Alcatel Idol 4S Unpacking Features Pricing & Performance

Overview of the Alcatel Idol 4s

The Alcatel Idol 4s was introduced to the market in early 2016 as a part of Alcatel's attempt to make a name for itself in the competitive Android smartphone market. Released in July 2016, the Idol 4s came with a unique packaging concept, doubling as a VR headset to enhance its appeal. At the time of its launch, the device was intended to provide an affordable yet premium smartphone experience.

Design and Build Quality

One of the striking features of the Idol 4s is its design. The phone boasts a glass and metal build, which gives it a premium look and feel. With dimensions of 153.9 x 75.4 x 7 mm and weighing in at 149 grams, it strikes a balance between being lightweight and having a robust structure. The slim profile and curved edges make it comfortable to hold. The phone's design elements were clearly meant to compete with more premium brands at the time.

Display Features

The Idol 4s sports a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels, offering vibrant colors and deep contrasts. This high resolution, along with a pixel density of approximately 534 ppi, ensures that the images are sharp and text appears crisp. The AMOLED technology enhances the viewing experience with its rich color reproduction and better visibility under direct sunlight.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the Idol 4s is powered by the Qualcomm MSM8976 Snapdragon 652 processor, which features an octa-core CPU composed of four Cortex-A72 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.4 GHz. It includes an Adreno 510 GPU for handling graphics-intensive tasks. This combination provided the Idol 4s with solid mid-range performance capabilities, making multitasking and app usage relatively smooth for its time.

Supporting this is 3GB of RAM, which was sufficient for handling multiple applications simultaneously, and 32GB of internal storage. Storage could be expanded using a microSDXC card in the shared SIM slot, providing users with greater flexibility in managing their data.

Camera Capabilities

The Idol 4s is equipped with a 16 MP rear camera featuring an aperture of f/2.0 and phase detection autofocus (PDAF). It supports a dual-LED dual-tone flash, providing excellent shooting capabilities in various lighting conditions. Users can also enjoy shooting panoramas and HDR photographs. On the video front, the rear camera can record 4K video at 30fps, which was a standout feature in the mid-range category at the time.

The front-facing selfie camera is 8 MP and comes with its own LED flash, which improves selfie quality in low-light environments. It supports video recording at 1080p at 30fps, ideal for video calls and social media content creation.

Sound and Audio Quality

The Alcatel Idol 4s provided an excellent audio experience, thanks to its stereo speaker setup. The loudspeakers deliver clear and robust sound, which is particularly beneficial when watching videos or playing games. Additionally, the phone includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of audio devices and offering choice to audiophiles.

Connectivity Options

The device supports a range of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, enabling fast and stable internet access over wireless networks. Bluetooth 4.2, along with A2DP and LE, ensure efficient wireless communication with other devices. Moreover, the presence of NFC allows for convenient NFC-based transactions and data exchange.

For navigation, GPS is supported, enhancing location-based services. The Idol 4s also features FM radio with RDS, catering to users who still enjoy terrestrial radio broadcasts. Its microUSB 2.0 port supports OTG, which adds the convenience of connecting various peripherals to the phone.

Battery Life

Alcatel equipped the Idol 4s with a non-removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery. It supports 18W wired charging and Quick Charge 2.0, which allows for faster charging times. The phone's battery life offers up to 13 hours of talk time on both 2G and 3G networks and up to 420 hours of standby, making it reliable for daily usage without frequent recharging.

Operating System and User Interface

Running on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, the Idol 4s presents a user-friendly interface with access to a wide array of applications from the Google Play Store. While the OS version is somewhat outdated by today's standards, it provided a stable and feature-rich user interface during its time.

Sensors and Additional Features

The smartphone comes equipped with a variety of sensors such as an accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, and compass. These sensors support the phone's VR capabilities and enhance the overall user experience by enabling more interactive apps and features.

Pricing and Market Position

When it was released, the Alcatel Idol 4s was priced at approximately 220 EUR, positioning it in the mid-range segment. It offered an affordable alternative for users looking for a blend of functionality, design, and performance without the price tag of high-end competitors.

In terms of market positioning, the Idol 4s was designed to appeal to tech enthusiasts and everyday users seeking a balance between cost and capabilities. Its combination of premium features at a budget-friendly price made it attractive in its category.

Conclusion

The Alcatel Idol 4s, with its blend of beauty, performance, and features, represented a solid option in the mid-range smartphone market during its release period in 2016. Although it has been discontinued, it remains a testament to Alcatel's attempt to innovate and provide value for money to its customers. The mixture of a robust camera, vibrant display, and VR capability set it apart from many contemporaries.