Samsung recently launched the Galaxy S20 FE or Fan Edition, and according to the Korean manufacturer, the decision to release the most affordable phone in the S20 lineup was prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. It certainly won’t be the last.

Cue the newly launched budget offering from Chinese phone maker Umidigi, the Umidigi A9 Pro. At first glance, the unit doesn’t look all that impressive — except it has an infrared thermometer in its rear camera module.

The Umidigi A9 Pro’s price starts at $199.99 (around P9,670 in Philippine pesos) for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model and will be available from October 16 globally on e-commerce platform AliExpress. The higher-end 6GB RAM and 128GB variant is listed at $233 (P11,296). The A9 Pro comes in Forest Green and Onyx Black colors.

Its predecessor, the Umidigi A7 Pro, is priced from P5,990 ($123) at its official brand store on Lazada Philippines.

Umidigi A9 Pro official product video

The non-contact thermometer will let users take a person’s body temperature, which is admittedly a real useful feature at this time. The smartphone also features a physical shortcut key for the built-in thermometer, allowing easier access to the feature.

Additionally, the Umidigi A9 Pro is equipped with a 48-megapixel main camera with f/1.8 lens, plus a secondary ultra-wide option with 16 megapixels and a pair of 5-megapixel sensors for macro and portrait shooting. Elsewhere, the front-facing camera has 24 megapixels, which is impressive for a budget device.

Other key specs of the phone include a 6.3-inch FHD+ LCD with a waterdrop notch; a 4,150mAh battery with 10-watt USB-C charging; and a MediaTek Helio P60 chipset.

Umidigi A9 Pro specs

• 6.3-inch LCD display, FHD+ resolution
• Octa-core MediaTek Helio P60 processor
• 4GB/6GB RAM
• 64GB/128GB expandable storage
• Quad 48-megapixel (main)/32-megapixel (main) for 4GB/64GB model, 16-megapixel (ultra-wide), 5-megapixel (depth), 5-megapixel (macro) rear cameras
• Built-in thermometer
• 24-megapixel front camera
• 4,150mAh battery with 10-watt USB-C charging
• Stock Android 10
• Colors: Forest Green, Onyx Black

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