Alcatel Pop 4S Specs Pricing Pros & Cons Unveiled

Overview

The Alcatel Pop 4S is a mid-range smartphone that was first announced in February 2016 and released in the third quarter of that year. Though it has been discontinued, it remains a device of interest for those exploring smartphones that offered good value for money during their release period. It was particularly aimed at users seeking an affordable yet feature-packed phone in the competitive market of budget Android devices.

Design and Build

The Pop 4S has a modest design with dimensions measuring 152 x 77 x 7.9 mm, making it slim and reasonably easy to handle. The device is available in a variety of color options, including Black, Brown, Green, Blue, and Red, appealing to users with different aesthetic preferences. The construction features a solid plastic body with a front-mounted fingerprint scanner, which adds a touch of modern functionality typical of devices of its time.

Display

The Alcatel Pop 4S features a 5.5 inch IPS LCD display. With a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and a 16:9 aspect ratio, it provides sharp and vibrant visuals, although not overly saturated. The screen-to-body ratio is approximately 71.3%, ensuring a comfortable viewing experience for media consumption and daily tasks. This display specification was quite competitive for its class when released.

Performance

Under the hood, the Pop 4S is powered by a Mediatek MT6755M chipset, which is a 28 nm octa-core processor containing four 1.8 GHz Cortex-A53 cores and four 1.0 GHz Cortex-A53 cores. This configuration is complemented by a Mali-T860MP2 GPU, laying down the foundation for moderate performance when handling applications and light gaming. Paired with 2GB of RAM, the phone is capable of multitasking, although it might show limitations with more demanding applications by modern standards.

Storage

The device comes with an internal storage of 16GB, which can be expanded via a microSDXC card slot. This allows users to increase storage capacity to accommodate extra photos, videos, and applications, a necessity given the modest internal storage space.

Camera

The Pop 4S is equipped with a single 13 MP main camera featuring an f/2.0 aperture and Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), which helps in capturing moments with ease and decent quality. The camera supports features such as dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, and HDR. Video recording is supported at 1080p@30fps. The 5 MP front-facing camera includes an LED flash, catering to selfie enthusiasts by providing better lighting for selfies in low-light conditions.

Battery Life

One of the notable features of the Pop 4S is its non-removable Li-Ion 2960 mAh battery. For a moderate user, this capacity offers satisfactory longevity, providing up to 500 hours of standby time on 2G networks and up to 15 hours of talk time. This ensures that the device can comfortably last a full day of average use without the need for frequent charging.

Connectivity and Sensors

The phone supports multiple connectivity options such as Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, and optional NFC for contactless transactions. The inclusion of an FM radio and a 3.5mm headphone jack caters to a range of audio preferences. Additionally, it features a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer. Sensor-wise, it includes a front-mounted fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor and optionally a gyro and compass.

Operating System

The device operates on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), offering a user-friendly interface and access to a myriad of applications through the Google Play Store. Although considered outdated by today's standards, it still covers essential smartphone functionalities required by a large segment of users during its operational period.

Network

The Pop 4S supports GSM/HSPA/LTE technology, allowing it to accommodate various network bands. It includes 2G networks in GSM 850/900/1800/1900, 3G on HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 bands in EMEA, and 4G bands like 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, and 28 in EMEA regions. The speed capabilities include HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps and LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps or LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps.

Conclusion

The Alcatel Pop 4S, although discontinued, serves as a testament to Alcatel's approach to blending affordability with essential smartphone features during its release period. Its balance of functionality, design, and pricing made it a viable option for users seeking a mid-range device capable of handling everyday tasks with reliability. Despite its limitations by current standards, particularly in terms of software updates and hardware advancements, it retains a note in the history of mid-range Android smartphones.