Kogan unveils flagship AU$349 Android smartphone

Online Australian consumer electronics retailer Kogan.com has unveiled its flagship smartphone, the Agora 6 Plus, touting the high-end device as costing just AU$349.

According to Kogan, the high-end smartphone is directly comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S7: It comes with a 5.5-inch full-HD IPS display; a Helio P10 octa-core processor; 3GB of RAM; 32GB of storage; a 21-megapixel rear-facing camera; a front-facing 8-megapixel camera; dual-SIM capability; a MicroSD card slot supporting up to 128GB; a fingerprint censor; and runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

"This is the best smartphone we have ever made," Russell Proud, product manager at Kogan.com, said.

"Our customers have been crying out for us to include the same features as the high-end smartphones for a reasonable price. The look and feel of the phone is second to none for this price point. We think this will compare very well side-by-side with the lauded Samsung Galaxy S7, but for around one third of the price."

In regards to mobile networks, Kogan Mobile was relaunched on Vodafone Australia's 3G network in October last year following a short-lived tenure in the mobile industry in 2013, which was marked by an unfortunate deal with ISPOne to resell Telstra 3G services.

Kogan Mobile customers are now also able to use Vodafone's 4G network as of June, with all new and existing customers now being moved across to the higher-speed network without any increase in pricing.

"We know Aussies want fast mobile speeds. Enabling 4G is part of our plan to continuously improve the value consumers receive from Kogan Mobile," Kogan.com executive director David Shafer said in April.

"Vodafone has invested billions into their network in recent years, and being able to bring its fast 4G speeds to Kogan Mobile customers will make our prepaid options even more attractive. 4G coverage is available in all major metro locations and selected regional areas across Australia."

The smartphone launch follows news on Tuesday that Kogan.com is expected to announce a AU$50 million initial public offering (IPO) over the coming month in order to list on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) during 2016.

Kogan.com's market capitalisation is expected to be around AU$170 million -- 20 times its forecast earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation. Kogan's yearly revenue is around AU$200 million each year.

The online retailer recently acquired the ailing Dick Smith's online business, with the offering going live a month ahead of schedule at the beginning of May. Dick Smith had entered into voluntary administration in early January after worse-than-expected sales over the Christmas period.

Ruslan Kogan, who founded the company in 2006, said at the time that he wanted to continue the Dick Smith legacy.

"I remember as a kid always visiting Dick Smith to look for parts to upgrade my computer. There is a strong history of passion in the Dick Smith community for how technology can improve our lives, and we look forward to helping make it more affordable and accessible for all," Kogan said.

Dick Smith was forced to close 363 bricks-and-mortar stores across Australian and New Zealand, with a total of 2,890 jobs gone.