The smartphone industry has undergone a shift over the past year, as major device makers have moved away from focusing primarily on high-end, premium devices by launching more affordable phones with similar features.
Apple, Samsung, and Google have all released budget phones this year and last year that borrow some of the capabilities of their pricier counterparts.
The move comes as industry analysis has suggested there's been a growing demand for cheaper smartphones. In its figures from April, for example, The International Data Corporation cited Samsung's less expensive Galaxy A series as a key reason it was able to claim the top spot in terms of worldwide market share.
And TCL, best known for its line of televisions, is challenging mobile industry leaders with its own entrant: the TCL 10 Pro.
The $450 TCL 10 Pro, which launched in the US in May, comes with a range of features that even Apple's $1,100 iPhone 11 Pro Max lacks. Such capabilities include an in-screen fingerprint sensor, a curved AMOLED screen, a quadruple camera setup, and a headphone jack.
While the TCL 10 Pro has several features I appreciate — like its always-on display and programmable side button for launching shortcuts — there are a few ways in which it falls behind the iPhone and other pricier phones. Although it has a fingerprint sensor, it doesn't seem to be all that accurate most of the time, for example.
After spending a couple of days with the phone, here's what stood out to me the most. Our full review, which is to come, will have more detail about these features as well as critical areas like the camera and battery life.