Motorola unveils budget Android phone

Hot on the heels of LG and Nokia announcing wallet-friendly smartphones, the Optimus Pro and Nokia 500 respectively, Motorola Mobility has unveiled its latest Android handset: The XT531.

Touted as a wallet-friendly Android smartphone, the XT531 features a 3.5-inch HVGA (480 x 320 pixels) capacitive touchscreen. It also has a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and onboard flash. The front-facing VGA camera allows you to make video calls via Qik.

Motorola has decided to do away with the Motoblur user interface (UI). In its place is Moto Switch UI, which enables users to switch between different modes--work or play.

Another upside to this phone is its battery life. Heavy users should be pleased with the 1,540mAh battery, which Motorola claims gives up to eight hours of talktime.

The XT531 will be available in China starting this month. Hong Kong and Taiwan will have to wait a little longer though, as the phone will only be launched from end-September onwards. Pricing of the handset and its availability in other Asian regions have not been announced yet.

There is also a dual-SIM version which will be available in selected Asian countries from end-September.

Posted in: Launch,Mobile Phones,Motorola