Review: Alcatel Go Flip 3

By Canadian Reviewer Staff

The time seems right for the humble flip phone to make a comeback. During these uncertain times when connectivity is critical as is long battery life, there are vary few affordable options for an easy to use and reliable phone used mainly for voice calls.

Alcatel’s Go Flip 3 will be a compelling option for people who need a second (or third phone), who require the ability to make and take voice calls, and who seek a distraction free communications device. The way the Go Flip 3 is designed makes it ideal for younger kids who need a phone to call their parents without the app and gaming temptation found in most smartphones. 

Seniors will value the Go Flip 3’s ease of use, large tactile keypad and tuning battery life which promises up to 7.9 hours talkative or 17,79 days on standby time. While it is a basic and capable flip phone, the Alcatel Go Flip 3 has a few surprises up its sleeve. It’s got Google Assistant built-in, which means you can run voice searches and commands which is an efficient way to get news, weather, and other types of information. 

The 4G-LTE capable handset can also run some basic apps like Facebook and WhatsApp, which is great news for those who need those apps to stay connected but who don’t want the whole smartphone shebang. The Go Flip 3 also doubles as a mobile hotspot, a critical feature for many during these times of remote work. Running Alcatel’s KaiOS operating system, there’s a handful of useful apps including a cracking version of Tetris.

With an affordable price, practical feature set, and general availability in terms of carriers, the Alcatel Go Flip 3 modernizes the flip phone ideal without adding excessive features that could drive prices up. Yes, it does have a  rear-facing camera but the quality of photos and speed of operation do leave a lot to be desired. This is a basic phone, after all, not a selfie-shooter or TikTok user’s tool. 

It’s been a long time since we’ve reviewed a flip phone and the criteria for these devices is markedly different from candy-bar smartphones. The hinge mechanism is solid and clicks open (or close) with a resounding flick. Its refreshing to have a phone that feels solid and doesn’t need a case, I forgot what that reassurance feels like. 

Alcatel’s done a fine job at building a hybrid device that’s primarily for voice calls but also integrates popular messaging apps as well as Google Assistant and LTE hotspot capability. I didn’t care much for old school  T9 SMS text messaging, but it will work in a pinch and there’s always the option of dictation.

 Rating: 4.5 out of 5