Micromax A85 : Micromax’s high-end Android phone. Would you buy it?

Micromax, which has launched three Android phones priced under 10K, is trying to move upscale. While these are still rumors, as you know in the technology world nothing ever is a rumor. Micromax A85 is a high-end (by Micromax standards) Android phone powered by 1GHz Nvdia Tegra 2 Dual core processor. That’s not it. There is a whole lot of goodness that comes along with Micromax A85.

Specifications

Micromax A85 is powered by 1 GHz Nvdia Tegra 2 Dual core processor, 5 megapixel camera, VGA front-facing camera, 512 MB RAM and  8 GB storage (expandable up to 32 GB). Micromax A85  comes with a 3.8 inch TFT capacitive touch screen with 480×800 pixel resolution. The specification lists Android 2.2 as the operating system. Given the hardware there’s no reason why this phone shouldn’t be running Android 2.3.

3G, Bluetooth, Wifi, A-GPS are on-board.

The specifications are from GSMArena and the price is not out yet. Looking at the specifications, Micromax might be better off placing this phone in the 15K category giving some tough competition to Sony Ericsson and LG phones.

Micromax A85 is probably the first Nvidia Tegra2 powered Android phone to be launched in India.

Price

If there is one thing I don’t have to worry about Micromax phones then it is pricing. Micromax has the knack of pricing their phones really really well. Micromax Van Gogh, the phone which comes with the Bluetooth dongle, is priced at Rs. 4K. That phone is selling like hot cakes. Part of Van Gogh success is due to the product packaging and part of it is the pricing strategy.

Competing phones like LG Optimus Black and Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro are priced in the range of 15K-19K

High-end phone from Micromax : Is that an Oxymoron?

Can you recall a Micromax phone which costed more than Rs. 10000? I couldn’t recall a single phone without Google’s help. I haven’t resorted to Google yet as I am thoroughly convinced that Micromax isn’t a brand associated with high-end phones. Micromax is a brand associated with variety.

People expect a Micromax phone to do something different. Be it the symmetrically designed dual SIM Gravity phone which toggles between numbers as you invert the phone, the stylishly designed Micromax Bling or Micromax X395 which switches between networks with just a shake, Micromax phones stand for something radical at an affordable price.

How will Micromax shed this image and sell a high-end phone to the Indian audience?

If Micromax A85 was pitted against LG Optimus Black and Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro, which phone would you buy?

Update 1 : Dual core on Micromax A85 pushes A85 alongside LG Optimus X2, HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S2. The question still remains the same or becomes even more pertinent. Would you buy it?

PS : LG Optimus Black has a slightly bigger screen (4 inches) and a better front-facing camera (2 MP) than Micromax A85. It is also priced at Rs. 19500 and I expect Micromax A85’s pricing to be in the vicinity of Rs. 15000.

Via GSMArena