What you need to know

• A rumor on X (formerly Twitter) claims that Nubia is working on its first book-style foldable, potentially called the "Nubia Fold."
• The device bears the typical form factor design, but it features a rather large, square camera array on its back with three cameras.
• Rumors add that Nubia is also developing a "Flip 3," which changes up its cover display again to an edge-to-edge design, like Motorola and Samsung.

Nubia is supposedly working on a next-generation of foldable phones, which could include a form factor we're familiar with.

Rumored early this morning (Nov 24) by X tipster Evan Blass, Nubia might debut a book-style foldable called the "Nubia Fold" (via Android Headlines). The tipster provided leaked renderings, which show off the Nubia Fold in a black option and a large, square camera array that takes up roughly one-third of its back panel. An alleged breakdown gives us a closer illustrated look, one that claims the Fold will feature three cameras (vertically) and an LED flash (top right of them).

From the rendering, it's clear that the large camera array is raised, but just how raised, and how thick it could make the panel isn't specified.

The rendering shows off the front of the display, and though it's using a dark background, a leaked illustration claims its selfie camera will sit top right. It's also unclear just how thick its bezels will be for its main display, though the edge of quite noticeable.

Lastly, the cover display's illustration shows a pretty expected design with a selfie camera in the top center.

Nubia's getting more involved

Blass doesn't stop there, as the X post also alleges a new Nubia Flip 3. The Nubia Flip 2 was already a departure (cover display-wise) from the company's original Flip. This speculated Nubia Flip 3 changes things up even more, though a user on X likens it to the Magic V Flip from Honor. The tipster purports that the Flip 3 could feature an edge-to-edge cover display this time with a vertical dual camera setup.

The current leaks don't tease a potential release date for these models. However, the Nubia Flip debuted in February 2024, while the Flip 2 launched in January 2025 around MWC. With that, perhaps there's a trend that points to early 2026, but don't hold your breath.

Both the Flip and Flip debuted with a 6.9-inch display, and there's a chance Nubia could keep that up. What's most curious is its new (alleged) cover display, which brings us into that Magic V Flip, Galaxy Z Flip 7, Motorola Razr-type scenario. On Motorola's side, that cover display is right around four inches, and there's a chance Nubia will settle around there, too. As far as cameras go, its main camera remained at 50MP just like the O.G. Flip.

We'll have to see where things go in 2026.

MWC 2024 has come to an end, and there was so much to see, so many things to do, and tons of new tech toys to play with. The annual event gives companies a chance to show off their most recent products, launch and tease new or upcoming devices, or reveal concepts that may never reach store shelves (but are still fun to play with). This year was no different, with impressive showings from our favorite brands, such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, OnePlus, and more.

Android Central was present at the event to check some of these products out, but there were some that stuck out to us more than others. With that in mind, here's our list for the Best of MWC 2024.

Best phone — Honor Magic 6 Pro

Honor used MWC as the launching platform for its latest global release, the Honor Magic 6 Pro. Aside from some stylish looks and glass that's nearly impervious to scratches, Honor packed the phone with the best smartphone camera we've yet seen, and that's saying a lot, given all the big advancements in camera tech in the past few years.

At the core of the new Magic OS 8.0 experience is onboard AI processing powered by Meta's Llama 2 LLM. This AI model allows for more onboard processing than any other phone currently supports, including offline translation, questions and answers, generative AI, and the best motion capture performance we've seen from any smartphone camera.

It's also got a brilliant display that uses a 4,380Hz pulse rate that's helpful for everyone, especially PWM-sensitive users. It's Honor's best phone in years, and it's now available globally.

Android Central's Harish Jonnalagadda and Nick Sutrich have been using the flagship phone for a few weeks now and have an initial Honor Magic 6 Pro review that covers the basics of what you would expect from Honor's latest and greatest. We'll have a final review in the coming weeks based on the final release software.

Best budget phone — TECNO Pova 6 Pro

TECNO is known for making affordable phones with tons of value, like the Phantom V Flip, and the company is back with a new gaming phone that will barely make a dent in your wallet. The TECNO Pova 6 Pro is a new 5G gaming phone with a rather striking design that's enhanced by the rear MiniLED lights that you can customize with notifications.

Thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 6080, up to 24GB of RAM, and TECNO's Pova SuperCooled System, you'll be able to squeeze out more performance without having to worry about throttling or overheating. The 6,000mAh battery also ensures longer gaming sessions, while the company's first 108MP camera promises better clarity with in-sensor zoom.

The good news is the phone starts at just $229 when it goes on sale. The bad news is that availability will be fairly limited.

Best foldable phone — Porsche Design Honor Magic V2 RSR

Honor has made quite a name for itself over the past couple of years, and the new Porsche Design Honor Magic V2 RSR is the pinnacle of foldable design. The phone is sleek and incredibly thin while offering great performance and a large battery.

In his review of the Porsche Design Honor Magic V2 RSR, Jonnalagadda points out the displays as highlights of the phone, both of which are 120Hz OLED panels that support stylus input. You also get much faster charging speeds than what you'll find on other foldable phones, and the battery can easily last more than a day.

