Alcatel OneTouch has announced the forthcoming launch of a Cyanogen-powered smartphone in the US in the Hero 2+.
The Hero 2+ is an updated version of the Hero 2 launched last year. The phone will feature the Cyanogen 11 operating system, which is based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat and will be the first phone in the US to be offered for sale with the alternative version of Android with full Google Mobile Services certification, as Cyanogen-powered devices are more common in China, owing to deals with local OEMs.
Key operating system features include Cyanogen’s Privacy Guard software, which lets users protect their information through permissions management, as well as encrypt and remotely lock/wipe their device. Cyanogen has also included its own set of themes and wallpapers in addition to the customized software.
The phone features a 6-inch 1080p display with a built-in stylus, in a nod to the Samsung Note series. It is powered by a 2.0GHz octa-core processor from MediaTek paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage with a microSD slot supporting 32GB cards. The main camera is a 13-megapixel unit and the front-facing camera captures images at 5 megapixels, both cameras can also capture 1080p video.
Alcatel plans to sell the phone directly to consumers across North America through its e-commerce web site, with the device listing currently live. The phone will be sold unlocked for $299.99 and is expected go on sale during the second quarter.
