Micromax takes the battle to Motorola, launches Unite 2 for Rs 6,999 in India

It is no secret that Motorola's entry level smartphone offering Moto E has been hugely successful in India. The device has been selling like hot cakes, so much so that Flipkart.com- the e-commerce site that is exclusively selling the device in the country- has gone out of stock not once, but three times already. Moto E had gone on sale last week on Flipkart for Rs 6,999.

Now, home grown handset and tablet manufacturer Micromax has also joined the party. The company has launched its own smartphone offering targeted at the exact same price segment. Christened Unite 2, the device runs on the latest Android KitKat operating system (similar to Moto E) and is available for Rs 6,999 in India.

Apart from regular features, Micromax has also pre-loaded 21 languages on the smartphone, providing users with added convenience of typing in their own language. With the feature, users can express their words in different language fonts, supported by a personalised predictive typing interface with 'Reverie Smartpad'. They can also save their contacts in their language with the 'Reverie Phonebook'.

Specifications

The smartphone has a 4.7 inch IPS WVGA touchscreen display (480x800 pixels resolution) and runs on the latest Android KitKat 4.4.2 operating system. It is powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6582M quad-core processor and has 1GB of RAM. The internal memory of the device is 4GB (0.89GB for apps installation and 1.67GB for user data) that can be further expanded an additional 32GB with a microSD card.

Unite 2 sports a 5 megapixel autofocus rear camera with Flash that can also record high definition videos (720p) at 30 frames per second, and 2MP front facing camera for video calling. On the connectivity front, the device has Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, 3G as well as a microUSB port and a microSD card slot. The smartphone has GPS, FM Radio, and dual-SIM capability.

The company has provided a 2,000 mAh battery in the device, which it claims will provide up to 8 hours of talk time and 190 hours of standby time. Micromax has also pre-loaded a number of apps and games in the smartphone that include Opera Mini, M! Live, Hike, MiGames, Burn the Rope, Smash It, Marbles, MAd, and Getit, among others.

Unite 2 Vs Moto E

Moto E has a 4.3-inch display with 960×540 pixels resolution, making it the only smartphone offering a high quality display at this price point. The dual-SIM smartphone runs on the latest Android 4.4 (KitKat) OS, and Motorola has promised that it will upgrade the smartphone to the next major version of Android. It packs a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor, with 1GB RAM and 4GB internal storage. Unlike Moto X and G, this phone supports microSD cards for further storage expansion.

The budget offering of Motorola sports a 5MP camera on the back, but does not have rear LED flash and front camera. Users can access the internet over 2G, 3G and Wi-Fi networks, while data can be transferred via microUSB port and Bluetooth 4.0. The smartphone has a decent 1,980mAh battery and Motorola claims it can last a whole day once fully charged. The company has used a nano-coating that will make the smartphone resistant to splashes, so that it does not get damaged in rain. Moto E is available in black and white colours, as well as swappable back covers and grip shells.

Apart from Moto E, Micromax's new offering will also compete with Nokia's X (Rs 7,588), as well as a number of low-end smartphones from home grown handset manufacturers like XOLO and Karbonn, among others.