14 DAY TRIAL // Alcatel, TCL's smartphone brand for global markets, has just announced a brand new device at CES 2017, the A3 XL. Even though the phone comes with a huge display, the hardware inside is a complete letdown.
But first things first. Alcatel hasn't yet announced the price tag for the A3 XL, but it confirmed it would be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2017 in Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
The main selling point of the Alcatel A3 XL is the generous 6-inch display. Sadly, the large screen only supports HD (720p) resolution. The phone measures 165 x 82.5 x 7.9mm, but the weight is still a mystery.
Hardware-wise, Alcatel's phablet is definitely among the lowest devices to sport a 6-inch display. The phone is equipped with a 1.1GHz quad-core MediaTek MT8735B processor, coupled with just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory (expandable via microSD card).
“The new Alcatel A3 XL enables them to watch the best HD movies and get an all-round fabulous multimedia experience, including gaming that involves high-volume data transfer. In short, it gives them a lot of bang for their buck. They will enjoy it,” said Vittorio Di Mauro, Senior Vice President Smart Connectivity Division, Alcatel.
On the back, there's an 8-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and 720p video recording, while in the front there's a secondary 5-megapixel camera for selfies. Alcatel A3 XL is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery.
The only thing that will make the A3 XL stand out from other low-end smartphones is the fact that it will ship with the Android 7.0 Nougat operating system right out of the box.
What we still have to learn is the price of the Alcatel A3 XL, which could make it a great alternative to other more expensive brands available in emerging markets.
