Alcatel is making its way back into Filipinos’ hearts. With a string of successes like the Flash Plus and the Flash 2, the company is now following up its progress with the Philippine launch of its newest flagship, the Alcatel Idol 4S.

Alcatel Idol 4S + VR

The Alcatel Idol 4S is worthy of being called a flagship. The device looks beautiful. The smartphone has a clean and seamless profile, softened by curved corners. It features a 5.5-inch quad-HD AMOLED display that curves towards the sides, similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. The similarities end there though, as the Idol 4S’ implementation looks to be purely aesthetic.

At its side sits Alcatel’s Boom Key, a physical shortcut button that allows users to customize different functions to common tasks like taking photos and videos, listening to music, and playing games. You could, for example, take a quick photo using the Boom Key while the phone is on standby.

In terms of specs, the Alcatel Idol 4S‘ 5.5 inch quad-HD AMOLED display has a resolution of 1440 by 2560 and an eye popping 534 ppi. Inside, you’ll find an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 chip, an Adreno 510 GPU and 3GB of RAM. It has a 16MP main shooter, equipped with a fast phase detection autofocus and a large f/2.0 aperture; while selfie enthusiasts are served with its 8MP front camera with LED flash. The device runs on Alcatel’s version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

What’s really interesting about the Alcatel Idol 4S is its innovative packaging. Leaked last February, the plastic packaging actually transforms into a pair of virtual reality goggles. The smartphone is placed inside, with an implementation similar to that of the Samsung Gear VR.

Price and Availability

The Alcatel Idol 4S will have an SRP of P28,999. It is set to arrive in the Philippines this June.

Alcatel Idol 4S (6070k) key specs:

• 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display (1440 x 2560; 534 ppi)
  • Dragontrail Glass
  • Oleophobic Coating
  • On-Cell Touch Screen Panel
• Octa-core Qualcomm MSM8976 Snapdragon 652 Chipset
  • Quad-core 1.8 GHz Cortex-A72 and Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53
  • Adreno 510 @550MHz GPU
• 3GB RAM / 32GB Storage
  • +microSD up to 512GB
• 16MP Main Camera
  • f/2.0 Aperture
  • Phase Detection Autofocus
  • 1/2.8″ Sensor Size
  • LED Flash
• 8MP Front Camera with LED Flash
• Dual SIM Support
• LTE, HSPA+, 3G, GSM
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth v4.2
• GPS with A-GPS
• NFC, OTG
• FM Radio
• Dual Speakers with Hi-Fi Audio
• Boom Key Experience Booster
• Dimension: 6.06 x 2.97 x 0.28 in; 149 g
• Colors: Gold, Dark Gray, Rose Gold, Metal Silver
• Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• 3,000 mAh non-removable battery

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