TCL takes the fight to Amazon's Fire range with its new cheap Android tablets

TCL IFA 2020
TCL IFA 2020 (Image credit: TCL)

While annual tech event IFA 2020 is smaller than usual this year, some companies are still going all out with new tech, and TCL is one of them.

At its conference, TCL has unveiled a huge range of products in loads of different categories - there are new tablets, a smartwatch designed for seniors, true wireless headphones, a new e-paper screen, and even foldable phones. Well, the latter we've seen before, but TCL has provided some updates on foldable products that it's unveiled but not yet released.

Below, we'll run you through all these products briefly, but look out for hands-on reviews for them soon when we get to test them, and full reviews when we've spent some serious time with them. 

TCL's IFA line-up

TCL has a bunch of new tablets - the most intriguing is the TCL 10 Tab Mid, a small 4G-connected slate that's designed for one-handed use, so it has a small 8-inch screen, a compact build, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

TCL 10 Tab Mid

TCL 10 Tab Mid (Image credit: TCL)

Then there's the TCL 10 Tab Max, and you can probably guess how that relates to the Mid. It has a 10.1-inch screen, comes with a stylus, and has a screen designed to emit less blue light and avoid eye strain. There's even an alarm that sounds when you put the slate too close to your face. TCL mentioned the tablet is designed for educational use cases, and perhaps kids too, with a special children's mode.

All these tablets are set to be super-affordable, so the likes of Amazon's Fire range of slates might soon have big competition.

The smartwatch being announced is the TCL Move Time Family Watch, and it's designed for seniors and elderly members of the family. It has fall detection, a button that can be used to call emergency services, basic health features, and all the normal functions you get in a smartwatch.

Now on to the headphones, the TCL Move Audio S200. These are true wireless, with a listening time of 3.5 hours and a charging case that has a total battery life of 23 hours. They have environmental noise cancellation, touch sensors to control various things, and smart wearing detection so they stop playing music if you take them off.

At TCL's IFA briefing we also got some updates on some of the futuristic phones the company unveiled at CES 2020 - the rollable display phone, the company's 'waterfall' display that curves at the edges, and TCL's smart glasses, are all coming along nicely, though there's no word on a release for any.

Finally, TCL showed off some new tech, the Next Paper, a new form of display technology in the style of e-paper. This allows natural light to be reflected, imitating real paper, and unlike other e-paper products out there, it has a fast enough refresh rate that you can watch movies or play less intensive games.

The TCL Next Paper isn't in an actual product just yet, but the company has committed to putting a device out with it in early 2021.

IFA 2020 is Europe's biggest tech show (although much smaller this year due to global restrictions), and TechRadar will bring you all the breaking news and first impressions of new TVs, wearables and other devices as they're announced.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.


He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.