Alcatel launches its flagship device IDOL 4 with VR set in India today

Alcatel announces the launch of its flagship device IDOL 4 in India. The uniquely –designed IDOL 4 smartphone take everything up a notch with the new Boom Key and an augmented multimedia experience. IDOL 4 also marks Alcatel’s entry into the expansive VR space and it will be available exclusively on Flipkart.com.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Praveen Valecha, Regional Director, Alcatel India said,  “We are excited to launch our flagship device, IDOL 4 in the Indian market which marks another milestone for us. We are proud to be the pioneers in democratizing technology by bringing the benefits of VR to consumers across economic spectrum at disruptive price-points. Another innovative feature – the Boom Key boom-ifies everything, from the sound to photos to gaming. We are optimistic that the consumers will love this product.”

Speaking on the tie up with Alcatel, Ajay Yadav, VP – Mobiles at Flipkart, said, “Today, Flipkart is a storehouse of country’s largest smartphone across the spectrum. We are glad that a global player like Alcatel has chosen us as their exclusive partner to launch their flagship series in India. Being the largest online seller for smartphones in the country, it is our constant endeavour to grow this category and partner with like-minded brands.”

“In the last few months, we have launched a varied range of smartphones that not only expanded the shopper’s choice for phones but also met their requirement to purchase a product that is affordable yet meets all quality standards”, he further added.

VR-in-the-box

The IDOL 4’s innovative packaging design transforms into a pair of virtual reality goggles which, when combined with the smartphone, becomes the portal for users to enter the world of immersive 360-degree viewing and gaming. Virtual reality content such as videos and games can be downloaded onto the device from the Onetouch VR Store, a built-in app to easily access saved virtual reality content or streamed in realtime via LittlStar. Alcatel‘s VR set is available in the box along with JBL in-ear headphones.

Mr. Nicolas Zibell, CEO APAC, TCL Communications said, “VR is the next big growth area in consumer technology. The VR technology offers huge growth potential in India with the burgeoning smartphone market where affordability is key to encourage mass adoption. With the launch of our VR set, we are focused on great mobile gaming VR experiences. Alcatel is looking into smartphone and will concentrate on seeking ways of bringing much more static experiences to life.”

BOOM ME UP! The Boom Key Delivers Augmented Experience

Boom my camera: Instantly takes photos on standby mode pressing and holding the button puts the camera into burst mode to take photos in quick succession.

Boom my gallery: Artistically shuffles the photos in the gallery for instant sharing as a photo collage or a short slideshow.

Boom my videos: Generates immediate, surprising effects in existing videos, such as replaying the previous one second of the video three times, or changing the playback speed. When a user is recording a video, pressing the Boom Key will immediately broadcast the video live.

Boom my music: Conceived by Alcatel and creatively engineered by Waves, the audio experience is automatically optimized across all media with simply one touch. The bass, loudness and clarity of the sound is enhanced, enriching the whole user experience.

Boom my view: Creates a more intense 3D effect (parallax UI effect) for the launcher and a stunning, live weather display as part of the homescreen.

Augumented Multimedia: Amped-Up Display, Camera and Sound

The IDOL 4, featuring the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 617 processor, deliver advanced features and capabilities that allow consumers to experience console-quality 3D gaming, enhanced photography and videography, as well as home theater-quality audio. Additionally users will be able to enjoy all-day battery life. The smartphones  sport displays that provide superb readability even in bright sunlight and clear viewing from any angle using Qualcomm Technologies’ Assertive Display technology.

IDOL 4 comes with professional-quality cameras offering ultrafast auto-focus (0.1-0.3 seconds), as well as 360-degree photos and selfies. The smartphones also produce crystal-clear shots even in the dark.

For a superior and powerful audio experience, Alcatel teamed up with two well-known audio brands, JBL and Waves. With these top leaders supporting the hardware and software, the end-user can rest assured that the audio quality of the IDOL 4 series is simply awesome!

Other IDOL 4 audio features include two powerful 3.6 watt speakers, Hi-Fi surround-sound for the headset, and optimization of audio presets both automatically and manually, giving users a powerhouse sound. The J22 JBL high performance headphone employ high-performance drivers and a high quality microphone is included to enable the end-user to enjoy on-the-go phone conversations.

Augumented Reversibility: Up, Down and All Around

IDOL 4 is reversible in three ways. The interface rights itself no matter if the users picks it up right side up or upside down. In addition, it is reversible left to right: stereo sound is always on the correct side, even when the phone is flipped. And the strategically placed speaker grille ensures that sound is unobstructed, whether the phone is facing up or turned over.

Finely Crafted Design

IDOL 4 will be offered with three different metal frames: Gold, Dark Gray and Metal Silver. The front glass touch panel and glass back cover give the phones a premium look and feel. The IDOL 4 slimness (7.1 mm), metal frame and in-mold spin-effect texture add to its finely crafted, luxurious design.

Price and availability

The Alcatel IDOL 4 Series smartphone will be available in India priced at Rs. 16,999, on Flipkart.com