Kodak Ektra smartphone launches in the US at a lower price compared to initial tag

Kodak unexpectedly announced its Ektra smartphone back in October of last year and flaunted it at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2017) almost five months ago. The made-for-nostalgia Android device hit the UK for its initial launch, but now it’s available in the US at a much lower price compared to its original tag.

The Kodak handset sports a 5.0-inch capacitive multi-touch LCD screen with an FHD 1,280 x 1,920 pixel resolution and 441 PPI pixel density. It comes pre-installed with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Inside, the Ektra is powered by a 64-bit MediaTek MT6797 Helio X20 2,300 MHz deca-core processor (two Cortex-A72s at 2.3 GHz, four Cortex-A53s at 2.0 GHz and another four Cortex-A53s at 1.4 GHz) with an ARM Mali-T880 MP4 780 MHz quad-core GPU.

An internal memory of 32 GB is included together with 3 GB of RAM. There’s also an external microSD storage slot available that is expandable up to 128 GB. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.1 and USB Type-C 2.0.

The phone furnishes a 21.16 MP main camera with an f/2.0 aperture and a Sony Exmor RS sensor. It comes with features like optical image stabilisation, dual-LED flash, HDR, autofocus, panorama, continuous shooting, geo-tagging, macro mode, face detection and touch focus. The 12.98 MP front-facing selfie shooter has an f/2.2 aperture and has a CMOS sensor just like the rear camera.

“The Kodak Ektra brings the DSLR experience to smartphones,” the handset’s maker said. “[It] gives you the freedom to seek, shape and elevate every picture on your terms, in an instant, anywhere.”

There’s a 3,000 mAh non-removable lithium polymer cell on board that has fast charging support. The Ektra is also surprisingly not that heavy at 165 grams or 0.36 pound, although it’s fairly thick at 14.02 mm or 0.55 inch. Unfortunately, the handset only comes in one colour (black), although an optional tan phone case is also available.

The smartphone doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor, but it does come with an accelerometer, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, a gyroscope and an e-compass. The Kodak handset also equips a loudspeaker and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. A built-in FM radio receiver is likewise included.

The Kodak Ektra handset was initially available for as much as US$550 (AU$740), but now it enters the US with a US$400 (AU$540) price tag. Official Australian pricing and release details have yet to be revealed so stay connected with IBTimes for updates.