Cherry Mobile Flare A3 Supports 700 MHz 4G LTE Band

In June 2016, both Smart Communications and Globe Telecom started firing up their new 700 MHz 4G LTE cell sites to further improve mobile data speeds in areas of high user convergence.

As of today, however, we only have very few Android smartphones - especially budget-friendly ones - that actually support this specific LTE band.

With the release of the new Cherry Mobile Flare A3, I'm sure that the top Pinoy handset company is hoping that more consumers would be able to reap the benefits of faster and more reliable mobile connectivity from both networks -- without having to break the bank.

TP Friend Charles Quiachon saw this yet-to-be announced Android smartphone model displayed at the Cherry Mobile Concept Store in SM Light Mall in Mandaluyong. I'd like to give him full credit for these photos.

Specs-wise, based on these shots, it's clear that the CM Flare A3 sports a 5-inch HD IPS display, 8 MegaPixel autofocus main camera with LED flash, 2 MegaPixel front cam for selfies, Dual SIM Dual Standby capability, and a 2,300 mAh battery pack.

Inside, it runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with a 1GHz Quad Core processor, handles multitasking with 1GB of RAM, and has 8GB of storage that can easily be expanded using the microSD card slot.

Now in terms of design and build, according to Charles, the handset is made predominantly of plastic with few metallic accents -- including the rim of the camera as well as the power button and volume rocker. However, the back plate has brushed metal finish that gives the device an air of elegance.

Although Cherry Mobile has yet to officially launch the Flare A3, the handset is now up for purchase at some CM Concept Stores, kiosks, and authorized retailers. Charles told me that some outlets are selling it for around Php 2,999. Earlier today, our friends from the company confirmed to me that the SRP is indeed 'roughly' that amount although it is not yet final.