Smartphone that can listen to you from both ends

Alcatel Onetouch has launched a new smartphone the Idol 3, that has one unique feature that no other smartphone has.

You can talk using either ends of the device, putting the screen rotation feature to maximum use.

In fact, Apple’s strategy of two flagships with different screen size appears to have caught up with smartphone firms. Alcatel too has launched the iDOL 3 in exactly the same variants as the iPhone 6.

The fundamental difference is that the Idol 3 is a little less power packed but priced just a third compared to the latest iPhones. The 4.7 inch device is priced at Dh899 whie a 5.5 inch idol 3 is priced at Dh1099.

The devices are powered by 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM. It has a 1080p IPS display and 16GB of internal storage expandable upto 128GB with a micro SD card. The back camera is 13 MP and on the front is a 8MP sensor.

Yet Alcatel hopes its unique features of 100 per cent orientation and the JBL speakers will help it market the phone better.

The interface is built in such a way that it always straightens itself no matter how users pick up their phone. The device is equipped with two microphones, two speakers.

As CW Park, Global Design Director at Alcatel One touch points out, the inspiration to include such a feature came from, “a struggle that we all have in our everyday lives. Whether we’re shopping at the supermarket, riding a bike or carrying files in the office, our hands and attention are often occupied. When the phone rings, we don’t usually have much time to answer. By the time we free our hands or search through our bags and find the right way to pick up the phone, it’s already too late.”

Both the speakers on the device incorporates JBL audio. According to the company, the two front speakers provide a 3D, surround-sound experience. Ther s also a Onetouch Mix music application, enabling music lovers to mix the tracks themselves or let the app do it.

Meanwhile the company also announced that it is opening up a new regional office headquartered in Dubai as the company plans to expand its regional presence, thanks to the market’s appetite for both high end and mid level smartphone brands.