Karbonn Mobile A5S is a budget phone for party animals

Indian smartphone manufacturer Karbonn has launched its second Android handset in the UK for the rock-bottom price of £69.99 SIM-free on Amazon.

That princely sum buys you a 4-inch, 800 x 480 display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor backed by 512MB of RAM and a 5MP rear-facing camera. The Karbonn Mobile A5S runs Android 4.4 and boasts a talk time of 12.5 hours that will, in the words of the press release, "outlast the hardest party animal".

When it comes to connectivity, the A5S offers 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth only, but does have a dual-SIM capability. There's also a microSD slot for expanding on the 4GB of native storage and a 1,400mAh battery.

The A5S follows the Sparkle V Android One handset that launched on Black Friday and brought the company - which holds 13 per cent of the smartphone market in India - to the UK. Jostling for position in the crowded budget Android space isn't easy, but Karbonn reckons it can replicate its success in India over here in Blighty.

• Here's our pick of the best affordable Android handsets.