Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer ZTE is reportedly under investigation by the US Department of Commerce over alleged sales of embargoed US computer equipment to Iran. Commerce Department officials close to the investigation tell Reuters that the department is aggressively conducting its investigation, and fines for ZTE could range into the tens of millions of dollars.
ZTE acknowledged today that its Score handset has a security flaw: a hardwired password that allows anyone with knowledge of it to access any handset. As Reuters reports, the company is currently working to patch the phone's vulnerability. Some contend that the security flaw extends to other ZTE models, including the Skate.
Although most hardware makers have focused on new cellphones and related accessories at the CTIA expo this week, ZTE also brought its new V96 tablet. The 10.1-inch device brings a standard set of Ice Cream Sandwich tablet features, along with multi-band radios for GSM and LTE networks.
Chinese handset manufacturer ZTE and Virgin Media are teaming up to launch the ZTE Tania in the United Kingdom. The Tania, set for a May UK launch, is ZTE's first Windows Phone 7 device. At launch, the Tania will be available for £199 on pay as you go with Virgin, or customers can pick it up for £17.99 a month on a 24 month contract.
Some new tips have pointed to Verizon aiming for the low-cost tablet with more definitive plans for a ZTE tablet. An accessory maker claimed to PocketNow that the seven-inch, unreleased V66 would come to Verizon as the Turbine. It's rumored to be similar to the Optik at Sprint, sharing its dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon, but would have the expected much faster 4G LTE data.
Chinese handset maker ZTE is looking to reverse declining margins on its phones by improving its brand image to compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung. Reuters reports that the company expects it may be shipping 100 million smartphones a year by 2015.
Intel China chairman Sean Maloney at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing on Wednesday said many Intel-based tablets with Windows 8 are coming before year's end. He went on to say the company is working with 10 Chinese and global hardware makers on such tablets, but didn't name them. The most likely candidate chip to power the tablets is the Atom Z2460, also dubbed Medfield internally.
China's second biggest telecommunications gear maker ZTE was found to have sold embargoed US computer equipment to Iran. A Tuesday Reuters report claimed that documents show ZTE sold some computer gear as part of a $10.5 million supply contract to a unit that controls Iranian telecoms. The documents are dated June 30, 2011 and explain how Iran got sophisticated US hardware despite sanctions against such transactions.
An uncommon study from Stenvall Sköld & Company has shown that much of Apple's mobile device share in China is disproportionately located in its urban areas. Based both on its own device analysis and research from local firm Umeng, it saw the distribution of 21 million iOS devices understandably skewed towards those provinces with the most urbanized populations. The highest concentration at 13.4 percent wasn't in one of the biggest cities but instead Guangdong province, home to Shenzhen and the Foxconn plants that make most of the iPads and iPhones for the world.
Prepaid wireless provider Cricket has just revealed that the Huawei Mercury smartphone will soon get a software update to get the Muve Music service. Users need to be on the carrier's Muve Music $65 per month plan, which is $10 more than the regular plan. Muve offers unlimited music downloads, ringtones, and ringbacks.
China's ZTE announced its financial details from 2011 on Thursday, revealing sales that were up 23.4 percent from 2010, at the equivalent of $13.67 billion. The company, which manufactures smartphones, tablets, and both network as well as telecom gear, did suffer in terms of net profits, however, posting a 36.6 percent loss (at $326.5 million) as compared to 2010. The company is expanding in overseas markets, including the US and the UK, and has debuted eight new devices to this end at last month's Mobile World Congress.
ZTE's Mimosa smartphone has been spotted in the wild, running Windows Phone Tango rather than the Android build that powers the company's Mimosa X. An image posted on WPDang shows the budget-focused handset, which is said to integrate an 800 MHz Qualcomm processor and 256MB of RAM.
Following an early tease, Microsoft as promised launched Windows Phone in China on Wednesday. The initial phone, the HTC Eternity, is an adaptation of the Titan, keeping its 4.7-inch screen, eight-megapixel back camera, and 1.3-megapixel front camera. The Chinese version is unlocked and comes with "popular" Chinese apps already loaded.
Chinese maker ZTE has successfully run its upcoming N910 LTE smartphone through the FCC. Introduced before last month's Mobile World Congress, the phone should sport a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 4.3-inch, 480x800 touchscreen, and Android 4.0. In FCC form, it received AWS Band IV and PCS Band II LTE support, meaning it will likely show up at smaller carriers such as Cricket or MetroPCS.
Chinese Telecommunications equipment maker ZTE has successfully field demonstrated the ability to send data over a single fiber optic cable at aggregated speeds of 1.7Tb/s (Terabits). The accomplishment could foreshadow backbone optical networks running at speeds of 200Gbps. Currently the fastest commercial networks providing support for the Internet operate at 100Gb/s.
Gartner on Sunday revealed the extent to which Apple's share of China's smartphones trailed others. Although Apple leads worldwide, it sat at 7.5 percent, or fifth place, in China's sphere. Samsung, in the lead at 24.3 percent, had over three times as much share.
