This week, Kogan has taken the time to launch another phone, and on paper it could be decent.
Called the Agora 6, it’s not a 6 inch device, but one that features a smaller screen, pushing out 5 inches of high definition goodness, running 1280×720 with no front-facing buttons and adopting Android’s built-in on-screen buttons.
Yes, that means Google’s Android is on this phone, and it arrives with a slightly older version of the operating system, running 5.1 “Lollipop” instead of version 6 known as “Marshmallow”.
With neither a 6 inch screen nor Android 6, we’re a little confused as to where the “6” comes from in the name, especially since it relies on an eight-core processor from MediaTek, clocked at 1.3GHz but with what Kogan claims is an “ultra-powerful” chip.
Even the cameras evade the number six, with an 8 megapixel camera on the back and a 5 megapixel camera up front. Two (2) SIMs also give it world-wide cred for the 4G LTE, but still no number “6” for the name.
“We’re taking it up a notch with the Kogan Agora 6,” said Russell Proud, Product Manager at Kogan.
“This time, we’ve been able to create something at an unbelievable price point, with amazing performance and features normally found in a phone many times the price of the Agora 6.”
If you can ignore the number in the name — maybe it’s a generational thing? — you can look at the on-paper specs, which initially do seem quite attractive. That said, previous experience with MediaTek processors in phones has shown they’re not the fastest things out there, suggesting to us that Kogan’s budget phone may well be one of those “you get what you pay for” sort of deals.
At $179, however, that may be something people can deal with, providing 2GB RAM and 16GB storage — aha, finally, a “6” in the product! — with a microSD slot to expand the storage needed.
“We know Aussies want a full feature smartphone without having to spend half a month’s pay,” said Proud. “At the same time, we’re hearing people are frustrated with other big brands for locking down their phones and not including features that offer flexibility like dual SIM cards, MicroSD storage, and removable batteries.”
“We think that smart shoppers will be pleasantly surprised when they see the quality of the phone they can now get for just $179,” he said.
Kogan’s Agora 6 is available now from Kogan’s online presence.
