If you wanted to nab a smartphone on AT&T, your decision might have gotten a bit more complicated, as the carrier has recently added two new Android-powered smartphones: the Kyocera DuraForce XD and the LG G Vista 2, to its range.
Updated on 10-27-2015 by Andy Boxall: Added in news of the LG Vista 2’s price and release date, plus a demo video
LG Vista 2
The G Vista 2 is the sequel to last year’s G Vista, and although it manages to mostly retain the size of the original, the 5.7-inch screen has a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution instead of the 1,280 x 720 panel found on last year’s phone. In addition, the G Vista 2 packs an octa-core Snapdragon 617 processor with 2GB of RAM, whereas the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 and 1.5GB of RAM powered the original.
Around back sits a 13-megapixel camera, a nice bump up from the G Vista’s 8-megapixel rear camera, while the front houses a 5-megapixel shooter, also an increase, but from 1.3-megapixels. It also has LG’s excellent Color Spectrum Sensor and laser autofocus feature, seen on the LG G4, for excellent low-light pictures.
The G Vista 2 has 16GB of internal storage, though it’s expandable through the MicroSD card slot, and the phone runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. Other specs include a stylus, a 3000mAh battery, a 1w speaker system, and a similar designed rear panel to the G4.
AT&T will charge $50 for the G Vista 2 on a two-year contract, or $15 per month on its 30-month Next 24 plan, $19 per month on Next 18,or $22 on Next 12. The phone will go on sale November 6.
Kyocera DuraForce XD
Based on the DuraForce XD’s name, you would expect the smartphone to withstand a good bit of abuse, and thanks to its MIL-STD-810G rating, you’d be right. In short, the handset can withstand drops, shock, and other environmental conditions, while the IP68 certification gives it protection against dust and water, though we wouldn’t want to go swimming at the beach with it.
Elsewhere, the DuraForce XD fully embraces the phablet culture by packing a 5.7-inch HD screen, while the removable 3,700mAh battery ensures the phone gets all-day battery life and then some. Finally, the DuraForce XD seems to be running some version of Android 5.0 Lollipop, though AT&T didn’t specify which version.
AT&T also didn’t specify how much the phone would go for or when it will be available for purchase, and didn’t announce anything alongside the G Vista 2 news either. We’ll keep you updated.