Sprint set out to raise the standard for budget Android phoens on Friday through launching the ZTE Fury. Although low cost, it still musters a 3.5-inch LCD, a five-megapixel camera, and a 1GHz (if single-core) Snapdragon processor. Most of the cost trimming comes from the absences of 4G and a front camera, as well as carrying 4GB of space, although a microSDHC slot gives headroom for more.
China officially adopted Windows Phone this weekend after HTC launched its first store in Beijing. The company is carrying the HTC Titan renamed as the Triumph rather than the Titan II, but with a unique software advantage. Where current devices have at most Windows 7.5 Mango, the new version is shipping with the Tango release necessary for China and present on the Nokia Lumia 610.
ZTE has confirmed that the Orbit should be the first Windows Phone with NFC. Both the booth display and zpokespeople confirmed both to The Verge and Electronista that it would have the short-range wireless when carriers ask for it. Specific use cases weren't outlined, although providers' requests could point to mobile payments.
Yesterday we took a look at most of ZTE's new smartphones for 2012, and we stopped by the company's booth again to check out the PF112. The device is one of many Tegra 3-powered smartphones that have been brought to Barcelona this week, marking ZTE's attempt to establish itself in the mid- to high-end smartphone market.
ZTE has added several models to its tablet lineup, including the seven-inch T98. The midsize tablet integrates the same basic hardware as the 10-inch PF100, including a quad-core Tegra 3 processor and Android 4.0, however the construction appears to be much different between both devices. Electronista had a chance to take an early look at both devices.
Mobile World Congress primarily serves as a venue for mobile phones, however the event has become increasingly popular for tablet unveilings. ZTE launched several new tablets, including the 10-inch PF100, alongside a number of new phones. Electronista stopped by the company's booth to see how the device compares to other Android tablets.
ZTE is one of several companies that attempted to satisfy the demand for low-, mid- and high-end smartphones with its Mobile World Congress unveilings. The Mimosa X is aimed at the midrange market, pairing a dual-core processor with Android 4.0. Electronista tried out the new device after ZTE's press event.
Nokia's latest smartphones may have attracted the most attention among Windows Phone devices this week at Barcelona, but ZTE also expanded its Windows Phone lineup with the new Orbit. The device offers many of the same specs as the company's Tania model, which just arrived on the market. Electronista had a chance to check out the Orbit ahead of a formal launch.
ZTE introduced a myriad of new cellphones today at Mobile World Congress, but the Era smartphone held top honors. The Era is one of several Tegra 3-based Android phones that have been brought to Barcelona this week, competing among a crowd of high-end devices all packing quad-core processors. In our hands-on preview, we take a look at how the Era stacks up against the others.
ZTE is holding a special event this morning at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where the company is expected to fully detail its 2012 handset lineup. The new offerings are said to include a quad-core flagship handset, along with several other Windows Phone and Android models. Check out our live page beginning at 4:30am ET (10:30am Central European Time) for details as they happen.
Chinese electronics maker ZTE revealed this week it will bring eight new devices to MWC next week, including a quad-core flagship. Some of the new phones will be powered by Android, while others will use Windows Phone. The flagship and maybe some of the others will also have LTE radios on board.
ZTE braced its two LTE phones with one comparatively advanced 3G modem that marked a first for NVIDIA. The Mimosa X shares the 4.3-inch, 540x960 display and Android 4.0 of the N910, but uses both NVIDIA's Tegra 2 dual-core processor and its recent acquisition Icera's HSPA+ chipset. Although it officially peaks at 21Mbps, the 3G hardware has interference reduction that reportedly improves speed at the fringe of the network.
China Telecom on Tuesday local time confirmed its plans to carry the iPhone 4S. The phone will be available on March 9 with preorders beginning a week earlier, on March 2. Prices will start out at free on a contract for the 16GB iPhone 4S.
(Update: pictures) ZTE early Monday gave a sneak peek at two phones it plans to launch at Mobile World Congress next week. Both the PF200 and N910 will have LTE-based 4G and run Android 4.0. At the top, the PF200 will have a 4.3-inch, 540x960 (qHD) display, a 1.5GHz processor (likely a Snapdragon), an eight-megapixel back camera, and rarities of both a 1080p front camera and NFC wireless.
Region-specific Gartner data has shown that Apple was losing Chinese smartphone market share in the last few months before the local release of the iPhone 4S. Its portion dropped from 10.4 percent in the summer to 7.5 percent in the fall. The company mostly lost its fourth place position to local designer ZTE's 11 percent.
ZTE has introduced yet another budget-priced Android tablet, the Light Tab II, that is set to arrive in the UK market. The tablet offers a modest set of hardware features, centering around a seven-inch touchscreen and a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm processor.
The ZTE Jetpack, a 4G LTE mobile hotspot to be sold by Verizon, has made its way through the FCC. The device, which can support up to ten Wi-Fi-ready devices, sustains download speeds of 5Mbps to 12Mbps and upload speeds of 2Mbps to 5Mbps. FCC approval is one of the last hurdles before the product will hit Verizon's shelves.
Last month's leak of the ZTE Optik 3G tablet coming to Sprint this month proved true. The seven-inch, Android 3.2 tablet has a 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and will cost just under $100 on a two-year data plan from the carrier. The screen has a resolution of 1280x800, which is high for its size.
