Indian network provider Idea Cellular has expanded its smartphone portfolio with the launch of a low-cost 3G smartphone called Zeal.

The new smartphone packs a dual-SIM slot and runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor powered by a 1300 mAh Li-ion battery.

"For the past year, Idea has been focused on proliferating 3G in India by developing the entire ecosystem comprising of network coverage, customer service, applications and devices. We understand that the device plays an important role in enhancing service experience for the user, and has been a key component of Idea's 3G growth strategy", said Rajat Mukarji, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Idea Cellular, reported NDTV.

"Idea Zeal has been affordably priced to suit the pockets of consumers in semi-urban and rural markets and is aimed at upgrading existing 2G users to 3G." 

Key Specifications of Idea Zeal Include:

Model

Idea Zeal

Display

3.5-inch TFT capacitive display

with 320x480p resolution

OS

Android v2.3 OS (Ginger Bread)

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor

with 1Ghz clock speed

RAM

256 MB

Memory

512 MB + 4GB memory card, expandable

up to 32GB

Camera

Main:3.0-megapixel fixed focus camera

with MPEG 4 & HVGA video recording

Network

2G & 3G

Battery

1300 mAh Li-ion Battery, up to

200 hours(3G), 300 Hours(2G) standby

time

Additional specs

Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS, microUSB v2.0

*Price

₹5,390/-

With a price tag of ₹5,390, the new smartphone is one of the very few low-cost devices in the industry to feature 3G connectivity.

However, Zeal's outdated Android v2.3 Ginger Bread operating system is a major drawback in its spec list. Many smartphone makers have moved on to the Ice Cream Sandwich OS in their budget smartphones.

Apart from the mobile OS, the smartphone pack pretty decent features for a budget smartphone.