We take a look at the latest alternative smartphones on the market
Apple and Samsung are arguably the leading smartphone producers of different operating systems – iOS and Android. But not all of us can afford one, and being tied down by a monthly contract isn’t affordable or appealing for everyone. That’s why we’ve taken a look at what else is on the market.
Huawei Ascend Y330
Believe the hype. Huawei is becoming one of the most popular alternative smartphones to Apple and Samsung. It spoils you by offering a range of phones to suit all budgets, from AED 189 to similar prices of the big brands. The reasonable prices are attracting customers, while the quality is making Huawei the ‘I won’t buy an Apple out of principle’ phone.
The Huawei Ascend Y330 is an absolute bargain considering what the phone does. It has everything you need: apps, 4GB storage, a decent camera at 3.15-megapixel (mp) and an above average battery life of 320 hours. It also has a dual SIM option that allows you to switch between two SIM cards; this is ideal if you want to keep your personal and work calls separate, but don’t want to carry two phones around with you. The 4in screen is great for the Android operating system and with 1.3Ghz of power, flicking between apps is smooth.
The design is sleek and weighs 126g, so it’s comfortable in your pocket and not too bulky in handbags. This is a fab phone.
Available in black, white, blue, coral pink or yellow.
Need to know
Price: AED 354
Available at: axiom telecom,
Al Raha Mall or Abu Dhabi Mall, Al Zahia
Contact: Abu Dhabi Mall 02 645 4735
Al Raha Mall 02 556 8920
www.axiomtelecom.com
Nokia X
Before Steve Jobs came along with the iPhone, Nokia was a favourite brand for many. But now it seems Nokia is living in the shadow of the big guns: Apple and Samsung. But as we said, it’s still living…
Nokia X really is your budget smartphone, and we like it. Despite its small 4in screen, this phone does everything you need for a fraction of the price of market leaders.
Weighing 128.7g, the device is a little chunky, but we don’t mind that – at least there won’t be any YouTube videos titled ‘Nokia X bends in your pocket’ like with the first iPhone 6.
Its 3.15mp camera with no flash isn’t a match for the razor sharp Samsung Galaxy, but it’s enough for pictures and short videos to share with friends.
The Nokia X is a single SIM phone with an internal 4GB memory, which is quite basic. That’s why you can also add a microSD, a removable memory card, of up to 32GB. This Nokia, like all Nokias, has a great battery life with up to 408 hours in standby mode so you’ll never be caught out.
Available in red, green, black yellow or white.
Need to know
Price: AED 237
Available at: Sharaf DG,
Abu Dhabi Mall, Al Zahia
Contact: 02 650 3570 www.sharafdg.com
Appo N1 Mini
If you’re a selfie fan but not quite ready for a selfie stick, you might want to check out the Appo N1 Mini. Slightly gimmicky, the phone has a camera at the top that rotates 195° so you can see what your picture will look like as you take it, which means the camera quality of 13mp with flash remains the same. With iPhone and Samsung phones however, when you take a selfie you use the lens at the back of the phone, which is poorer quality than the one on the front. You will be able to store plenty of images too as it has 16GB of storage.
The 5in screen is perfect for all your social media apps and the HD screen makes video playback easy on the eye. It has a speedy processor at 1.6GHz so your phone won’t lag when hopping from app to app. It runs on the Android operating system and weighs a comfortable 150g. The battery life is acceptable with up to 270 hours on standby and it is a single SIM device.
Available in white, green or yellow.
Need to know
Price: AED 1,639
Available at: Sharaf DG, Abu Dhabi Mall, Al Zahia; Jumbo Electronics, Hamdan Street
Contact: Sharaf DG 02 650 3570
www.sharafdg.com or Jumbo Electronics 02 632 7001 www.jumbo.ae
Microsoft Lumia 435
The cheapest Lumia device from Microsoft doesn’t skimp on quality. Launched in January this year, the Lumia 435 is an ideal first smartphone that won’t hit your bank balance. Those who need to work on the go will appreciate the full Microsoft Office suite, which has been pre-installed and works well with the 4in screen. The 30GB OneDrive cloud storage is also a bonus, as well as the 8GB built-in memory.
A weak 2mp camera may put off happy snappers. Its 134g weight is also quite heavy for such a small device. The battery life is good however, with an impressive maximum standby time of 504 hours.
The dual SIM is another great feature, something the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy ranges don’t offer. Along with the Huawei Ascend Y330, Lumia 435 means we will see fewer people with two phones in their hands.
Available in black, white and orange or green.
Need to know
Price: AED 469
Available at: www.souq.com
Contact: 04 437 0900
Jack Dignum
