Whilst everyone else is focused on the flagship devices, TCL Communication launches the sub-$200 Alcatel 1SE in Australia, a high-quality, highly affordable smartphones with features and performance at a fraction of the price that consumers previously needed to spend.
The past years have seen flagship phones soar well above the $1000 mark, and in the case of the iPhone, well above the $2000 mark. The Alcatel 1SE comes in at a pittance of those figures with features that include an AI triple-rear camera and impressive display technology. A stark reminder of how fast mobile technology and innovation has evolved, with such technologies appearing in much more expensive, flagship devices just a few short years ago.
Is there a market for a good affordable smartphone? Absolutely. The first markets that comes to mind is the aged sector and kids first phones. Secondly not everyone wants to do everything on their phone, it could still be a basic communications device but wanting the ability to receive and send pictures with apps such as WhatsApp and WeChat.
I am like most households, passing down older phones to the kids to play with when I am done. An old flagship smartphone can still be worth some money which can offset the replacement. Or in my case there is just not enough old handsets to cater for the little ones.
The other issue I keep encountering is recommending a good affordable phone for my elderly parents. They want something that can take great photos of the grandkids to show off, but loath to spend the money for a mid-range to flagship range. With 2020 devastating employment rates and long term prospects of a booming economy, this market is more important than ever.
“Affordable smartphones play an essential role in the industry, offering accessibility to technology to those who can’t or don’t want to fork out the exorbitant cost of a new flagship smartphone. We take pride in being able to really drive inclusions and offer consumers features that were in much more expensive devices just a few short years ago” says Sam Skontos, VP and Regional Managing Director, South East Asia & Pacific, for Alcatel.
The Alcatel 1SE (2020) comes with a 13MP+5MP+2MP rear camera that includes a 120-degree wide angle lens, a 4,000mAh battery, 4+64GB Memory, fingerprint security and a 6.22-inch HD+ Vast Display with 87.18% screen to body ratio. Compared to 4 years ago in 2016, the then impressive list of features that included an 8MP rear camera, a 2500 mAh battery capacity, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory on a 5-inch HD display. 2018’s Alcatel 3V saw improvements in larger, higher quality displays with an 18:9 ratio, better battery life and dual camera technology.
Powered performance
The Alcatel 1SE offers a powerful octa-core processor, which provides a smoother multi-tasking experience and fast downloads. Enjoy the day worry-free with 4000mAh high-capacity battery and 5V2A charging.
Seamless visual experience
The device’s 6.22-inch HD+ Vast Display and 87.18% screen-to-body ratio provides an immersive viewing experience for consumers. The expansive display delivers vibrant colours, housed with 2.5D glass on the front and stunning radial texture on the back to provide a great aesthetic along with a better in-hand experience.
Smarter photography
The Alcatel 1SE’s AI triple-camera setup allows users to make every photo shine whatever the time. Take photos of everything from food to fireworks in stunning quality with the 13MP main lens, 5MP super wide-angle and 2MP depth lens. The AI scene detection automatically optimises the setting in real time to capture 12 different subjects and scenes for quality colour, detail and lighting of images.
Users can capture the world around them with a 120-degree wide-angle lens, while portrait mode blurs any background in real time for studio-like pictures. For the selfie-snappers, the front-facing 5MP camera with LCD flash creates brighter, clearer selfies.
The dedicated Google Assistant button on the side of the phone provides users with endless information, helping them get on with their daily tasks quickly and effortlessly.
Pricing & Availability
The Alcatel 1SE is available at JB Hi-Fi both in-store and online for $199.
Stay tuned as Jo will be getting her hands on one and giving us her thoughts.
Specifications
CPU: SC9863A, Octa-core
Display: 6.22″, HD+
Camera: Rear 13MP+5MP+2MP, Front, 5MP
Memory: RAM+ROM 3+32/4+64
Battery: 4,000 mAh
Fingerprint reader: Yes
