The Sprint Vital is now more than just a phone featured in a simple leaked video -- it's a reality. The Now Network has publicly unveiled the ZTE-made device, confirming it's on course for a June 14th release for $100 with a two-year commitment. The specs are all there as well: as expected, the device will boast a 5-inch 720p IPS panel, Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, a 13MP rear camera paired with a 1MP front-facing cam, 2,460mAh battery, NFC, 8GB internal storage and microSD support for up to 64GB. On paper, it's not too bad for a solid mid-range device, but how will the final product turn out? We imagine we'll find out soon enough.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Now that the mid-range LG Optimus F7 has joined U.S. Cellular's lineup, the carrier's getting ready to welcome another budget-minded smartphone to the clan. We've gotten ahold of internal documents indicating that the ZTE Imperial will arrive on June 17th carrying a 4-inch 480x800 display, and will run Android 4.1 on a 1.2 GHz single-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of built-in memory and a 2,5000 mAh battery. A 5-megapixel rear-facing shooter and a microSD slot will make an appearance on the hardware as well, along with LTE data, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and GPS. There's no price attached to the handset just yet, but with these specs, you can expect it to be easy on the wallet.

Gallery: ZTE Imperial for US Cellular leaked

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If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought additional peeks at the purported Nokia EOS cameraphone, leaked screenshots of the BlackBerry OS 10.2 update and the arrival of a new budget smartphone from Huawei in the UK. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 3rd, 2013.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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We're starting to get a pretty clear picture of the smartphones that Sprint has in its pipeline, which include an LG Optimus F3, a new Windows Phone from HTC, the Moto X, the Kyocera Hydro Edge and the Sprint-branded Vital. In a buildup to the debut of the latter, a ZTE-manufactured handset has made its way through the FCC that carries plenty of telltale signs it's the Vital. First and foremost, this one's easy to peg as a Sprint smartphone, since it includes requisite CDMA support and compatibility with LTE Band 25. What's more, while it's difficult to nail down the handset's exact dimensions, it's clear that this one will be in excess of 60mm wide and over 130mm tall -- a likely candidate for a 5-inch smartphone. An encouraging sign for Sprint-lovers, if this does indeed turn out to be the Vital, it'll have a removable battery (and a very healthy 2,500mAh one at that). Sadly, FCC documents also reveal that the handset won't offer connectivity to GSM / WCDMA networks, which means it'll be unsuitable for use as a world phone. Nonetheless, the Vital might very well give stock Android fans a reason to cheer, and this FCC approval seemingly brings it one step closer to fruition.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: FCC

Gallery: ZTE Vital for Sprint

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: Honeystreet

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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Many analysts believe that Samsung led the Chinese smartphone market throughout much of 2012, and there are already signs of a repeat coming in 2013. Strategy Analytics now estimates that the Galaxy maker sold 12.5 million smartphones in the country during the first quarter of this year, or enough to stay in front at 18.5 percent market share. Others didn't come close, although there was a fierce battle for the runner up spot. Huawei (8.1 million) barely pushed past Lenovo (7.9 million) to become number two in China, while Coolpad (7.1 million), ZTE (6.4 million) and Apple (6.1 million) were locked in their own fight for fourth place. While it's true that market share isn't the only yardstick for smartphone success, having the most popular devices in the world's most populous country undoubtedly helps with bragging rights.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Lenovo

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Via: The Next Web

Source: The Korea Herald

Last week at CTIA, we sat down with Lixin Cheng -- CEO of ZTE USA -- for a candid discussion about the company's future in the US. The conversation started with ZTE's current portfolio in the US, which consists of 18 SKUs -- primarily inexpensive Android smartphones (most with LTE) for the prepaid market. Mr. Cheng mentioned that the company's doing quite well in the US thanks to an 85.7 percent year-to-year growth in market share. ZTE is now in third place among prepaid handset manufacturers with a market share of 17 percent. He explained that carriers are seeing revenue growth from prepaid services which now account for 22.5 to 29 percent of revenue. This puts the company in a strong position for the future, despite last year's investigation by Congress. So we asked Mr. Cheng if and when ZTE would bring flagship phones like the Grand S or Grand Memo to the US in partnership with the four major carriers. His reply:

I have promised you at CES that we're going to bring the Grand S or Memo series into [the] US, and we are working on that, and I think that very soon we will announce some good news.

