Well-known online retailer, Kogan.com, has just added a dual-SIM phone to its line-up of Agora smartphones.
The new Kogan Agora Lite has a cheap-as-chips price tag of $129 (not including delivery), and runs the Android 5.0 (Lollipop) operating system. The screen is 5 inches and the resolution is 854x480 pixels, using IPS (in-plane switching) technology to make it viewable from wide angles.
Its processor is a quad-core Cortex A7 with 1.3GHz worth of grunt, and there is 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. Expansion is possible via a microSD card slot that supports cards up to 32GB. Mobile connectivity is limited to 3G, while Wi-Fi goes as fast as 802.11n.
Compared to the previously released Kogan Agora 4G Pro smartphone, the Agora Lite has a smaller screen (5-inch compared to 5.2-inch on the Pro), it doesn’t support 4G, its resolution is lower (854x480 compared to 1080x1920), and the RAM and storage have been halved. Funnily enough, the ‘Lite’ is also a dash heavier at 155g compared to 144g for the 4G Pro.
The phone has been priced commensurately considering the concessions that have been made, with the Agora Lite’s price tag being more than 50 per cent cheaper than the 4G Pro’s $299 price tag.
But the big selling point is the ability to house two SIM cards. One slot can house the SIM for a regular phone plan, while the second SIM can be used for a SIM dedicated to a data plan. Travellers can use the second slot to add a local SIM card while abroad.
Founder of Kogan, Ruslan Kogan, said the new phone is firmly aimed at budget users looking for value for money.
More specifications follow:
• Operating system: Android Lollipop 5.0 (updates available)
• CPU: 1.3Ghz Quad Core (MT6582M Cortex-A7)
• SIM: Dual SIM (Micro SIM)
• Display: 5” IPS LCD
• Resolution: 854x480
• Battery capacity: 2,200 mAh Li-Ion (removable)
• RAM: 1GB
• Storage: 8GB internal (expandable to 32GB via MicroSD card)
• Camera: 5MP rear (with flash), 2MP front-facing
• Mobile connectivity: 3G (850/900/2100MHz), 2G (850/900/1800/1900MHz)
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth: 4.0
• Other: Built-in FM, GPS, G-Sensor, 3.5mm audio jack
The Kogan Agora Lite is currently on presale, and is slated to leave the warehouse on 31 July 2015.