Smartphones aren’t cheap, with consumers in North America spending an average of $567 on new handsets in 2017. But some manufacturers are now looking to create budget-friendly smartphones that appeal to a larger audience. The Verge explains that manufacturer BLU recently launched an inexpensive, high-powered Android smartphone, the Vivo XL3.
Available for just $109.99 on Amazon, the Vivo XL3 costs a fraction of competitor Samsung’s smartphones, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s just another entry-level Android handset. While inexpensive, the Vivo XL3 packs some pretty impressive hardware, including a quad-core MediaTek processor chip, 32GB of internal storage, 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 13-megapixel front-facing camera and a curved 5.5-inch touchscreen display protected with Corning Gorilla Glass.
The Vivo XL3 also features biometrics technology, including facial recognition and fingerprint recognition. Many smartphone users have become tired of unlocking their devices using pattern gestures and PINs. If you forget the pattern or PIN, you could be forced to reset your handset to factory settings. Biometrics, however, allows for a simpler way to unlock your handset. Users of the Vivo XL3 can unlock their device by either snapping a photo of their face or scanning their fingerprint. The Vivo XL3 will compare these images with stored samples of the user’s fingerprint or face. Assuming the two match, the Vivo XL3 will unlock.
Although it’s been out for less than a month, the Vivo XL3 has become a popular choice among Android users. It’s currently ranked as the best-selling unlocked smartphone on Amazon, with most users praising its delicate balance of affordability and performance.
Like all smartphones, the Vivo XL3 still has its issues. One of the most common complaints among users is the device’s subpar front-facing camera. With 13 megapixels, you’d expect it to take crystal-clear photos, but they generally pale in comparison to the photo quality offered by other handsets’ cameras.
Blu is also planning to release a premium version of the Vivo XL3 in the coming months. Known as the Vivo XL3 Plus, it features an upgraded aluminum body, larger display and better camera. Neither the launch date nor the price of the Vivo XL3 PLus has been officially announced.
Dil Bole Oberoi