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If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought hints of a revitalized Galaxy Exhibit for T-Mobile, news of two additions to the lineup at Cricket and a peek at the next GoPhone for AT&T. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of May 20th, 2013.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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While Intel's Clover Trail+ Atom platform has been slow-moving so far, with only a handful of noteworthy unveilings, it just got a big shot in the arm through the official launch of ZTE's Grand X2 In. The 4.5-inch, 720p Jelly Bean phone is smaller than the Geek we saw not long ago, but it still carries that 2GHz Atom Z2580 inside -- and it's quite the screamer for shutterbugs between its 24 frames per second burst shooting, zero shutter lag and image stabilization. It otherwise sits in the middle of the road like its ancestor, carrying an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1-megapixel front camera, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage. We're digging that soft-touch purple finish, though. Europeans should receive the Grand X2 In sometime in the third quarter of the year; there's no word on launches elsewhere, but you can be sure that we're interested in giving this x86 headliner a proper shakedown.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Intel

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Via: MojAndroid.sk (translated)

Source: ZTE

ZTE has managed to break a run of two straight quarterly losses by posting a net profit of $33 million in its first 2013 financials. Unfortunately, the extra cash has come from selling a $133 million stake in surveillance firm Shenzhen ZNV, rather than any surge in handset popularity. A three percent fall in sales, project holdups, and squeezed margins have all helped to heap woes onto ZTE's plate -- not to mention the ongoing hostility from the folks in Congress.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Source: Bloomberg

Just last week Microsoft added Foxconn's parent company to its growing list of licensees for patents it asserts are key to Android, and now ZTE has inked a deal with Ballmer and Co. as well. Now that the pact is in place, Microsoft says it's struck patent accords with roughly 20 hardware makers, and that 60 percent of phones sold with Google's open source OS are covered by such licenses. With HTC and LG already paying Redmond royalties for devices using Android, that leaves the likes of Google, Motorola and Huawei as the odd manufacturers out. If Motorola has its way, however, that won't change.

Filed under: Mobile, Microsoft, Google

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Source: Reuters

US Cellular has had precious few truly low-cost smartphones running an Android build that wasn't baked in 2010. For those who'd like something a little fresher, the ZTE Director is here. While it's only slightly ahead of the trailing edge with stock Ice Cream Sandwich, that's an improvement on a category where Gingerbread still rules. Likewise, no one will be floored by the 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 3.5-inch 480 x 320 screen, 4GB of storage (plus microSD slot) and 3-megapixel rear camera, although the 1,500mAh battery is ample for the size. We imagine that customers will mostly be enamored by the price -- when the Director costs a penny on contract and $200 contract-free, it may bring in those who'd have held on to that basic flip phone for a little while longer.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: US Cellular

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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Oh ZTE you cheeky monkey. Towards the end of day one at IDF in Beijing, we stumbled upon this awkwardly titled Android Jelly Bean phone that is the Geek at ZTE's booth. Needless to say, this is yet another phone powered by an Intel processor -- a 2GHz Clover Trail+ Atom to be exact, which is what Lenovo's K900 also has. The rest of the device isn't too shabby, either: you get a nice 5-inch 720p display with Gorilla Glass, along with an 8-megapixel main camera, a 1-megapixel front-facing camera, 8GB of storage space, 1GB of RAM, 2,300mAh battery and wireless charging. Radio-wise we see UMTS 900/2100 courtesy of Intel's XMM 6260 chip, and there's also the usual lot of 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE and GPS.

Design-wise the Geek takes a huge step away from the Grand X IN and shares a similarly clean look with the Grand S, but without the black eye around the main camera. This particular unit had a glossy white finish as well, but we'd prefer a matte finish for a more premium feel. Since ZTE admitted that it had to rush this prototype for exhibition at IDF, we'll come back to the build quality once we see a final retail unit. Until then, check out our hands-on video and the press release after the break.

Gallery: ZTE Geek hands-on

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Huawei's having a tougher time getting its network tech into the US, but Congress is apparently looking to shore up its security with other Chinese manufacturers too and has added a new purchase review law for NASA, Justice and Commerce departments of the government. Reuters reports that these branches won't be able to buy any IT system equipment without a federal law enforcement official giving it the okay, after assessing "any risk associated with such system being produced, manufactured or assembled" in China. The new restriction is folded into a 240-page spending law document and Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei has already requesting that the US to abandon the law. While it's difficult to spell out the repurcussions yet, it could affect more than just the telecoms infrastructure that ZTE and Huawei were selling, with the ever-expanding Lenovo likely to be buffeted by the same new regulations -- stripped down or not.

