TCL/Alcatel at CES 2020 – Phones and TVs

TCL/Alcatel at CES 2020

TCL/Alcatel at CES 2020 is all about new 8K TVs, Alcatel value phones and TCL branded phones from this burgeoning Chinese electronics maker.

We will start with Alcatel at CES 2020

Four new models due to hit Australia in Q2, including its first 48+5+2MP triple camera smartphone (3L), triple camera 13+5+2MP (1S), dual camera (1V) and first Android 10 Go edition (1B) smartphone.

Alcatel is at the value end – does exceptionally well as pre-paid products from Telcos and major retailers. Apart from the 5.5” HD+ Display, the others have a 6.22” HD+ 19:9. All support Google Assistant and Google services. We don’t have details on processors and specs yet.

TCL/Alcatel at CES 2020

No pricing is available but expect it to be from sub-$100 to sub $400.

TCL smartphones at CES 2020 (sneak preview before Mobile World Congress)

While Alcatel is a work-horse TCL is a show pony with some quite desirable phones including a sub-US$ 500 5G phone that pushes the current value paradigm to the limit.

The TCL 10 5G is the company’s first 5G smartphone using the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 7-Series 5G SoC.

TCL/Alcatel at CES 2020

It also previewed the TCL 10 Pro and TCL 10L (also used Qualcomm) which will be available in global markets later this year.

Each feature quad-rear cameras (48+16+2MP) and TCL-made displays (TCL’s NXTVISION visual technology) 

The TCL 10 Pro is the first TCL device to feature the company’s edge AMOLED display made by TCL’s sister company, TCL CSOT. It also makes display panels for TCL televisions.

TCL TV  at CES 2020 (note that all these may not come to Australia)

8K QLED X9 in 65/75” uses a Quantum Dot Display with Dolby Vision. X9 Series has Local Dimming. It has been certified by IMAX Enhanced to deliver the highest quality in-home entertainment experience

Sound is via a premium Onkyo and Dolby Atmos system. It also has a built-in retractable camera for video calls.

TCL/Alcatel at CES 2020

C815 (55/65/75” with Onkyo audio) and C715 (50/55/65”) 4K also has Quantum Dot Display Technology and Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos. Both have TCL AI-IN and the latest in Android operating system and Google Assistant or Alexa.

TCL/Alcatel at CES 2020

Mini-LED – the next step for LCD TV

TCL also announced its Vidrian Mini-LED. The technology uses thousands of micrometre mini-LEDs directly infused in a crystal-clear glass substrate.

Vidrian Mini-LED technology is the next step in developing LCD LED TV picture performance to new levels of sharp contrast, brilliant luminance and highly stable long-life performance.

What that means is that instead of using edge-lit or full-array backlit technology (FALD), mini-LEDs are sandwiched behind the Quantum Dot/LCD panel to directly light very much smaller groups of pixels.

Don’t confuse this with micro-LED that tries to emulate the self-emitting OLED pixel – with each pixel being a small RGB LED. This technology is a long way off due to the simple fact that the smaller the LED, the less light it can emit and some extreme voltage issues.

GadgetGuy’s take – TCL/Alcatel at CES 2020

TCL is an up and coming brand – we have started to cover it and its important as it has a tightly integrated supply chain – it owns display manufacturing plants and more. Its ambition is to be the Samsung of China.

You can watch TCL’s 41-minute press conference here