Alcatel OneTouch is now just Alcatel and to start the year with the new name, the company announced the new Alcatel Idol 4 series smartphone at MWC 2016.
The Idol 4 is the successor to last year’s Idol 3 and is a budget oriented smartphone. The spec list will not awe you, but the design might. The new Idol 4 series features two models, the Idol 4 and the Idol 4S. Both look quite similar design wise but are different from the inside.
Let’s take a look at the Idol 4 first, the entry level smartphone between the two. It’s not all about the hardware, as Alcatel has included some software gimmicks on the new Idol 4 smartphones. One of the main features of the Idol 4 is the ability to be used in any orientation. The speakers and earpiece shift with the orientation.
Alcatel Idol 4 Specifications
The budget version of the Idol 4 smartphone has decent hardware and a good looking design. It features a metal frame and a glass body that gives the smartphone a premium look. The device is also just 7.1mm thin. Here’s a look at the specifications of the Idol 4;
- a 5.2 inch 1080p IPS display
- Octa core Snapdragon 617 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 16GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
- 13-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel camera front camera
- 2610mAh battery
- Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
Alcatel has partnered with JBL and Waves to offer the best sound possible on the Idol 4. The phone includes two 3.6 watt speakers that provide high-quality stereo surround sound. The smartphone comes with a pair of JBL earphones as well.
The smartphone also features a hardware button called ‘Boom Key,’ which would allow you to perform a lot of actions with just the press of a button. You can take a photo without unlocking the phone, optimize audio, and perform other actions.
Alcatel Idol 4 Price
The retail box that the Idol 4 comes in is actually a VR headset and you get several downloadable VR content from the OneTouch VR Store. The release date for the device hasn’t been announced yet, but it will most likely cost around $280 when it is available. Color options for the smartphone include; Gold, Dark Gray, Rose Gold and Metal Silver.