Filed under: Misc, Lenovo

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Source: Reuters

Two of ZTE's Android flagships have just gone on sale in China: the Grand Memo and Grand S. If you'll remember, the Chinese OEM introduced the devices earlier this year, unveiling the 5-inch 1080p Grand S at CES and the stylus-less, 5.7-inch Note competitor, the Grand Memo, at MWC. Although the big buzz around the Memo's introduction had much to do with its Snapdragon 800 heart, the variant hitting the Chinese market won't have that claim to CPU fame -- it'll ship with an S4 Pro instead and should retail for 2,688 yuan (or $432 USD), while the S will run about 3,399 yuan (or $547 USD). Still no word on whether we'll ever see either handset stateside, but given ZTE's bold new brand push, it's likely one of the two'll make the transcontinental trek in some fashion soon.

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Source: Engadget Chinese (Translated)

Another day, another @evleaks leak. This time it's a pair of official product shots of the ZTE V987 we saw back in January, and apparently the official name here is the Grand X Quad -- not quite as elegant-sounding as the more powerful Grand S, perhaps. That's pretty much it from the mysterious leakster, but thanks to TENAA's database, we already know most of the specs from last time: 5-inch 720p gapless display, 1.2GHz quad-core chip, 8-megapixel camera, dual-SIM support (WCDMA plus GSM) and a removable 2,500mAh battery. Assuming this Grand X Quad will be sold cheaper, we'd imagine it'd do pretty well if it features the same build quality as its sister device -- we'll let you guys know once we get to do a hands-on, naturally.

Update: Well this is weird. It turns out that ZTE's been very quietly selling this budget phone for ¥1,699 or about $270 in China since late February, though availability is very limited by the looks of it. No wonder ZTE didn't even bother with a press release.

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Via: Engadget Chinese

Source: @evleaks (Twitter)

Much of ZTE's MWC 2013 focus was its desire to go from white label to global brand name. And from the looks of these leaked shots, the Chinese OEM's taking that goal seriously, purportedly prepping a new handset for Sprint. Going by the rumored name "Quantum," the handset falls below flagship status, allegedly running Android Jelly Bean and bearing a Snapdragon S4 processor, 5-inch 720p display, 1GB RAM and a 13-megapixel rear camera housed in an outsized circular module. There's no visible carrier branding anywhere on the device to confirm its possible Sprint LTE destiny -- only a logo in the notification pane and an anonymous tip, as reported to Android Police, pegs it for that. If this leak does indeed pan out, then that's good news for Sprint subs looking for more hardware choice, giant screens and 4G. And if not, well, no one will know the difference. Check out the source for additional shots.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: Android Police

ZTE is building up quite a name for itself here in the US and as its market share grows, so too do the concerns about the company and its wares. Though the Chinese manufacturer isn't saying as much, its new partnership with Intrepidus feels partially like an effort to assuage the fears of the American consumer and its government. How the New York-based security firm fits into ZTE's broader plans isn't exactly clear, but the vague press release (after the break) does say that Intrepidus will "investigate the security mechanisms of ZTE-manufactured smartphones," -- phrasing that feels very purposefully chosen. Obviously the ultimate goal is make your personal data safer, and we assume that means both from individual criminal ne'er-do-wells and state actors.

Filed under: Mobile

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If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a new smartphone to Cricket, insights from Verizon about its forthcoming AWS deployment and even a rugged accessory from Nokia. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of March 11th, 2013.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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It used to be that any smartphone screen beyond three inches was considered big -- and it was, for an audience still weaning itself off of flip phones and PDAs. Flash-forward several years, however, and we're to the point where many won't even consider less than a 4-inch screen, and the once-unfathomable 5-inch display is quickly becoming the de facto standard for high-end models. It's clear that many of us like our phones supersized, Zack Morris style. But when the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate is a reality, and Mobile World Congress or future events may push the boundaries even further, there's still a worry that the focus on successively bigger displays might have gone too far. Have we pushed too hard for more glass? Or are we witnessing a wholesale shift away from the smartphone as we once knew it? There's truth to both sides. Follow along as we look at how smartphones have swelled over time, and how we're learning to love (or cope with) their dimensions.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Sony, HTC, Nokia, Google, LG, Blackberry

