Denver – January 2, 2014 – ARCHOS, a pioneer in Android™ devices, unveils the ARCHOS Helium 4G range, the first ARCHOS LTE smartphones powered by Android™ 4.3 “JellyBean” with full access to Google Play™ Store. Starting at under $200, ARCHOS’ new unlocked 4G phones reinforces the company’s commitment to providing feature-rich, consumer-friendly technology at an affordable price.ARCHOS’ grand entry into the 4G era smartphone market, the ARCHOS 45 Helium 4G features a vivid 4.5-inch screen with IPS technology, blazing fast Quad Core 1.4 GHz processor and is capable of transferring speeds at up to 150 Mbps using a 4G/LTE network. The ARCHOS 50 Helium 4G, a slighter larger offering, comes equipped with the same cutting edge technology but has a 5-inch HD 1280×720 screen, 8 GB of storage and a 8 MP camera.The launch of the ARCHOS 45 and 50 Helium 4G phones addresses the growth in global 4G network availability and the increasing global demand for affordable mobile technology.ARCHOS’ new smartphones build on the company’s overwhelming success in the European mobile market and takes advantage of its partnership with Qualcomm, leader in mobile chipsets and processor, to jointly engineer and launch affordable 4G solutions worldwide.“The smartphone has revolutionized the way consumers access information, giving them the ability to instantly view, connect and share ideas regardless of location and time,” says Loïc Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS. “The ARCHOS Helium 4G smartphones will once again change consumers’ mindsets by making the best possible technology affordable.”ARCHOS’ newest unlocked 4G smartphones supports Micro SD card for easy memory expansion, has dual cameras with autofocus and LED flash, utilizes Micro USB 2.0 connectors to sync and charge, and can supports a variety of multimedia files including MP3, WAV, JPEG, GIF, PNG and more. The ARCHOS Helium 4G smartphones also give users access to a variety of Google services including Google Play application store, Google Chrome web browser, Google Now voice assistant, Google Apps such as Youtube, Gmail, Hangouts and Calendar and more.
Links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Archos’ new Helium 45 and 50 smartphones offer LTE on the cheap
Archos announced two new smartphones that offer LTE connectivity and decent specifications at entry-level prices. The new Helium 45 and Helium 50, are the French company’s first LTE-enabled smartphones.
Archos announced two new smartphones that offer LTE connectivity and decent specifications at entry-level prices. The new devices, part of the Helium line, are the French company’s first LTE-enabled smartphones.
The company recently revealed it would exhibit a line of wearable devices and smart home gadgets at the Consumer Electronics Show next week, but Archos’ bread and butter, smartphone and tablets, will take center stage.
The new Helium 45 and Helium 50 pack a Snapdragon 400 SoC, combining a quad-core CPU clocked at 1.4GHz with an Adreno 305 GPU running at up to 450MHz. Both phones come with 1GB of RAM, but the cheaper Helium 45 only packs 4GB of internal storage, as opposed to the more decent 8GB on the Helium 50. The biggest difference is in the displays: the Helium 45 comes with a 4.5-inch IPS LCD display of 854×480 (FWVGA) resolution, while the Helium 50 can cross HD resolution of the checklist with a 5-inch IPS LCD of 1280 x 720.
Archos 45 image gallery
Other specs include microSD card slots, 5MP (Helium 45)/8MP (Helium 80) rear cameras, and 1700 mAh (Helium 45)/2000 mAh (Helium 80), and the typical bevy of connectivity options. The devices are compatible with 800 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 MHz LTE bands, which limits their compatibility in the United States to Sprint LTE customers.
Archos 50 image gallery
Both phones run stock Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and Archos promised that it’s working closely with Qualcomm to deliver a speedy update to KitKat. Overall, Helium 45 and 50 compete squarely with the Moto G in terms of bang-for-the-buck, having LTE as an advantage over Motorola’s cheaper offering.
Here are the full specs:
As for the aspect that will likely decide the success of Archos’ new smartphones, the Helium 45 will be available for just $199.99, while the Helium 50 will go for $249. Both devices will be on show at CES next week, and we’ll be there to bring you a hands-on.
[press]
[/press]