This morning, a new line of Android phones was announced from Archos, a company known for their GamePad and Platinum line of tablets. The line is called Platinum and contains three different phones – the 35 Carbon, the 50 Platinum, and the 53 Platinum. As mentioned in the title, the devices are priced at an extremely competitive rate, with the 3.5″ 35 Carbon starting at just $99.
From there, the 5.0″ 50 Platinum will go on sale at $220, while the larger 5.3″ 53 Platinum is set at just $250. Each device is “Google certified,” runs pure vanilla Android 4.1.2, sports an IPS display and supports Archos’ cloud-based storage for contacts and files. Both the 50 Platinum and 53 Platinum contain quad-core Qualcomm processors, so it would appear Archos is stepping up their game in the specs department.
Unfortunately, these device will go on sale starting in Europe this May and we are currently awaiting word from the company if we can expect to see them go on sale here in America. My guess would be eventually, yes.
An unlocked phone of this caliber at an incredibly reasonable price? Anyone interested?
ARCHOS leverages years of Android tablet expertise to launch a smartphone range starting at $99
New Platinum range will allow end-users to experience full access to the Android ecosystem, IPS screens, Quad-core CPUs and 8 Megapixel cameras in a sleek design
Denver, CO – April 18th, 2013 – ARCHOS, a pioneer in AndroidTM devices, is pleased to announce its first line of GoogleTM certified smartphones. Each smartphone will feature a super slim design, IPS screen with amazing viewing angles, a powerful Qualcomm CPU and the flexibility of dual SIM cards which allow the user to manage two providers simultaneously.
The ARCHOS 35 Carbon ($99.99), ARCHOS 50 Platinum ($219.99) and ARCHOS 53 Platinum ($249.99) will be the first in a new line of smartphones to be released and will be available starting in Europe at the end of May 2013.
“The smartphone market is shifting, as SIM-free sales versus subsidized sales are increasing, and ARCHOS is prepared to respond, as we can offer retail channels affordable, unlocked and feature-rich smartphones without the need to subsidize,” says Loïc Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS. “Furthermore smartphones and tablets are interrelated markets that have quickly crossed over with the arrival of “phablets” – half-phone, half-tablet devices. It only makes sense that this should be our next phase of products as this would be a natural fit for our brand and long term growth.”
Ranging from 3.5” to 5.3” in size, the first three smartphones to be released in Q2 will include a range of features, connectivity, CPU’s and storage. The flagship device, the ARCHOS 50 Platinum, features a stunning 5.0 inch full black IPS display paired with a quad-core CPU at 1.2GHz and 8 M Pixels camera. End-users will have an experience similar to a Samsung Galaxy S3 for half the price.
In addition, all smartphones in this new line will include:
- Pure un-skinned Android OS
- Google Certification for access to Google PlayTM and Google Mobile Services including Google NowTM
- Dual SIM flexibility to manage two providers simultaneously from one phone
- An IPS Screen with amazing viewing angles
- Full Black Screen Process
- ARCHOS Media Centre Apps for music and videos
- Cloud-Based Contacts and Storage
- Front and Back Cameras for capturing the perfect picture
For full Smartphone technical specifications please visit:
50Platinum: www.archos.com/products/smartphones/platinum/archos_50platinum/index.html
53Platinum : www.archos.com/products/smartphones/platinum/archos_53platinum/index.html
35Carbon : www.archos.com/products/smartphones/carbon/archos_35carbon/index.html
For more information about ARCHOS products visit www.ARCHOS.com.
I had a Archos Arnova 7 once, it was a good tablet. Never really had to face Archos’s customer service though, as soon as I got mine I rooted it and put ICS on it
So if they’re being released in Europe first (with no US timeline), WTF are the release prices in USD?
Personally I think dual SIM is stupid, maybe because I’ve only even seen it in cheapy chinese phones.
First question -what North American frequency bands will be supported? Will LTE be available?
Would love to do the dual-SIM thing with Straight Talk and perhaps another carrier.
The picture of the phone brings back memories of Nexus One. Nice move to let it run pure JB, quad core, a very nice IPS screen, and a sweet low price…WINNER. I have been waiting and screaming for HTC to do something like this…an unlocked high-end device with a pure vanilla JB/KLP or one that can dual boot vanilla Android and Android w/Sense UI OR the ability to shot down Sense just like they have done with the Facebook phone (HTC First) and include radios that play nice with multitude of Networks (penta-band or even octa-band if there is such a band.
I personally think this is fantastic! This is great for the industry and great for a decent phone that you don’t have to rip apart software wise to get rid of the stupid crap. I would love to more companies do this and or offer their skins as an option. Way to go Archos
I’ll totally buy the hundred dollar one.
The specs aren’t bad, and the 53 has a huge screen. For $250 I think that’s a steal. Might consider picking one of these up for no reason whatsoever.
Friends don’t let friends buy Archos….
