TCL’s retro Alcatel flip phones include Google’s apps and voice assistant

TCL’s two new Alcatel flip phones, the Go Flip 3 and the SmartFlip, look old-fashioned with their retro clamshell designs, but the two devices include an array of modern apps and services and can connect to 4G networks. Thanks to their use of the KaiOS operating system, they include YouTube, Google Maps, Google search, and even Google Assistant. You can use the voice assistant to complete a variety of actions including dictating messages, making calls, and opening apps.

Of course, you’ll be doing all this on a pretty limited piece of hardware, although that’s probably what you’re looking for if you’re buying a feature phone like these. The main display is just 2.8-inches in size, and the phone has 4GB of built-in storage, which is expandable by up to 32GB using a microSD card. The rear camera has a resolution of 2 megapixels, and you also get an external 1.44-inch display for your notifications. Battery life is impressive, promising 27 days of charge on standby, and up to seven hours of talk time over 4G LTE. TCL’s press release doesn’t make any hardware distinctions between the two phones, which makes it sound like the Go Flip 3 and SmartFlip are the same phone rebranded for different networks.

The two phones have a similar set of features to the Nokia 2720 that HMD announced earlier this month, but the difference is that TCL’s devices actually have a confirmed US release. You’ll be able to get the Go Flip 3 on Metro by T-Mobile later this month, and T-Mobile in October, while the SmartFlip will be available from AT&T and Cricket Wireless on September 27th.