Here's two new budget smartphones from Alcatel

Alcatel has kicked off 2019 by announcing two new entry-level smartphones: the Alcatel 1X (2019) and the Alcatel 1C (2019).

While neither device is overly flash, both feature displays with an in-vogue 18:9 aspect ratio, albeit surrounded with a bit more bezel than on a pricier phone. Both phones also have non-slip finishes.

Notably, the Alcatel 1C (2019) will ship with Android Go. Android Go is a version of Android tuned for faster and smoother performance on entry-level hardware. Apps start 15% faster, the entire OS is smaller so that phones have more available storage out of the box, and Google has redesigned many of its apps to be lighter and less data intensive.

Key specifications for the Alcatel 1X (2019) include a 5.5-inch 720p+ display, a quad-core MediaTek MT6739WW processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 13MP + 2MP dual-lens rear-facing camera, and a 3,000mAh battery. It will ship running Android Oreo.

Neither of Alcatel's new phones are overly powerful in terms of pure specs, but the Alcatel 1C (2019) is definitely the more low-end of the pair. Key specifications include a 4.95-inch 480p+ display, a quad-core Spectrum SC7731E processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable storage, a 5MP rear-facing camera, and a 2,000mAh battery. As aforementioned, it runs the Go edition of Android Oreo.

Local pricing and availability for both devices has yet to be confirmed, but we wouldn't be surprised to see them come in at around $100 based on past Alcatel 1 series handset pricing. They will probably be sold through a telco as a prepaid device.

Alex Choros

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Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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