Icon Q are known for their smartphone accessories but today we’re hearing about their first smartphone, the Q5.5, which is a lower / mid range unlocked device costing $199. As you might expect from the name, the Q5.5 is based around a 5.5-inch, 720p resolution display. Under the skin there’s a 1.4 GHz, 32-bit, octa core MediaTek processor backed up by 2 GB of RAM. There’s 16 GB of built-in storage plus a MicroSD card that may take another 32 GB of storage. Around the back, there’s a 13MP camera, which is joined by a 5MP front facing unit. There’s a replaceable 2,100 mAh battery and dual SIM slots, but the Q5.5 only supports 3G networks (and excludes Sprint and Verizon Wireless for our American readers). The Q5.5 runs Android 4.4 Kit Kat and at the time of writing, there’s no information about an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop let alone the brand new Android 5.1.
As you can see from the design, the Q5.5 is an unassuming but inoffensive device, which looks a similar shape to the LG Google Nexus 4. Under the skin, the modest resolution of 720p combined with a healthy 2 GB of RAM ought to keep the device running smoothly. Dual SIMs is an interesting feature that should be beneficial for those of us who travel a lot or want to consolidate work and personal phones into the one device. We’ve no word as to the quality of the cameras included on the device and the device is only available in white color, but it’s possible additional colors will be added before too long. Shipping takes between four to seven days but quicker options are available.
The Icon Q5.5 appears to have the makings of a solid lower mid range model with a reasonable specification sheet that’s dominated by the price tag. My biggest question mark concerns as to how quickly the device will receive Android 5.0 Lollipop, as on the face of it the hardware should be perfectly capable of handling the newer operating system. For the frequent traveler with a need for two SIM cards, the Q5.5 makes a lot of sense. Over to our readers, what do you think to the Q5.5? If you were in the market for a moderately priced smartphone, would you take the plunge? Let us know in the comments below.