What you need to know
- TCL has announced pricing and availability for its TCL 10-series.
- The TCL 10 5G is debuting for around $490 when it comes later this year.
- The other two handsets, the TCL 10 Pro and TCL 10L will launch in Q2 2020 for $449 and $249 respectively.
TCL has finally debuted the 10-series, its first self-made and own-branded phones.
These phones are fairly affordable devices, delivering modern smartphone experiences for less. It has opened up this launch with three phones at varying price points, ranging from a high-end 5G model down to its cheapest model. All come with Android 10, and TCL says it has plans to upgrade them to Android 11 with an OTA.
Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G processor, the aptly named TCL 10 5G is built to deliver access to the new wireless standard for £399 (about $490) when it debuts sometime later this year in certain regions. The company did not give a specific time frame or name any regions as it did with its other phones.
The TCL 10 5G is following other phones that have chosen to adopt the cheaper 765G processor while retaining 5G capability. HMD Global's Nokia 8.3 is one such flagship-lite smartphone, and the Pixel 5 and LG G9 both are said to be heading in that direction.
Other than that, it has a 6.53-inch FHD+ display with a 91% screen-to-body ratio. Round the rear, you'll find a quad-camera set up with a 64MP camera and the now common ultra-wide, macro and depth camera combinations. TCL tops this up with a 16MP front camera that's equipped with a 4-in-1 big pixel technology. Essential, it combines four pixels for a brighter image - like HTC used to do. USB-C, fast-charging and a big battery round out this handset.
As fo the TCL 10 Pro, that features a Snapdragon 675 processor. It'll also have a 6.47-inch FHD+ curved (read: waterfall) AMOLED display with an in-screen fingerprint processor and HDR 10 support. For imaging, it's equipped with a quad-camera set-up, keeping the main 64MP rear camera but supplementing it with a low-light video camera, a wide-angle lens, and a macro camera. It'll hit markets in Europe, North America, Australia and the United Kingdom for $449 or local equivalent when it debuts later in Q2 2020.
Finally, the TCL 10L completes the set with its weaker Snapdragon 665 processor. You'll still find a 6.53-inch FHD+ display with a high screen to body ratio. Like the others, it comes with four rear cameras and a 16MP front-facing camera. When this cheaper phone ships in Q2 2020, it'll start from $249 and be available in Arctic White and Mariana Blue in the same markets as the 10 Pro.
"As one of the world's leading consumer electronics brands, expanding the TCL brand into the mobile space ensures that we are one of the only global manufacturers that offers a fully integrated ecosystem of smart products in virtually every aspect of your life," said Kevin Wang, CEO of TCL Industrial Holdings. "This makes it possible for us to provide our customers with a wide range of products capable of working seamlessly together, and do so more affordably than everyone else."
"The 5G era is now here around the world, and it is opening up a new round of technological revolution which will fundamentally enrich how we live our lives," said Alex Katouzian, SVP, and GM, Mobile, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Qualcomm Technologies and TCL have maintained a close and strong collaboration for a long time, and we are excited to see TCL select the Snapdragon 765 5G Mobile Platform for their very first 5G smartphone. The Snapdragon 765 integrates 5G connectivity and Artificial Intelligence, which will help TCL 10 5G bring remarkable 5G capabilities and life-changing experiences to more consumers worldwide."
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