Hot launches: Smartphones of Jan 2013

With new smartphones launching almost every week now, it’s become a bit tough to keep up with the sheer number of handsets and their specifications. To make some sense of this chaos, we’ve compiled a list of the top smartphones launched in the month of Jan 2013. Keep in mind that these are handsets that were launched this month and are currently available in the market, officially.

Samsung Galaxy Grand – Rs 21,500
The Galaxy Grand is Samsung’s attempt at taking a stab at the budget phablet market. The Grand brings with it Jelly Bean, a large 5-inch display, dual-core CPU and an 8MP shooter, which actually manages to capture some pretty decent shots. The handset is modelled along the lines of the Note II, so if you liked that design, then you’ll probably love the Grand as it’s a lot cheaper.

A grand affair

• 5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with an 800 x 480 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS and Wi-Fi capabilities for net access
• Dual SIM
• GPS with A-GPS support for Google Maps
• Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0 (Micro)
• 8MP camera with LED flash and secondary camera up front
• FM radio
• 8GB internal memory, expandable via microSD card slot

Micromax Smarty A65 – Rs 5,000
Keeping with its promise to deliver over 30 smartphones this year, the A65 is the latest to arrive out of the Micromax stable and makes its home in the entry-level segment. The handset is reminiscent of the Nexus S from the front and features a decently sized 4.3-inch display, 1.2GHz single-core CPU, dual SIM and expandable memory. Core features that are missing include 3G, GPS and Wi-Fi, which could be a deal breaker for many. Then again, at 5K, you get what you pay for.

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Another budget contender

• 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen display with an 800 x 480 pixel resolution
• EDGE/GPRS and Wi-Fi capabilities for net access
• Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0 (Micro)
• 2MP camera with LED flash and secondary camera up front
• FM radio
• 190MB internal memory, expandable via microSD card slot

XOLO X500 – Rs 8,999
Once again, Lava is the first to launch Intel’s Lexington-based Atom powered smartphone – the X500. This is a budget smartphone targeted at the Rs 10,000 price bracket, where you’ll usually find the most action. The X500 houses an Atom Z2420, a single core CPU running at 1.2GHz, along with Hyper-Threading technology. Other stand-out features include 1080p video playback, burst mode for video recording and dual-SIM.

Launchpad for Intel’s Lenxington SoC

• 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a 480 x 320 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS and Wi-Fi capabilities for net access
• GPS with A-GPS support for Google Maps
• Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0 (Micro)
• 5MP camera and secondary camera up front
• FM radio
• 4GB internal memory, expandable via microSD card slot

Nokia Lumia 920 – Rs 38,199
Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone 8 device already had a huge fan following, long before its official launch. The handset boasts of Nokia’s proprietary PureView ‘floating lens’ technology that counteracts any shakes or bumps you face while shooting or recording. This works in conjunction with the large aperture to deliver some truly amazing low-light photographs. We have already done a ton of coverage for the Lumia 920, which you can check out here.

Nokia’s WP8 flagship

• 4.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS and Wi-Fi capabilities for net access
• GPS with A-GPS support for Google Maps
• Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0 (Micro)
• 8.7MP camera with LED flash and secondary camera up front
• FM radio
• 32GB internal memory

Nokia Lumia 820 – Rs 26,800
Announced along with the Lumia 920, the 820 packs in Carl Zeiss optics, interchangeable back panels, expandable storage, amongst others. The 820 features a completely different design with slightly toned down specifications compared to Nokia’s flagship. The handset also packs in a dual-core Qualcomm SoC and supports 1080p video recording.

The younger sibling

• 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a 800 x 480 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS and Wi-Fi capabilities for net access
• GPS with A-GPS support for Google Maps
• Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0 (Micro)
• 8MP camera with LED flash and secondary camera up front
• FM radio
• 8GB internal memory, expandable via microSD card slot

WickedLeak Wammy Titan – Rs. 13,000
The Wammy Titan is not just a rip off of the Samsung Galaxy Note II, it’s as good as a clone. Apart from the lack of a Samsung badge on the top, the Titan looks every bit like the Galaxy Note II, right down to the placement of the stylus and the skin chosen. The feel, however, is nothing like the Note II. But then, for less than half the price, it’s not a bad option.

Look familiar?

• 5.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a 960 x 540 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS and Wi-Fi capabilities for net access
• GPS with A-GPS support for Google Maps
• Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0 (Micro)
• 8MP camera with LED flash and secondary camera up front
• FM radio
• 4GB internal memory, expandable via microSD card slot

Lava Iris 501 – Rs 10,000
The Iris 501 is the latest entrant from Lava in that chaotic sub-10K price bracket. With looks of the Nexus S, the handset sports a large 5-inch screen, runs ICS, packs in a 5MP shooter and is powered by a 1GHz dual-core CPU. Like all handsets in this range, it also has support for two SIM cards.

Lava’s new budget offering

• 5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a 800 x 480 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS and Wi-Fi capabilities for net access
• GPS with A-GPS support for Google Maps
• Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0 (Micro)
• 5MP camera with LED flash and secondary camera up front
• FM radio
• 4GB internal memory, expandable via microSD card slot

What a start to the new year! It’s only been a month and we’ve already seen some pretty spectacular handsets in the market already. This is just a teaser for what’s about to come. We have Mobile World Congress (MWC) to look forward to in February, where we can be sure to expect an onslaught of new 1080p high-end handsets along with plenty more budget oriented phones.