For the average consumer and user these seem great. I don’t get why everyone is ragging on them? They are clearly made to be budget devices and they are given their price points. We all should be happy that more manufacturers are taking notice and producing off contract phones running android as google intended.
For those lazy, the product page is here: http://www.archos.com/products/smartphones/platinum/archos_53platinum/index.html?country=us&lang=en
The dual Sim card is intriguing to bad no LTE capabilities.
I’d be all over this.
Buy my older daughter one for when she drops her N4 again. $100 for a phone you just drop your existing SIM into.
I’d try one out at those prices. My RAZR M is pretty mid-spec with a low-rez screen and get the job done just fine. Just wish I wasn’t tied into a Verizon contract for it.
Archos 605 WiFi. xD
Why are there 2 wireless signal bars?
For the dual sim card slots
Sadly, i dont see this doing well in the US. The generic consumer, not the droid-life android techy, is going to still go with what is in local wireless carrier stores. It would take a huge marketing push by Archos plus the ability to bring this device to specific carriers. Looks like maybe ATT and T-Mobile. I can see T-Mobile carrying this though based on how they have these non contract plans.
This would be perfect for my mom, who wants a big phone but doesn’t need 400 ppi or 300 for that matter.
Not sure what people expect for $250…OFF contract, no payment plan.
Good for Archos, hopefully they do really well with the dev teams.
Score Denver for the press release being released here.
This is awesome news. I don’t care if it doesn’t have the highest specs, it is $250 for the top of the line version. For many people wanting to just upgrade to a newer device or replace one they broke, the price is great as well as what you get. You can spend $650 on other devices (if you don’t go the Nexus route), or you can get a phone that most will be happy with for less than half the price of most.
Finally a hardware manufacturer that gets it. Hopefully this will become a trend. Vanilla is cheaper and better.
Uhm all they have right is vanilla android.
Thats a cool lookin phone.
It needs to have On-Screen buttons to complete the Vanilla Android experiencing
Oh the sub-4″ display…reminds me of my old Incredible…for $99 it’s fantastic but with LG already having a free-with-contract 720p phone and Moto coming later this year with good size phones and stock Android, I just dont see a place for these…and qHD on a 5″ device…woof
Now where’s the qwerty slider and I’m sold!
Crummy processor. I think it’s either a snapdragon 200 or a s4 play. Not much of a pixel pusher.
Love the idea, hope more follow suit.
On another note, I’m diggin that wallpaper.
I’m seeing that the carbon has
RAM• 512 GB
Impressive
Holy Cow–Everytime you try to multitask, it lives one complete lifetime for you, and brings you back all of the EXP!!!
No 4G?
Same setup of Samsung.
Interesting…
No NFC?
It may not be a wolrd beater, but more carrier-unlocked, stock phones directly from manufacturers vice service providers can only be a good thing.
In which case WiFi should suffice.
completely off subject, but I’m trying to figure out why @Timotato:disqus is sharing Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On” in GMusic….I bet it was meant for just Alicia Keys, but he hit public instead.
Most seem to be bagging on these, but I applaud Archos for helping to promote the separation of carriers and handset makers.
Forgive me if this sounds elitist or abject in anyway but I honestly think vanilla android can only offer so much before you get into such sub-par specs as these. I mean 3.5-inch 320×480 and 5.0- inch qHD IPS displays, with 1,300 and 2,000 mAh batteries respectively, is just quite abysmal for today’s standards. At least the RAM is passable.
Not everyone has the quid we do. But more than that, the more companies do this, the more downward pressure on component pricing, the lower cost to produce the phones, and the lower cost to us with higher-spec’d phones – and without the smoke and mirrors of carrier contracts.
The 5.3 has a 2,800 mAh battery and 960×540 – Facebook, twitter, pictures, droid-life.com, all of these will work fine. My wife has an iPhone 5. All she does is cruise the Internet, take pictures occasionally, and check her email. One of these phones would be fine for her and the iPhone 5 is overkill.
That would be the norm in most 3rd world countries.
Care to share?
OP will surely deliver. Let’s just wait…
I was stung by the Archos bug many years ago. Low end hardware combined with worst in class customer service. They will never have my money again.
Why? 🙂
5.3 inch HVGA screen! Sign me up. Just guessing btw….
dual sim card
it appears they’re only capable of 3G connectivity, no?
Screw getting them in all the carriers. At that price they should look at getting them in best buy and future shop etc.. Could make a killing on the low end market,
Looks like they could be in every prepaid phone box…which would end up in best buy.
And an IPS screen which should be pretty good. Not bad at all.
The nexus 4 is a better choice.
This is not Highlander. There can be more than one. OK?
I’d suggest more but I don’t need no flamers here.
Looks like hardware keys. Pics on the archos site all look like hardware too. One is a game being played while those keys are there instead of being covered like they would with soft keys.
Standard button is Onscreen. The Galaxy Nexus was the first to have 4.0+
He means nav bar instead of capacitive buttons.