ARCHOS the French company that produce a range of low cost tablets are branching out and producing range of low cost Android phones. The SIM-free unlocked phones range from 3.5″ to 5.3″ screens and have quad core CPUs and 8MP cameras. The phones all have the native Google Android experience so you don’t have to use (some would say endure) a layer on top of Android like Samsung’s TouchWiz or HTC’s Sense just like the Nexus phones which I am a big fan of. The nice thing about these phones is they are all unlocked and you can pop your own SIM in the phone and be up and running, the down side is that you pay an upfront cost ranging from $99 for cheapest one up to $249 for the most expensive.

The specs are basic, the $99 Carbon has a 3.5 inch IPS screen running 360 x 480 with 4GB storage, SD card slot and Android 4.0. The 5 inch 50 Platinum costs $219 and has Android 4.1.2, a 960 x 540 screen 4GB storage and 8MP camera. The highest priced phone in the range the Archos 53 Platinum costs $249 and has a 5.3 inch screen and just about the same specs as the $219 version. All the phones have dual SIM slots so you could have a business SIM and a person SIM in the phone.

If you are after a low cost Android phone then these phones may be worth looking at. The phones are due in Europe sometime in May.

Press Release:

ARCHOS leverages years of Android tablet expertise to launch a smartphone range starting at $99

New Platinum range will allow end-users to experience full access to the Android ecosystem, IPS screens, Quad-core CPUs and 8 Megapixel cameras in a sleek design


Denver, CO – April 18th, 2013 ARCHOS, a pioneer in AndroidTM devices, is pleased to announce its first line of GoogleTM certified smartphones. Each smartphone will feature a super slim design, IPS screen with amazing viewing angles, a powerful Qualcomm CPU and the flexibility of dual SIM cards which allow the user to manage two providers simultaneously.

The ARCHOS 35 Carbon ($99.99), ARCHOS 50 Platinum ($219.99) and ARCHOS 53 Platinum ($249.99) will be the first in a new line of smartphones to be released and will be available starting in Europe at the end of May 2013.

“The smartphone market is shifting, as SIM-free sales versus subsidized sales are increasing, and ARCHOS is prepared to respond, as we can offer retail channels affordable, unlocked and feature-rich smartphones without the need to subsidize,” says Loïc Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS. “Furthermore smartphones and tablets are interrelated markets that have quickly crossed over with the arrival of “phablets” – half-phone, half-tablet devices. It only makes sense that this should be our next phase of products as this would be a natural fit for our brand and long term growth.”

Ranging from 3.5″ to 5.3″ in size, the first three smartphones to be released in Q2 will include a range of features, connectivity, CPU’s and storage. The flagship device, the ARCHOS 50 Platinum, features a stunning 5.0 inch full black IPS display paired with a quad-core CPU at 1.2GHz and 8 M Pixels camera. End-users will have an experience similar to a Samsung Galaxy S3 for half the price.

In addition, all smartphones in this new line will include:

Pure un-skinned Android OS

Google Certification for access to Google PlayTM and Google Mobile Services including Google NowTM

Dual SIM flexibility to manage two providers simultaneously from one phone

An IPS Screen with amazing viewing angles

Full Black Screen Process

ARCHOS Media Centre Apps for music and videos

Cloud-Based Contacts and Storage

Front and Back Cameras for capturing the perfect picture

 

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