Cheapest Smartphones at MWC 2014
ZTE Open C
We knew this device would be presented at MWC 2014 some time before the actual conference, but having the opportunity to play around with the smartphone and get a feel for the Firefox OS. ZTE has risen to the task of creating a cheap smartphone aimed at developing markets, which runs the Firefox OS, but how good it runs? The smartphone is built out of quality materials, therefore it feels good and sturdy to the touch, regardless of its small size. The OS though is still a mixed bag, with the user interface being fast and easy to navigate, but has lots of rough edges waiting to be fixed. The ZTE Open C has model specs, but the company has stated that it will be priced in the low-end segment and it will be available in European markets in Q2.
- 4-inch WVGA display
- dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 with 512MB of RAM
- 2MP fixed focus rear camera
- 1,200mAh battery
ZTE Open II
The second smartphone which was unveiled by ZTE this year at MWC is the one with a small form-factor, ultra-budget Open II. A precursor to last year’s ZTE Open, the new device runs Firefox OS 1.3 and as far as design goes, the ZTE Open II has a plastic back which doesn’t feel cheap to the touch, its screen is small and displayed images don’t have the crispness we’re used to from modern-day smartphone, but on the plus side, it is better than many other devices I’ve seen. The device is fairly responsive, meaning that the HTML5 apps which run on it are doing their job properly, but it did lag at times,which is to be expected due to its lower-tier specs. Like the Open C, there’s no word of a US release, so stateside fans will have to find some alternatives, but in other markets it will be sold starting Q2.
- 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 256MB of RAM
- 3.5-inch HVGA display with 480 x 320 resolution
- 2 MP camera and 2GB of ROM
- 1150 mAh battery
LG L40
LG’s L Series devices were announced this year at MWC, and if you’ve been paying more attention to the stunning G Flex than to these low-end devices then you might have missed them completely. Of course, these are not as exciting as a self-healing polymer and a curved display, but nevertheless, they deserve some attention, as they are decent devices which are very affordable. The LG L40 is in the lowest position of the bunch, having the lowest specs as well. Even so, for a first smartphone it is still a viable choice especially if you want to get a taste of Android 4.4.
- 1.2 dual-core processor and 512 MB of RAM
- 3.5-inch display with 480×320 pixel resolution
- 4GB of internal storage
- 3MP rear facing camera
- 1700 mAh or 1540 mAh battery (depending on region)
LG L70
The middle-man in LG’s L Series is the L70, which is slightly better than the L40, having more RAM and better cameras than its little brother. The device comes with the latest Android 4.4 pre-installed, so users will get the chance to see all the new features of the OS, but in budget smartphone which won’t burn a hole through your pockets. The design of the device is clean and stylish and its plastic body is slim and fits easily in your hand. LG L70 is a pretty good device for users who want a modern device which works well and looks good.
- 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM
- 4 GB of internal storage + microSD card slot
- 8 MP or 5 MP rear camera (depending on your region) and VGA front facing camera
- Removable 2100 mAh battery
Sony Xperia M2
Although the powerful Xperia Z2 smartphone and the Z2 tablet took the center stage this year, Sony has also announced the M2 smartphone, which is a mid-level device with a smart look, like what the Z1 Compact has. This affordable smartphone will come in two versions, single and dual-SIM and Sony has also mentioned that it will hit the market pretty soon, in April to be more exact. Overall, the Sony Xperia M2 is a great looking smartphone with decent specs priced very competitively.
- 4.8-inch qHD display with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels
- 8MP rear camera with Exmor RS Sensor which features Autoscene Recognition and HDR
- 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU
- 2,300mAh battery with STAMINA Mode 3.0
- NFC technology and LTE
ZTE Grand Memo II LTE
ZTE has released their own affordable device this year, which surprised some due to the fact that it is the successor of last year’s powerful Grand Memo. The new Grand Memo 2 LTE has (unbelievably) a downgraded CPU, stepping down from the Snapdragon 800 to the Snapdragon 400. The device comes with the latest Android 4.4 OS, and for a phablet, the price is pretty good, especially if you’re interested in a big screen.
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 and 2GB of RAM
- 16 GB of storage space
- 3200mAh battery
- 6-inch display, 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera
BlackBerry Z3
As you might know, BlackBerry announced two new devices this year at MWC, the Z3 is a touchscreen slab aimed at the mid range market, and of course, prices as such. We’ve enjoyed the device, which has a stylish design and decent specs. The Z3 has the advantage of having the latest OS that the company has released, the BlackBerry version 10.2.1, the only downside being the fact that for now it is only available for the Indonesian market. Other specs of the device are:
- 5-inch qHD display with a resolution of 960×540 pixels
- Snapdragon 400 dual-core CPU and 1.5GB of RAM
- 5-megapixel rear camera and 1.1-megapixel front camera
- 8GB of internal storage
Alcatel One Touch Idol 2 Mini & Alcatel One Touch Idol 2 Mini S
Alcatel’s offering this year at MWC has been rich and various. The company has unveiled both smartphones and tablets spanning the entire price range. In the low-end part of the pool, we have the Idol 2 Mini, which is a decent device, even though its hardware isn’t anything to marvel at. The device is pretty responsive and its design is good. The quality materials add to the value of the device so it doesn’t feel cheap in any way. Like the Sony Xperia M2, there are two versions of the device, single and dual-SIM, and apart from the number of SIM cards it holds, the difference between them also lies in the storage space, as the dual-SIM version has 8GB of storage space, twice as much as the single-SIM version. The Idol 2 Mini S is identical spec-wise, the only difference being the addition of LTE.
- 4.5-inch qHD IPS LCD display
- 8MP camera at the back and a 2MP camera at the front
- 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM
- 4GB / 8GB storage space
Alcatel One Touch Pop Fit
One of the smallest devices we’ve seen at MWC 2014, the Alcatel Pop Fit has a reason for coming in such a small factor. Alcatel has marketed this device for fitness lovers who need a small accessory which does the job of a Samsung Gear Fit, Huawei TalBand B1 or Sony’s SmartBand, but at a lower price and which more options. The PopFit has all the features which you’d find in a fitness tracker, and just to sweeten the deal, Alcatel is packaging the little smartphone with an armband and a pair of JBL headphones. The Pop Fit is small, lightweight and surprisingly fast when used, and if you want to use the device, Alcatel will start shipments in May. Here’s a look at the specs inside the little smartphone:
- 2.8-inch QVGA display with 320 x 240 resolution
- 1GHz MediaTek CPU and 512MB of RAM
- 16GB/32GB of storage
- 1000mAh removable battery
Nokia Asha 230
Nokia had a big presence at MWC 2014. Their booths was one of the coolest ones and their devices were also awesome. Even though the center stage was taken up by the big smartphones, like every year, Nokia has updated their Asha low-end devices. This smartphone (yes, Asha is still considered a smartphone platform) runs Nokia’s own operating system and come with a host of apps and services which allow users to keep tabs on social media, maps or news. The Asha 230 is a small factor device, but like with almost all of Nokia’s devices, it doesn’t feel cheap. The body is smooth and pleasant to the touch while the touchscreen is responsive and looks good. For more information on the Nokia Asha 230 and the Nokia 220 feature phone, take a look over our coverage.
- 2.8-inch QVGA display
- Quad Band 850/900/1800/1900MHz frequencies
- Bluetooth 3.0
- 33 days standby time
