A handful of Google’s OEM partners have committed to making Android Go-powered devices. ZTE launched its Android Go device back in March and while it could have been the first such smartphone to be sold in the United States, the recent ban placed by the U.S. Department of Commerce on the company has effectively crippled the company and forced it to cease business operations. This means that Alcatel can now have the honor of selling the first Android Go smartphone in the U.S. next week.
The device, Alcatel 1X, is going to be available for purchase in the United States next week for $100. This is also the first device that Alcatel has made which is powered by Android Go, a fresh iteration of Android that Google has developed for low-end devices.
The specs of this handset are nothing to write home about because it’s just meant to be an affordable smartphone with an improved software experience. It has a 5 inch 480×960 display, a MediaTek processor with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. It does have the tall 18:9 aspect ratio that has become the trend this year in the smartphone market.
Amazon is going to start selling the unlocked GSM model of the Alcatel 1X in the United States starting next week. The model will be compatible with T-Mobile and AT&T.
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