New IDC data has shown Apple's 37 million iPhone sales making it the third-largest cellphone maker in the world. More than doubling its shipments, in tandem with LG nearly cutting its shipments in half to 17.7 million, saw it move up a spot and stake out 8.7 percent of the entire cellphone space. The change in position carried through for all of 2011, with Apple's 93.2 million iPhones putting it at six percent of all phones sold that year while LG was down to 5.7 percent, or 88.1 million.
Last month, the ZTE V66 popped up at the FCC awaiting approval for its 4G LTE wireless. Now, thanks to the Bluetooth SIG filing, onlookers have a better view of the seven-inch tablet. The device is expected to show up on Verizon's shelves in the not to distant future.
A leaked Sprint document appears to show an unannounced ZTE tablet, the Optik, that may be headed to the carrier next month. The internal document, which was posted by Androidcentral, suggests the device will feature a seven-inch display, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 16GB of integrated memory and Android 3.2.
A new Android tablet from ZTE has shown up for pre-order on UK retailer Clove's site. The seven-inch V9A Light Tab 2 will have a 3G radio onboard, a 1.4GHz processor (likely a Snapdragon), and a 3,400mAh battery. There will be just 4GB of storage space inside, and it looks to ship with the phone-oriented Android 2.3 rather than a tablet-minded 3.2 or 4.0.
A new study from iGR has suggested that Android might be dominant in the US but that many of those buying weren't making a conscious choice for the platform. About 47 percent of the smartphone base in the country reportedly was using Android, but only 45 percent of those were knowledgeable about Google's OS and chose it by name. Another 27 percent picked their phones based on Google's reputation.
Ericsson and ZTE on Friday made peace and dropped lawsuits against each other over cellular technology. In return for stopping legal action, they agreed to license some of each other's technology patents. ZTE would take a license of Ericsson's patents for GSM and 3G under lower standards-based rates; it's not clear what if anything Ericsson would be paying ZTE.
ZTE may have given out one of Microsoft's more closely guarded secrets for Windows Phone. While launching the Tania, ZTE's UK portfolio head Santiago Sierra explained to Trusted Reviews that Windows Phone 7 devices from the company would cost more than its Android models because of a Microsoft OS license that he believed cost between £15 and £20. It's not clear if the pricing translates directly to $23 to $31 in the US.
ZTE plans to double its smartphone numbers this year as it expands out of China, cellphone strategy head Lv Qianhao said in an interview Tuesday. Its motherland and the US would be the "key engines" for growth in 2012 as it focused on higher-end devices, he explained to Reuters. Best known for its budget Android phones, it was leaning towards the high end and just recently unveiled the Tania, its first Windows Phone.
Among the myriad of new smartphones at CES this week, ZTE brought its Chorus handset that will be headed to Cricket. Electronista stopped by ZTE's booth to check out the new device, which offers a hardware and software combination focused on the carrier's Muve Music service.
ZTE brought its latest mobile devices to CES, where Electronista tried out the company's first Windows Phone offering, the Tania. The handset offers a basic set of features, centering around a 4.3-inch display with 800x480 resolution and a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm processor.
Broadcom claimed the distinction of being the first to make chipsets with 802.11ac, being nicknamed 5G Wi-Fi, on Thursday. The BCM43516, BCM43526, BCM4352, and BCM4360 all have twice as much bandwidth per channel as the current-fastest 802.11n and can stack multiple streams together to get very high speeds. The flagship chip, the BCM4360, can unite three streams and hit 1.3Gbps.
Apple has confirmed expectations and set a release date for the iPhone 4S in China. Its most recent phone will ship to the mainland on January 13 alongside 21 other countries, focusing mostly on Africa and the Caribbean. The roser includes Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guam, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, and Uganda.
Verizon may be on the edge of replacing a large swath of its device line if a rumor floated on New Year's Day is an indicator. Among other withdrawals, a lone source for The Verge had Verizon stopping shipments of the Motorola Droid 3 in January. The exit would likely be in prep for the delayed Droid 4 launch the following month.
The Meizu MX had its formal launch on New Year's Day both in mainland China and Hong Kong. In a repeat of last year's M9, lines in at least some locations were long at a level normally only seen for Apple launches, with over 900 seen at the Hong Kong store. Allegations in 2011 that Meizu had stacked the lines have faded this year as Meizu still had to control lines by asking most in line to come only when called.
Chinese smartphone designers are quietly forming a pact to fend off patent lawsuits from Apple, Microsoft, and Nokia, a rumor maintained Friday. Lenovo and ZTE, as well as smaller firms like Coolpad, Konka, and TCL, were said by Digitimes to be forming a collective. The details weren't given, although a patent defense would most likely involve pooling patent resources together and sharing resources on how to work around other companies' patents.
After months of silence, Google's mobile VP Andy Rubin posted word that Android device activations were now up to 700,000 each day. The rate comes after months of the company claiming a flat 550,000 per day. He had no update on the activation growth rate or whether Google had moved significantly beyond the 200 million total devices switched on since Android launched in October 2008.
