At Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Alcatel announced the IDOL 4 Pro, a flagship-class Windows 10 Mobile handset. But the "new" device wasn"t new at all; Alcatel simply announced a different name for an existing handset in preparation for its European launch.
The device originally launched in the United States last November as the IDOL 4S with Windows 10, where it was exclusively sold by T-Mobile, priced at $469. But just six months after its launch, and after T-Mobile had slashed its price to $288 for more than two months, the carrier dropped the device from its range in April. The unlocked model is still available to buy in the US, priced at $470 from the Microsoft Store, or under $275 from Amazon, which includes a virtual reality headset.
In February, Alcatel said that the IDOL 4 Pro would go on sale in Europe "by June", where it would cost €599 EUR (roughly $670 USD). Unlike in the US, the European model isn"t expected to come with VR goggles.
Alcatel still hasn"t formally announced an exact launch date, and the device is still nowhere to be seen on the company"s website, which makes no mention of Alcatel offering any Windows phones. But according to Windows United, Alcatel"s PR agency has confirmed that the IDOL 4 Pro will launch in Germany on July 1. If that"s accurate, it"s likely to go on sale in other key European markets around the same time.
The IDOL 4 Pro"s specs are identical to those of the IDOL 4S with Windows 10, including:
- 5.5-inch AMOLED with Full HD (1920x1080px) resolution and Asahi Dragontrail Glass
- Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB storage (plus microSD card support up to 128GB)
- 21MP rear camera with Sony IMX230 sensor, HDR support, 4K video recording at 30fps, and dual-LED flash
- 8MP front-facing camera with wide angle lens, 1080p video at 30fps, and LED flash
- 4G LTE connectivity
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth 4.1
- USB Type-C connector with Quick Charge support
- 3000mAh battery
- 6.9mm thick
If you"re thinking of buying the IDOL 4 Pro, be sure to check out our review of the IDOL 4S with Windows 10.
Source: Windows United via Windows Central