Alcatel is one of the companies incorporating VR into their phones with its OneTouch IDOL 4 and 4S, which are ingeniously packaged inside the VR headset. When a particular technology starts experiencing a high rate of adoption, products and services begin to integrate said technology at a increased rate. Case in point is virtual reality (VR). With smartphones playing a key role in the growth of VR, manufacturers are beginning to sell all-in-one packages that includes the goggle with the purchase.
When Alcatel offered its OneTouch IDOL 3 for $249 unlocked without any carrier branding and very high specs last year, everyone was impressed. After all, the company was known for low-end mobile phones which were branded by carriers. But the OneTouch IDOL line of phones the company introduced are anything but low-end, which has continued into the Idol 4 and 4S.
The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 4 and 4S
The first thing you notice about the Idol is the way the phone is packaged, which has integrated the VR goggle beautifully.
This video shows how the Alcatel OneTouch IDOL 4 and 4S are packaged :
Once you open the box of the 4S, what you get in addition to the phone is, the VR goggles, 2.5D tempered glass screen protector, JBL headphones, and a phone case from Incipio. The phone has been getting great reviews for its specs, but also how Alcatel has chosen to price the device at $399.99, unlocked. But if you pre-order now you can get a $50 discount, as well as a purchase financing options making the Idol 4S available for $37 per month.
The IDOL 4S has a 5.5-inch Quad-HD AMOLED screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, microSD slot, 16MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture lens, 8MP wide-angle front camera, 3000 mAh battery, and a 3.6 watt JBL certified speakers.
The IDOL 4 comes with a LTPS IPS LCD 5.2-inch screen, Snapdragon 617 processor, 3GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, microSD slot, 13MP rear and 8MP front cameras, and a 2610 mAh battery.
The IDOL phones are a great value for the price, making them a great investment for small businesses that want an all-in-one VR solution. Although it is still early to fully appreciate what VR will offer, having the necessary hardware in place gives small companies a great way to differentiate themselves for attracting new business.
The Future of VR Content
Making VR readily available means there has to be more content in the marketplace for consumers. This provides great opportunities for content creators/marketers to add yet another channel to increase their source of revenue.
According to Deloitte, the long-term outlook for VR technology will have multiple applications for both consumers and enterprises. It is important to note, even though the concept of VR has been around for some time, it is still a budding technology as it applies to wide availability. Deloitte said 2016 will be the first billion dollar year for VR, with $700 million coming from hardware sales and $300 million from content. On the content side, it expects most of the revenue generated to come from games sales, and apps created for smartphones likely to be available for under $10 or free. The firm sees the free versions being used primarily as marketing tools.
As for the future of VR software and content, SuperData Research predicts the market will grow to $4.8 billion by 2020, with games still dominating at 48 percent, but many other sectors coming into the fold, including entertainment, real estate, tourism, healthcare, education and others.
Do you see VR technology as something you will be adopting as part of your overall business strategy for your company? If you are currently using or plan to deploy VR, please share with our readers the pro/cons by commenting below.
Image: Alcatel
This article, "Alcatel OneTouch IDOL 4, 4S are Mid-Range Phones — with VR Goggles" was first published on Small Business Trends
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