Alcatel has announced launch details for the Idol 4S phone.
The company added a fingerprint sensor to the US variant of the phone, a feature not included when the Idol 4S was first announced in February.
Alcatel will begin taking Idol 4S preorders from its own web site on July 15. The package includes the phone, VR goggles, 2.5D tempered screen protector, JBL headphones, and a protective case from Incipio. People who order the Idol 4S between July 15 and August 3 will pay $350 for this bundle. After August 3, the standard sale price of $399 goes into effect. The company is offering financing for those who need it, with payments starting at $37 per month for 12 months.
Alcatel is charging significantly more for the Idol 4S than it did for the Idol 3 ($250), but claims the goggles, case, and headphones make up the difference. The phone is sold unlocked and is compatible with most U.S. LTE bands. Of note, the Idol 4S will not support Band 12 at launch, but will shortly thereafter through a software patch from Alcatel.
The Alcatel Idol 4S has a glass-and-metal design, 5.5-inch quad HD screen, octa-core Snapdragon 652 processor with 3 GB of RAM, 16-megapixel Sony camera, 3,000mAh battery with Quick Charge, and stereo speakers.
The phone runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and Alcatel says the Idol 4S will see Android 7 Nougat in a future update. Alcatel does not have any immediate plans to bring the Idol 4, a smaller version of the 4S, to the U.S. market
