Chinese smartphone maker Qiku has launched the Q Terra mobile phone priced at Rs. 21,999, or about $329, in India.
Qiku, a joint venture between telecommunications equipment manufacturer Coolpad Group and global Internet company Qihoo 360 Technology, announced that the Q Terra will be like the smartphones offered by Xiaomi and OnePlus — packed with quality features but don't cost an arm and a leg.
"We truly believe that Indian consumers are becoming evolved users of smartphones and need a premium experience. With QiKU Terra, we are essentially offering the best in class experience at an affordable price," says Varun Sharma, the CEO of Qiku India.
The Q Terra includes a 6-inch full HD IPS display. A 1.82GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor and 3GB of RAM powers the new Q Terra. The Qiku device has 16GB of on-board storage. The presence of a micrsoSD card slot will allow customers to increase the storage capacity to up to 128GB. The handset also includes two 13MP rear-facing cameras and an 8MP selfie camera.
"QiKU Terra has two 13MP cameras on the back. An IMX278 color sensor camera with RGBW technology, 40 percent ambient brightness and a low light noise reduction of 78 percent. The second one is a black and white IMX214 with 13MP as well," per Qiku.
The IMX214 is touted as an all-light sensor that is four times more powerful in capturing light than a color sensor. It also has a higher pixel detail for crisp photos. Used together, the sensors guarantee high-quality images, even in low light.
The Qiku Q Terra has a 3,600mAh battery, which the company claims can be fully charged in 70 minutes. The handset has a fingerprint scanner at the back with which customers can unlock the phablet in half a second.
The new Qiku phone will support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS connectivity.
The mobile phone runs on 360 OS, which is a customized version of Android 5.1 Lollipop. Normally, all smartphones are preinstalled with some apps, which some users may not find useful. With the Q Terra, owners will have the option to delete any preinstalled apps on the phone.
The Q Terra will be available for Rs. 21,999 but the invite-only model will cost Rs. 19,999. Qiku has not revealed the release date of the handset.
