While ZTE may be one of the bigger players in the Chinese market, they are little known in the US. Certainly we've heard of the brand and its devices before, but very few of their phones have come to American shores. That will change very soon though. ZTE just announced their Nubia 5S mini LTE device for the US market. It will be available on Amazon for an Unlocked price of $279.99 starting August 27th.
Here's a quick run-down of specs,
- 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) display
- 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400
- Adreno 305 GPU
- 16 GB of internal storage
- A microSD slot for up to an additional 32 GB
- 13 MP rear camera with f/2.2 aperture and Sapphire lens
- 5 MP front-facing camera
- LTE/GSM/WCDMA compatibility
- 2,000 mAh battery
Regardless, we'll leave that up for you to decide. Here's the full press release,
ZTE unlocks nubia 5S mini in the U.S. with LTE, quad-core power and premier smartphone camera
nubia 5S mini LTE advances smartphone photography with powerful camera platform that delivers a smarter, smoother way to capture, edit and share life’s moments – all unlocked and available now.
Richardson, TX., August 20, 2014—ZTE USA, one of the fastest-growing smartphone manufacturers in the United States*, today announced the nubia 5S mini LTE will be available unlocked beginning August 27 and for preorder today, online at Amazon.com for $279.99. The phone’s 13 megapixel rear-camera and 5 megapixel front-camera capture HD video and high-quality images effortlessly with intelligent settings, DSLR-like control and photo editing and effects once reserved for third party apps. The sophisticated camera platform and LTE speeds are matched by the phone’s thin, light build and Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Quad Core processor.
“Selling the nubia 5S mini LTE unlocked, direct to consumers shows ZTE has faith in its products and is capable of delivering LTE devices and consumer-focused innovation in the U.S.,” said Lixin Cheng, chairman and CEO of ZTE USA. “Offering an unlocked Android phone via Amazon addresses consumer demand for alternative devices that deliver more personal value than mainstream brands and don’t tie them to one mobile eco-system.”
The nubia 5S mini LTE smartphone camera software has distinctive independent control of focus, light metering and white balance functionality. It is one of the first widely available phones that has both a 13 megapixel and 5 megapixel camera. The advanced combination of hardware and software capture images that are truer to color as the eye sees and produce excellent dark field, macro and color reproduction.
The phone offers three camera modes, Fun, Auto and Pro, for virtually any scenario or user – from first time smartphone owners to award-winning smartphone photographers. The compact, slim design at only 4.52 ounces makes the nubia 5S mini LTE the perfect travel companion – wherever in the world it goes.
As an unlocked smartphone, carrier and contract restrictions do not apply – roam free and upgrade when you want. For those seeking the most flexibility, avoiding a two year contract or wanting to upgrade now, the nubia 5S mini LTE is a smart choice.
nubia 5S mini LTE specifications:
Camera specifications
- Battery: Li-ion 2000mAh
- Dimensions: 134.8 x 65.8 x 7.6mm
- Display: 4.7″, HD 720 x 1280, 16.7M color
- Memory: 16GB expandable to 32GB via micro SD
- Network Compatibility: LTE, GSM, WCDMA
- Operating System: Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
- Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 Quad Core with Adreno 305 GPU at 1.2 GHz
* Strategy Analytics, North America Handset Vendor
- 13 megapixel rear-camera with a BSI image sensor and LED flash
- 5 megapixel front-camera
- F2.2 aperture
- Five pieces of precision optical lens
- Blue glass composite IR filter
- Sapphire lens
- HD 720p/30fps video
Market Share: Q2 2014
About ZTE USA
ZTE USA (http://www.zteusa.com/), a subsidiary of ZTE Corporation is a leading global provider of mobile handsets, telecommunications equipment and network solutions. Operating since 1998, ZTE USA is dedicated to making cost-efficient, quality communications technology accessible to all. The company provides a magnitude of devices to every major US-based carrier, generates over $16 billion dollars’ worth of business for US-based companies and devotes more than 10 percent of its revenue to R&D. ZTE USA is headquartered in Richardson, TX and operates 17 sales offices, customer service centers, R&D and distribution facilities across the US. ZTE is ranked as the country’s fourth-largest supplier of mobile devices overall, and second-largest supplier of prepaid devices, by independent analysts. ZTE is the official smartphone of the Houston Rockets. – See more at: http://zteusa.com/nubia.