Rokit Android phones have 3D screens and 'free' health care, for under $300
Rokit is making an aggressive play to get noticed here at CES 2019.
Rokit, a new Android phone contender, has blasted into CES 2019 with five phones and a bundle of wide-ranging services that it hopes will pull attention to its startup brand. The surprisingly cheap prices span $35 for the entry-level Rokit One to $275 for the Rokit Pro IO 3D, a phone that includes a no-glasses-required 3D screen, international Wi-Fi calling and a year of free telemedicine consultations.
Rokit quietly launched in August, making it one of dozens of startups trying to carve a slice of smartphone sales by dangling tantalizingly low prices and services. Although it's been many years since CES was a significant stage for phone unveilings, Rokit's plan to talk up its phones at CES could nab it some attention without being swallowed up in the frenzy of February's Mobile World Congress , the world's largest phone show.
Rokit is banking on its bundled services to make money and draw in crowds using a freemium model. That is, you'll receive services like 12 months of free international and domestic Wi‐Fi calling on any phone, plus access to family telemedicine and discounted pharmaceuticals, with the option to add coverage for legal services and insurance. After the freebies run out, you'll have to pay $10 a month to renew the bundle.
Medical assistance may be the more useful day-to-day feature, but the 3D content was what gripped me when I saw it with my own eyes. A sizzle reel of different video clips leaped out of the screen. But try to capture that magic through a camera lens or even record it on video, and the 3D images just looked like regular old 2D video. It's a shame, because I wish I could share that and it just didn't translate.
Founded by John Paul DeJoria, who also co-founded Patron tequila and Paul Mitchell haircare, Rokit is backed by entrepreneurial oomph. But the Rokit name is also a rebrand of Rok Mobile, a now-defunct MVNO that resold Verizon's service until July. Rok Mobile is no longer listed as a Rok brand, and its website returns a blank page.
Rokit One specs ($35)
- Candybar design
- 2.45-inch display
- Camera, 3G/2G, Dual-SIM
- Rok Talk with Wi-Fi calling, WhatsApp , Facebook , Bluetooth
- Radio, MP3 player
The three Rokit smartphones include telemedicine apps, which connect you to a certified doctor for consultations.
Rokit F-One specs ($40)
- Flip phone design
- Camera, 3G/2G, Dual-SIM
- Rok Talk with Wi-Fi calling, WhatsApp, Facebook, Bluetooth
- Radio, MP3 player
- Flashlight
Rokit IO Light specs ($90)
- Front and dual rear cameras
- 3G, Dual-SIM
- Android Oreo (Go Edition)
- Rok Talk with Wi-Fi calling, WhatsApp, Facebook, Bluetooth
- 12 months of family telemedicine, pharmacy savings included. Option to extend/add other Rokit benefits
- Radio, MP3 player, GPS
Rokit IO 3D specs ($170)
- Front and dual rear cameras
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- 4G, Dual-SIM, Unlocked
- Rok Talk with Wi-Fi calling, WhatsApp, Facebook, Bluetooth
- 12 months of family telemedicine, pharmacy savings included. Option to extend/ add other Rokit benefits
- Fingerprint sensor
- Naked eye 3D screen
Rokit Pro IO 3D specs ($275)
- Front and dual rear cameras
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- 4G, Dual-SIM, Unlocked
- Rok Talk with Wi-Fi calling, WhatsApp, Facebook, Bluetooth
- 12 months of family telemedicine, pharmacy savings included. Option to extend/ add other Rokit benefits
- Fingerprint sensor
- Naked eye 3D screen
- Gyro compass
Rok Life Services include:
- International Wi-Fi Calling
- Family Telemedicine 24/7/365
- Pharmacy Savings Platform
- Family Roadside Assistance
- $100k Accidental Death Insurance
- $20k Burial Insurance
- Family Legal Services
- $1m in Identity Theft Insurance
- $100 Rok Monthly Rewards Dollars
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