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You may think that Lixin Cheng, the top banana at ZTE's USA division since June 2010, has had a tough time facing strong accusations since October regarding its ties with the Chinese government and its lack of transparency, but at MWC yesterday, the CEO told us that the investigation has actually been beneficial for his company. "So far, the report really has no negative impact on our business in the US ... it actually helps us build the brand," said Cheng. "When the report came out, it was such a high profile news and everyone was talking about ZTE. Some of our handset consumers may call the hotline and say, 'Hey, I have a phone from ZTE, do I have security concerns?' And of course, most people would find out no, there are no security concerns."

Filed under: Cellphones, Networking, Mobile

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We already knew that LG's now jumped on the TD-LTE bandwagon with the demo of a modified Optimus G, but it turns out that China Mobile also announced several devices that are destined for its 4G market, including the 5-inch 1080p Huawei Ascend D2 (D2-TL), the 4.7-inch 1080p HTC One (TD101), the 5-inch XGA LG Optimus Vu II Plus and the mysterious 5-inch 1080p ZTE U9810. Interestingly, our brethren over at Engadget Chinese also spotted a TD-LTE-ready Samsung Galaxy S III at China Mobile's MWC booth (note the "China Mobile 4G" logo on the back of the phone, pictured above), but it wasn't mentioned at the Global TD-LTE Initiative summit at MWC. Obviously, let's not forget ZTE's Grand Era LTE that's compatible with both modes of LTE.

Knowing how fresh some of these devices are, it seems like TD-LTE service will be available to the Chinese public well within this year, which will match what China Mobile announced back in January.Also announced alongside the aforementioned phones were four TD-LTE mobile hotspots, including Huawei's E5375, ZTE's MF91S+, China Mobile-badged CM510 plus CM512. These all feature battery lives between six to eight hours, and can handle up to 10 devices simultaneously. Some even support the more common FDD LTE, with Huawei's already capable of Category 4 LTE at up to 150Mbps.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG

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Via: Engadget China

ZTE caught us by surprise today, outing a Snapdragon 800-infused version Snapdragon 600 variant of the Grand Memo at its MWC 2013 presser. The device, which still features the same 5.7-inch (720p) display, 13-megapixel rear camera and 3,200mAh battery, is nearly indistinguishable from the other variants we've seen. But for this go-round, ZTE's added in Dolby Digital Plus Surround for a superior audio experience and an extra GB of RAM.

Its external chassis may have remained the same -- plasticky and lightweight -- but the difference in this 8.9mm-thick Memo's real-world performance is immediately noticeable. OS actions on the skinned Jelly Bean UI don't just zip, they now quite literally fly -- truly, this device is deserving of the long-deceased "beast" moniker. Although international trade show WiFi connections are typically dreadful, we did manage to successfully run the SunSpider benchmark to get a quick taste of its rendering performance. The result? The Grand Memo notched a score of 1,186.7ms -- an unimpressive result when contrasted with the Tegra 4's 499ms (as derived from a reference tablet).

As for ZTE's MyFavorite UX layered atop Android 4.1.2, well, we're pleased to say it yields some neat animations. The entire home screen, including widgets, revolves with a smooth 3D effect that just imbues the handset with a special "feel." It's a shame then that the Memo's encased in a less-than-premium shell, as it creates a disconnect between the smoking internals and humdrum exterior. But with a newly announced commitment to building its brand (a sentiment popular with Chinese OEMs as of late), this particular Memo is proof positive that ZTE's serious about raising its profile and consumer perception.

You won't be seeing this Grand Memo hit US shores anytime soon -- it's a China- and Europe-only affair for now. So while you wait (and hold onto hope), check out our video tour after the break.

Update: Qualcomm's informed us that the Grand Memo actually uses the Snapdragon 600, not the 800 that was mentioned during ZTE's event and in its official PR. We are shaking our collective heads.

Update 2: Well this is fun, it turns out we got it right the first go round. After further discussion with ZTE, it turns out there are two versions of the Grand Memo: a Chinese variant with a Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064, while Europe gets a Snapdragon 800 with LTE.

Gallery: ZTE Grand Memo with Snapdragon 600 hands-on

Gallery: ZTE Grand Memo reappears at MWC 2013

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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