TCL, licensed makers of Alcatel, BlackBerry and Palm smartphones has announced it will enter the Australian smartphone marker in its own right, initially with the TCL Plex and TCL 4G MOVETIME Family Watch (formerly branded Alcatel) to help keep families connected wherever they go.
It is part of a broader range of devices launched by TCL Communication at IFA, including new Alcatel models and fresh updates to its foldable display concept devices, with the first commercial launch set for release in 2020.
Sam Skontos, VP & Regional Managing Director South East Asia & Pacific, TCL Communication, said,
“It is exciting to be launching the TCL brand in smartphones and wearables into Australia. TCL’s legacy in display technology is second to none and with the TCL PLEX and future devices we bring this display know-how to Australian consumers with excellence in display technology, camera and
design. ”
All new TCL and Alcatel mobile devices use displays from TCL sister company, CSOT. The TCL PLEX smartphone features the company’s Dotch display first revealed at Mobile World Congress 2019. The new foldable smartphone concepts from TCL have also introduced an all-new Butterfly Hinge system to complement the company’s proprietary Dragon Hinge technology.
Brief TCL Plex specifications
Screen |
6.53-inch, 2340 x 1080, 395ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, 90% STBR, TCL NXTVISION,
IPS HDR (upscale), Eye Comfort (removes up to 66% Blue Light) |
Processor |
Qualcomm SDM675 Snapdragon 675 (11 nm) 2×2.0 GHz Kryo 460 Gold & 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 460 Silver Adreno 612 6/128GB/microSD to 256GB |
Sim | Either hybrid or dual sim |
Rear Camera |
48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2″, 0.8µm, PDAF (Sony sensor 12MP
with binning) 16 MP, f/2.4, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1″, 1.0µm 2 MP, f/1.8 (depth) |
Front Camera | 24 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.9μm (effective 8MP with pixel binning) |
Battery | 3820mAh and USB-C QC 3.0, 18W fast charge – 50% in 32 minutes |
Comms | Wi-Fi AC, BT 5.0/aptX, GPS, NFC |
Sound | 3.5mm jack, |
Size | 162.2 x 76.6 x 8 mm x 192g |
Price | $499 at JB Hi-Fi late October in Obsidian Black and Opal White |
GadgetGuy’s take – all the action is in the <$500 mass-market range
The TCL PLex competes with: Vivo S1; Huawei P30 Lite; Nokia 7.1 (and new version 7.2 coming soon), Samsung Galaxy A50, Xiamoi miA3, Motorola One Vision and OPPO Reno Z that are all exceptional phones.
This is a tough market but Alcatel boss (not TCL boss) Sam Skontos knows his stuff, and that will work to TCL’s advantage.
Alcatel 3X 2019
An update of the highly successful Alcatel 3 (review here)
Screen | 6.52-inch, 1600 x 720, 269ppi, 20:9 ratio, 85% STBR, IPS |
Processor |
Mediatek MT6763V Helio P23 (16 nm) 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 Mali-G71 MP2 4/64GB/microSD to 128GB |
Sim | Either hybrid or dual sim |
Rear Camera |
16 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 1.12µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide), 1/4″, 1.12µm 5 MP, depth sensor |
Front Camera |
8 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/4″, 1.12µm LCD fill light |
Battery | 4000mAh and USB-C 10W 2:42 hours charge |
Comms | Wi-Fi N, BT 4.2, GPS, NFC |
Sound | 3.5mm jack, |
Size | 164.85X 75.8 X 8.39mm x 178g |
Price | $299 at JB Hi-Fi late October |
Website | here |
A good honest phone at a good honest price.
TCL 4G MOVETIME Family Watch
With the TCL MOVETIME Family Watch (MT40), parents can keep in contact with their children via direct two-way 4G calling, video calling, photo-sharing and messaging. It should not be affected by the growing ban on smartphones at school.
Geofencing and geolocation give parents peace of mind. The SOS button ensures quick response if a child feels unsafe. With customisable geofencing, it sends notifications if your child leaves the prescribed safe zones, helping to easily supervise and keep track of where your child has visited, including its convenient location history function.
Two-way video calling with a built-in camera and 4G connectivity, the MOVETIME Family Watch helps you easily check-in to see how your kids are doing. Kids can easily connect with family and share their day by direct calling, sending pictures, voice messages and emojis in one-on-one or group chats.
It has a pedometer to track steps, calories burned and distance walked. The clock has alarm and School Time Mode so your kids will be up on time and never distracted in class.
Its colourful design is kid-friendly and parent-approved with durable materials, IP65 waterproofing, a replaceable band and a 1.3-inch colour display with a changeable watch face.
The TCL MOVETIME Family Watch will be available in Australia from mid-November at Big W and Australia Post with a recommended retail price of A$199.
Alcatel 3T 10 Tablet and Audio Station dock for a Hands-Free 2-in-1 System
At $324, it is a 10-inch tablet with HD screen with Google Assistant and its own speaker dock. It is exclusive to Telstra and you can buy a 4G monthly data pack.
Tablet specification
Screen | 10-inch, 1280 x 800 pixels, 16:10, 151ppi IPS, 71.2% STBR |
Processor |
MT8765B, Quad-Core (4 x 1.28GHz) 2/16GB/MicroSD card up to 128GB |
Camera |
2MP Front and Rear Cameras; 720p video f/2.8, 1.75um |
Sound |
Dual Speakers 3 microphones with noise cancellation 3.5mm jack (built-in) BT multipoint |
Battery | 4080mAh up to 8 hours of use; 4-hour charge |
Size | 260 x 156.6 x 9 mm x 450g |
OS |
Android 9 and Google Assistant Voice and face recognition (30° detection radius and 106 points) |
LTE | 4G 150/50 Cat 4single sim (not voice capable) |
Coms | Wi-Fi N dual-band, BT 4.,2, Accelerometer and GPS |
Website | here |
Bluetooth Speaker
- Micro USB, 2000mAh battery, 5V/1A charge for up to 7-hours use
- Pogo-pin connection to the tablet
- 3.5mm Audio Jack (AUX IN)
- 2 x 5W speakers
- Weight 413 grams
TCL – an emerging brand in the west
You can read an overview of the TCL brand here.