Alcatel has officially announced the IDOL 4S, the company’s new Windows 10 Mobile smartphone that promises to be a “powerhouse flagship” with an affordable price.
Although the debut of the Alcatel IDOL 4S doesn’t come as a big surprise given the fact that we’ve already seen several leaks before, its arrival can only be helpful for Windows 10 Mobile as a platform, especially given all the bad news that have surfaced lately, including the demise of the Lumia brand.
And what’s more important is that the IDOL 4S comes with features that Microsoft can finally describe as premium and innovative, mostly thanks to its VR capabilities.
Specifically, the Alcatel IDOL 4S comes with a 5.5-inch full HD 1920×1080 pixels AMOLED display which is supposed to provide perfectly balanced contrast and vivid colors, “even in direct sunlight” as Microsoft itself says. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor (2×2.15GHz + 2×1.6GHz) with Adreno 530 GPU and features 4GB RAM.
In terms of storage, the phone boasts 64GB, but you can add an extra 128GB thanks to microSD card support. There’s a main camera with 21-megapixel resolution and Sony IMX230 sensor, as well as an 8MP front camera with 84-degree wide angle lens for selfies and video calls.
Alcatel used a 3,000 mAh battery that can be recharged via the USB Type-C port and which supports Quick Charging. Additionally, a fingerprint sensor is also available for Windows Hello, and so is a dual 1.2W multi-direction speaker.
First VR-ready Windows 10 Mobile phone
The Alcatel IDOL 4S is the first VR-ready Windows 10 Mobile device, so it comes with a virtual reality bundled included in the box and available at no extra price.
“Each IDOL 4S with Windows 10 comes packaged with virtual reality goggles included as part of the in-box bundle. The headset is designed so that the phone snaps into the goggles for an user-friendly virtual reality experience where you can play three dimensional games or watch 360 degree videos,” Microsoft explains.
This brings Windows 10 Mobile in line with rival devices already offering VR capabilities, as it’s the case of Android models from Samsung, which can also be used with VR goggles for 3D content.
The new Alcatel model will go on sale on November 10 in the United States and will be available for $469.99. Pricing and availability for other markets is yet to be announced.
