 Hours Talk Time and Up to 600 Hours Standby Time

IDOL 3 will be the first globally released flagship from ALCATEL ONETOUCH and is the latest in the company’s award-winning IDOL line of smartphones, known for combining the best of high-end design and features. This will also be the first ALCATEL ONETOUCH flagship widely available unlocked to U.S. customers through the company’s e-commerce store at launch.

To learn more about the IDOL 3 and to sign-up for early pre-sale access, visit www.alcatelonetouch.us.

*Strategy Analytics, North America Smartphone Vendor & OS Market Share, Q4 2014

About ALCATEL ONETOUCH
ALCATEL ONETOUCH is simple, unexpected, down to earth, irreverent and colorful. We believe that what makes technology smart is what you can do with it rather than what it can do.

ALCATEL ONETOUCH is a brand within TCL Communication, an international multicultural company which designs, develops, and markets globally a growing range of mobile and Internet devices. TCL Communication is a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (2618.HK) and part of TCL Corporation one of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world.

For more information, please visit www.alcatelonetouch.us.