Alcatel, one of the fastest growing smartphones in North America, is now getting into the VR field with the release of its latest phone — the Alcatel Idol 4S. Yes, its new phone brings about its entrance into VR, but it’s not the phone itself. The packaging of the Alcatel IDOL 4S doubles as a VR headset.
“We are offering a true VR experience,” said Alcatel President of International Business Nicolas Zibell at Mobile World Congress 2016.
The “VR in the box” is similar in look as the Samsung Gear VR but is put together like Google Cardboard. Simply insert the phone into the headset and to begin using preloaded apps and videos. Alcatel created the Onetouch VR store where users can download additional apps and videos. To launch the VR component of the IDOL 4s users will take advantage of the phones latest feature, which is called the Boom key.
“Whatever you’re doing with your device, it is context aware,” said Alcatel Chief Marketing Officer Dan Dery at MWC. “You push it and it will boost your experience.”
While the button will be used to boost features of the phone at any time (bass while you’re playing music, surround sound when playing a movie or enhanced animations while you’re on the home page), it is the power of the VR in the box.
“That VR starts with the boom key and changes the environment of the device,” Dery said.
Alcatel’s foray into VR is not the phone’s only notable innovation, its reversibility of sound and interface make it a truly unique budget phone. Pick the Alcatel IDOL 4 up from any point and the screen will adjust to your direction. It’s not just in-app experiences where the function works, but also the home screen.
The reversibility technology was introduced on the IDOL 3 but did not include all directions or reversible sound. On the IDOL 4, and IDOL 4s, if you rotate the phone to the left to right or upside down, the stereo sound is always on the correct side.
“When you listen to music, if you turn the device, we make sure the left remains on your left and the right and your right,” Dery said.
Alcatel, which officially dropped the “Onetouch” from its name at MWC, said the IDOL 4 and 4S will ship in early April. Only the 4S comes with the VR packaging. Prices start at $310 and range to $500.
The IDOL 4S runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, features a 5.5 QHD AMOLED display, has a 16 megapixel main camera and comes with a 3000 mAh battery. It comes in gold, dark gray, rose gold and metal silver.
Zibell said the IDOL 4 “demonstrates what VR is all about. It’s the device itself that is the promotional material.”
