Archos won’t wait for IFA, reveals new Android and Windows Phone hardware now

By Andy Boxall Published August 28, 2014

Archos, in time-honored style, has sent out an early press release detailing its smartphone and tablet line-up all set to be revealed at this year’s IFA tech show. However, rather than be another Android-fest, Archos has a pair of devices running Google’s operating system, and for the first time, a pair running Microsoft’s OS too.

We’ll start with the Windows offerings. The first is a smartphone with Windows Phone 8.1 installed, and it’s the debut device of its type for the manufacturer. It’s not looking to compete with high-end hardware though, and is keeping both the spec and the price incredibly modest. It’s called the Archos 40 Cesium, and features a 4-inch touchscreen, a quad-core Snapdragon 200 chip, and a choice of colors.

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Archos hasn’t told us much else, so the camera and screen resolution are a mystery. However, if the spec sheet matches the similar Android-based 40b Titanium, it’ll be 480 x 800 and 5 megapixels respectively. We do know how much it’ll cost though, and it’s just £80, or around $130, putting it in the Lumia 530’s lucrative territory. The other Windows device is the 80 Cesium Tablet, which runs Windows 8.1, shown on an 8-inch, 720p IPS display. Inside is a quad-core Intel processor, and the price is set at £130, or $215.

The Archos 50b Platinum is an Android smartphone with a large, 5-inch IPS screen and a quad-core processor, plus an 8-megapixel camera on the rear. Archos has been a little more forthcoming with the specs on this one, adding it has a 2-megapixel selfie cam, and dual-SIM support. Android 4.4 KitKat will be installed, and the package will include an 8GB MicroSD card and three different colored rear panels.

Finally, Archos has revealed the 101 Oxygen, a 10.1-inch, 1080p Android tablet with a quad-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. The 50b Platinum smartphone will cost £120/$200, while a slightly smaller 4.5-inch version will be sold for £100/$165, and the 101 Oxygen tablet has been priced at £200/$330. Archos will put both the Windows Phone and the Android smartphone on sale in September, while the tablets will be out in October.

Former Senior Mobile Writer

Andy has written about mobile technology for almost a decade. From 2G to 5G and smartphone to smartwatch, Andy knows tech.

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