The Alcatel 1X has been announced at Mobile World Congress and represents the first phone in the new budget focused Android Go program. The Go program phones are designed to be low cost with basic specs but with the benefit of using the Go lineup of apps and being updated regularly. The 1X falls squarely in line with the goals.
Powered by the Mediatek MT6739, the Alcatel 1X has 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage which can be expanded up to an additional 32GB thanks to the MicroSD slot. It has a 5.3″ 18:9 ratio display that renders at 480×960. It has an 8MP main camera and a 5MP selfie cam. All of this will be around $120 when it is released.
While the specifications of the 1X are not going to set the world alight, the biggest benefit this budget friendly phone has is the updates from Google. Android updates will be rolled out to the Go phones like the 1X to keep them secure and up-to-date. That is basically unheard of for budget phones. Plus, with the Android Go program, these phones get the Play Store and all of the Google Go apps. It is a real Android experience.
Alcatel 1X Android Go Phone
The question will be where this Alcatel 1X will eventually end up. Emerging markets is a given but well established markets like here in the US or in Europe could also benefit from having this type of device available.
