Alcatel Idol 4 comes in a box that doubles as VR goggles

BARCELONA — How do you innovate in the smartphone space, where the vast majority of devices are essentially large screens with a metal or plastic case?

One thing you can do is focus on the packaging, and that’s exactly what Alcatel did with its new Idol 4 smartphone, launched two days before the official start of Mobile World Congress. The phone comes in a box that transforms into a VR headset, a la Google Cardboard. It’s a nifty trick, and in a year in which everyone will try to sell you some form of VR experience, it’s cool to get a headset for free together with a phone.