Alcatel bolsters budget smartphone, Movetime smartwatch series at MWC
TL; DR
- Alcatel, which is owned by TCL, announced several new products at MWC 2021.
- The offers are led by two budget smartphones and a smartwatch for children.
- The products will be available in selected regions from August.
After shoving a ton of cheap phones out the door at CES, which is owned by TCL, Alcatel is launching cheaper products at MWC 2021. At the top are two new budget additions to its Alcatel 1 series and a new smartwatch for kids.
Alcatel Movetime Family Watch 2
Although intended for kids, the Movetime Family Watch 2 may be Alcatel’s most intriguing product at MWC 2021. Movetime is more of a kid-wearable smartphone than a smartwatch. It has a large 1.54-inch display with 2D glass and an IP65-certified housing. It can also make video and voice calls over LTE with a nano SIM and a 2 MP camera right above the display.
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Additionally, Movetime has 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, and an 850mAh battery that is said to be good for two days with LTE enabled. The integrated GPS enables a security function for geofencing alarms for parents, while a one-touch SOS button is also integrated.
You will also get basic fitness data, including total steps and distance traveled. While the device lacks a heart rate monitor and more advanced sleep tracking features, keeping children’s safety in mind seems to be the main selling point.
The Alcatel Movetime Family Watch 2 will be available in Europe from mid-August 2021 at a price of 149 euros.
Alcatel 1L Pro
At the top of the smartphone range is the Alcatel 1L Pro. With a 6.1-inch IPS HD + display in a plastic case, it is the larger of the two phones on offer. It is powered by the octa-core Unisoc SC9863A SoC in combination with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of expandable storage. A 3,000mAh battery with 5W charging power is also available. A 2MP depth sensor joins the 13MP main camera on the back. A 5 MP selfie camera sits in a notch on the front.
It is noteworthy that the Alcatel 1L Pro uses Android 11 Go Edition, which should run efficiently on the hardware provided. However, the lite version of the Google operating system has some limitations.
The Alcatel 1L Pro will be available in Power Gray or Twilight Blue and begin shipping in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa from September 2021. Prices in Mexico start at 2,699 Mexican pesos (~ $ 133), but expect the device to maintain this price range in other regions.
Alcatel 1
If the 1L Pro is finally a bit too big and the Movetime doesn’t fit into your handwriting, the Alcatel 1 is the alternative. The device also uses Android 11 Go Edition and has a 5-inch display, the MediaTek MT6739 SoC, 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of expandable storage. A 2,000mAh battery provides power. There is a single 5 MP camera on the back, while a 2 MP shooter processes selfies.
The Alcatel 1 isn’t an exciting prospect on paper, but it isn’t meant to be either. Alcatel states that the device was designed with “a smart, simple user experience” in mind. It should serve as an adequate entry point for feature phone users into the smartphone world.
The Alcatel 1 is available in the color variants Volcano Black and AI Aqua and will be available in Europe and Latin America from € 59 from August 2021.
