ZTE officially unveiled the Axon 7 today, bringing all the high-end specs and the premium build quality that you’d expect from a flagship phone, plus the extra features you rarely see on flagship killers – all with a low price.
It is equipped with a 5.5-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels (538 ppi) and covered by a 2.5D glass and Gorilla Glass 4 finish. Powering the show is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, which brings along an Adreno 530 GPU, as well as other goodies, like Cat. 6 LTE, VoLTE and Quick-charge 3.0 for the 3140 mAh non-removable battery pack.
As for memory, you get a choice of two options: 4GB of RAM, plus 64GB of storage or 6GB of RAM and 128GB of on-board space, both also extendable with a microSD card. The microSD card uses the secondary SIM slot, so users will have to make the choice between dual SIM capabilities and expandable storage.
The company says it has not committed to selling the higher-end model in the US.
The Axon 7 is launching with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and ZTE says it will be upgraded to Android N when that is made available later this year. The phone will work with AT&T, T-Mobile, and related MVNOs when it launches, though ZTE says it will also work with CDMA carriers such as Sprint and Verizon once it receives technical approval from them.
The camera setup on the ZTE Axon 7 consists of a 20MP, f/1.8 main shooter with a Samsung Isocell sensor, sapphire lens and various goodies like OIS, EIS and PDAF with a close loop VCM for better auto focus. It is capable of capturing video at up to 4K at 30fps. There is also a dual-LED flash and an 8MP selfie shooter on the front.
The Axon 7 fulfills Google’s VR standard. Though it will be some time until anyone gets their hands on a Daydream headset, ZTE gains a lot by throwing its name behind Google’s. By being Daydream-ready, the Axon 7 will be able to keep up with its competitors and attract users who are already interested in VR.
ZTE also packed in a dedicated audio chipset, which allows for Hi-Fi audio playback and enhancements. The two microphones can also record audio from up to 23 feet away, which is good for when you’re on speakerphone or just trying to record a conversation. It’s also got two stereo speakers on the front of the device, which blast out pretty powerful audio from the distinctive triangular cutouts of the speaker grills. ZTE also packed in Dolby Atmos headphone support, which gives you a few ways to hear audio in virtual surround sound.
The Axon 7 will be sold online through ZTE’s website. It’s unknown if it will hit carriers in the future, but it will work with any many U.S. carrier. The Axon 7 is part of the Axon Passport 2.0 program, which gives the phone a two-year warranty, free two-way shipping, and two-year accidental damage. Finally, Passport 2.0 will give customers $100 in credit toward a replacement Axon handset that was lost or stolen.
The ZTE Axon 7 will be available in China starting today, with other markets, including the UK, to follow from mid-June.
The 4Gb model will come in at $450 (£307) while the 6Gb model will cost an amazing $639 (£435).
ZTE Axon 7 Specifications
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| Display | 5.5-inch AMOLED display 2560 x 1440 resolution, 538ppi Gorilla Glass 4 |
| Processor | 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 |
| GPU | Adreno 530 |
| RAM | 4/6GB |
| Storage | 64/128GB |
| MicroSD | Yes, up to 128GB |
| Cameras | Rear: 20MP Samsung ISOCELL sensor with sapphire lens, OIS, EIS, PDAF, f/1.8 aperture, dual LED flash Front: 8MP |
| Dual SIM | Yes |
| SIM type | Nano SIM SIM 2 also supports microSD card expansion |
| USB Type | USB Type-C USB 3.0 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.2 NFC Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac 2.4 GHz/ 5 GHz |
| Networks | GSM/EDGE:B2/3/5/8 CDMA BC0/1/10 UMTS/HSPA: B2/B5/B4/B1/B8 LTE: B2/B4/B5/B12/B13/B17/B7/B3/B1/B20/B29/B30/B25/B26/B41 2CA: B2+B4，B2/4+B12，B2/4+B29, B2/4+B5, B41+B41, B25+B25 |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes |
| Software | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with MiFavor UI 4.0 |
| Battery | Non-removable 3,140mAh battery Quick Charge 3.0 |
| Dimensions and weight | 151.8 x 75 x 7.9 mm 185 grams |
| Colors | Ion Gold, Quartz Grey |
[/table]
