For some technology-minded consumers, the very notion is something of a dream; for mobile OEMs, it may well be the future of the market: the platform-neutral phone is coming to life, courtesy of Alcatel.
The devices, known as the ‘Pixi 3’ series, will come in various screen sizes: 3.5 inches, 4-inches, 4.5-inches and 5-inches. Given the focus on consumer choice, and the experimental nature of these handsets; it is likely that they will be specced and priced well within the budget range, this information is not yet available. All of the devices offered, save for the smallest, will offer 4G connectivity. A choice between Windows Phone, Firefox or Android will be offered, with Alcatel Onetouch Chief Marketing Officer Dan Dery stating:
“Our users do not want complicated systems — they want something familiar from their work environment in the office, but also on a smartphone.”
As more manufacturers struggle to make a profit in the wildly overcrowded mobile space, it can be expected that moves like this will become more commonplace. As HTC proved earlier in 2014, while such efforts might not generate a great number of sales, they certainly attract press attention. Moreover, slimming the bloated range of devices available to the consumer benefits the OEM by reducing overheads significantly, leaving the chances of repeating the same mistakes as Samsung much reduced. The firm goes on to state:
“Cross-device integration, from smartphones through to PCs. PIXI 3 series offers consumers simplicity of use and the reassurance of having the same system at home, at the office and on the go. With its OS-agnostic PIXI 3 series, ALCATEL ONETOUCH presents operating-system choices to its customers. This continues the efforts begun last year, when the brand teamed with Mozilla to launch the Firefox OS on its FIRE series of smartphones.”
Though there are still questions to be asked about its implementation, this is an attempt by the brand, which has yet to break into the mainstream, to differentiate itself from the competition. Whether this will be noticed beyond a tech-savvy audience is get to be seen, moreover, whether this audience will also take notice is also not a given. What will come is impossible to tell, but Alcatel may have fired the first shot in a mobile revolution.
Which OS would you theoretically load on your Pixi 3 device? Let us know in the comments below.
