Miami — Blu Products, which was founded in 2009 and sells cellphones in more than 40 countries, has launched two new unlocked Android smartphones for the U.S. market.
The models, both priced at less than $200, are the Blu Studio 5.3 II and Blu Tank 4.5, each with dual-core 1GHz Cortex-A9 processor, 3G HSDPA connectivity, Android 4.1 OS and 1080p HD video playback.
The former features a 5.3-inch screen, and the latter features a 4.5-inch screen.
Blu’s focus in the U.S. is on “developing worthwhile smartphone devices available unlocked and contract-free to consumers in the U.S. at affordable pricing,” said CEO Samuel Ohev-Zion.
The new Blu Studio 5.3 II, which replaces its predecessor and maintains its $199 retail price, has quadband GSM and 3G HSDPA 850/1,900 for the U.S. market. Other key features include 5.3-inch HD (540 by 960) IPS display with 208 ppi pixel density, 4GB internal memory expandable to an additional 32GB with MicroSD card, 8-megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash, 720p video capture, 2-megapixel front-facing camera, 2,200 mAh battery and dual-SIM capability.
The ruggedized $199 Blu Tank 4.5 features IP67 certification, making it dust-and sand-proof and water-resistant to a depth of 3 feet for up to 30 minutes, the company said. It’s just 9.7mm thick.
The Tank 4.5 features quad-band GSM and dual-band HSDPA for the U.S. market, 4.5 inch qHD (540 by 960) IPS display with 245 ppi pixel density, 4GB internal memory expandable to an additional 32GB with MicroSD card, 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus and LED flash, front-facing camera, 1,760 mAh battery and dual-SIM capability.
In the U.S., dual-SIM phones could be used by frequent travelers to reduce international roaming charges. Dual-SIM phones are popular in Lain America where carriers charge a higher price when a subscriber makes a call to a cellphone activated on another carrier’s network. With dual-SIM cards, consumers can avoid the surcharge by inserting two SIM cards activated on different carriers’ networks.
