Microsoft has picked up a new partner as it tries to revitalize Windows on smartphones.
Chinese smartphone vendor Alcatel OneTouch says it’s planning to launch a Windows 10 Mobile phone by the end of the year. The phone will launch in the United States with at least one wireless carrier. “We are very supportive of the Windows ecosystem,” Steve Cistulli, Alcatel’s senior vice president for North America, told CNET.
While Alcatel hasn’t revealed any specifics, a report by Evan “evleaks” Blass claims that the company’s first Windows 10 phone will be the OneTouch Fierce XL. It seems to be a mid-range handset, with a 5.5-inch 720p display, quad-core Snapdragon 210 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage, 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front camera, microSD card slot, and voice over LTE. Blass claims the Fierce XL will arrive in December.
Alcatel has impressed recently with its mid-range Idol 3 Android phone, which has a vibrant display, excellent speakers, and a svelte design for a mere $250 unlocked. Perhaps the company can bring the same mix of solid features and low prices to Windows 10.
Why this matters: So far, Microsoft doesn’t have a lot of confirmed allies for Windows 10 Mobile. Only Acer has announced a specific handset, the upcoming Jade Primo. Meanwhile, some vendors such as Huawei and Asus have made their disdain for mobile Windows a matter of public record. With Microsoft cutting back on the number of low-end phones it plans to produce and focusing more on flagship products, Alcatel could be a valuable partner.