back to article ZTE flagship elbows aside Xiaomi

Xiaomi was expected to be the biggest arrival into the European phone market this year, but ZTE may have just grabbed the laurels. While Xiaomi is entangled with IP worries, delaying a European push, ZTE has steamed in with an attractive Android flagship, the Axon 7 - launched this week in Paris this week - one that you can …

  1. Ken 16 Silver badge
    Headmaster

    Assuming?

    "It will ship in a few weeks for €449 (assuming the Euro currency still exists in a few weeks), making it one more ridiculously low priced flagship - saving some £100-£150 over an equivalent Samsung Sony or HTC. "

    That assumes the English Pound doesn't continue to fall rendering Euro purchases too expensive.

  2. I'm Brian and so's my wife

    > Rather sooner than Huawei, ZTE realised that Chinese skins feel odd to European and North American consumers

    My first thought was of "Silence of the Lambs"

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Any commitment to regular updates for a specified term?

    See titel.

    1. gv

      Re: Any commitment to regular updates for a specified term?

      Probably none. It's about time manufacturers realise that software updates are critical to address security issues, especially as people are beginning to use their mobiles for payment transactions. This strategy of releasing a couple of updates in the first year or so and then nothing is not viable. It's one of the plus points of the Ubuntu phone, but it seems those have been "sold out" now for ages.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: See titel.

      Blame Googel.....

    3. JoeF

      Re: Any commitment to regular updates for a specified term?

      Probably only if there is a CyanogenMod version for it.

  4. Chika
    Thumb Up

    Hmm. Got to admit, having been using Huaweis for my last couple of phones, that the whole idea of this is very appealing as if anything, the biggest turn-off with Huawei is that damn EMUI business. Had an original Blade (well, an Orange San Fran) a few years ago which was a pretty sturdy beast overall.

    1. I'm Brian and so's my wife

      My wife growled and grumbled when I swapped her ancient Nokia for one of those Orange San Frans, but she was won over within days :)

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Orange San Fran

      Amen to that . Its just a shame Orange borked it with their crudware. Ripping that out and installing even a mildly customised ROM made the phone a pleasure to use.

      1. I'm Brian and so's my wife

        Re: Orange San Fran

        Exactly - I bought it specifically because I'd seen child-proof instructing on how to root it :)

  5. simmondp

    No joy for O2 users

    Seems like no Band 20, so you are stuffed if you want 4G on O2

    1. Jon B

      Re: No joy for O2 users

      UK's fault for having such obscure 4G bands (everyone apart from EE at least)

    2. Buzzword

      Re: No joy for O2 users

      It seems that O2 is expanding to use 1800MHz / band 3 as well as its existing allocation at 800MHz / band 20. (Who came up with these confusing band numbers?) But there's no information on coverage, so a different combination of phone+network is advisable.

  6. Dadmin

    Nice design!

    I see they copied sammy for the camera position and Apple for the antenna lines. Anything interesting inside? No? Okay, you're free to go.

    1. sabroni Silver badge

      Re: Anything interesting inside?

      The 7 has two custom audio chips (AK 4490 and AK 4961) typically found in more dedicated portable music players. I found that interesting.

  7. TeeCee Gold badge
    Meh

    Hmm.

    More expensive than a OnePlus 3 with a very similar spec (less memory, less puissant camera, more pixels).

    As the pixel density is irrelevant once you get beyond "can't see them" (which both do) we'll have to wait for the reviews as to whether the screen measures up to the OnePlus in use.

    As it is, it looks about 50 quid overpriced.....and it only seems to be available in a horrible, tasteless, chav gold finish.

    1. 27escape

      Re: Hmm.

      Though if you are wanting to use your phone for VR, then more pixels is a benefit. VR on the one plus range is blocky at best

    2. srdegnan

      Re: Hmm.

      mmmmm .... Chav gold

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The stupidly high res is to support VR, this phone is Google Daydream certified.

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