The phone is powered by the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is already a year old, but that doesn't seem to slow it down at all. Jonnalagadda says the Honor Magic V2 RSR has "terrific" performance, which is likely aided by the 16GB of onboard storage.

Fortunately, you'll be able to pick the phone up in Europe now that it is available globally, although you'll have to be willing to spend €2,699 to get it. Also, you're probably out of luck if you want to buy one in the United States.

Best flip phone — Nubia Flip 5G

TECNO isn't the only company with a cheap foldable. ZTE has entered the game with the new Nubia Flip 5G, a flip phone that might look a bit familiar, especially if you've seen Huawei's flip phones. Nonetheless, the company shows us just how low it can take the price of a foldable, making the Nubia Flip a very tempting buy.

The phone features a 6.9-inch 120Hz display, a 50MP dual camera system, and a circular cover screen for notifications and selfies. It also has a rather large 4,310mAh battery with 33W charging support, and the phone is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, the same chip powering the Motorola Razr (2023).

Even better, the phone goes on sale for just $599 in global markets, meaning it'll give the Razr a run for its money.

Best concept phone — Motorola Adaptive Display Concept

Motorola's wearable smartphone first made its appearance at Lenovo Tech World in 2023, but the device made another cameo at Mobile World Congress, and we got some hands-on time with it. The idea of a wearable phone may seem outlandish, but the device is actually very cool when you play with it.

For it to work, the user must wear a metal bracelet that the phone's magnets can attach to. The back of the device is a rather soft material with a series of hinges underneath, making the phone look like one of those slap bands from back in the day (although we don't recommend slapping this on).

When you're not wearing it, you can have the phone tented or stand it up by bending the bottom portion, negating the need for a tripod when taking selfies. It seems there are a number of possibilities for a bendable, wearable smartphone, but whether it's actually practical is another story.

Best AI innovation — MediaTek's new generative AI features

MediaTek had quite a presence at MWC this year, showing off the new generative AI capabilities of its latest chips. While some gen-AI features are already present on chips like the Dimensity 9300, MediaTek demoed some pretty impressive features, like SDXL Turbo, a stable diffusion engine that's capable of generating an image on the spot as you type. The image will continue to change as you type to reflect what you might want until you're done typing, and it works incredibly fast, showing how far we've come with generative AI in just a short time.

MediaTek also showed off Video Diffusion Generation, which is basically the same concept but with video. However, the downsides to this feature for now are processing and clarity. The demo takes roughly 50 seconds to complete a three-second video, and the result won't always be legible. Still, with everything processed on-device, it's amazing to see current chipsets capable of such feats.

Best upcoming product — Samsung Galaxy Ring

Samsung first teased the Galaxy Ring at Unpacked earlier this year, and the device was on display at Mobile World Congress. The ring looks more or less the same as it did when it was first shown off, with a relatively concave design, glossy finishes, and visible sensors on the inside. This is, without a doubt, a gorgeous piece of tech that's bound to take advantage of the best Samsung has to offer, which includes Galaxy AI.

We're still waiting for Samsung to fully launch the Galaxy Ring, but the company did divulge more details about its upcoming health wearable. According to Samsung, the Galaxy Ring will have various battery sizes depending on the actual ring size, and it should be able to last somewhere between five to nine days on a single charge. That's roughly in line with the Oura Ring, which lasts about a week on a single charge.

Unfortunately, we couldn't get our hands on it, but we could see the different sizes and finishes, and we can't wait to try it out. We may have to wait a little while, however, as Samsung says it will launch in the second half of 2024.

Best wearable — OnePlus Watch 2

Wear OS is finally taking off, with brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus finally getting on board. The OnePlus Watch 2 is the latest flagship Wear OS smartwatch, featuring the Snapdragon W5 Plus Gen 1 chipset, multi-day battery life, and a unique hybrid interface to help carry the load with background tasks.

In his OnePlus Watch 2 review, Harish Jonnalagadda was impressed with the watch's design, battery life, and impressive 60Hz OLED display. The phone has surprisingly good performance, and fitness enthusiasts will like that it has dual-band GPS and IP68 water and dust resistance.

The OnePlus Watch 2 goes on sale on March 4 and will be available for $299. That's a lot less than the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which is a more targeted Wear OS smartwatch with somewhat equally impressive battery life.

Best software feature — Motorola Smart Connect

Motorola's Ready For is a great way to connect your phone to external displays to enhance your productivity, but the company is taking things to the next level with Smart Connect. This new feature builds on Ready For by allowing seamless interaction between your phone, laptop, and tablet, all at the same time.

For instance, you can use a single mouse or keyboard between all three devices, share files easily with a connected hub, or copy and paste images from one device to another. You can also start a Spotify session on your phone, then swipe it over to your computer, where it'll open an instance of the app and continue right where you left off.

Motorola also showed off a feature that lets you have two separate instances of your phone, one on the actual phone, and another on your computer. This lets you, for instance, hand your phone to your child to play a game while you continue to do other things like send text messages.

Smart Connect has a lot of promise and is one of the best multi-device solutions we've seen.

Best XR device — Xreal Air 2 Ultra

Smart glasses are rising in popularity, and Xreal is one of the most innovative in the space with its series of spatial computing glasses. While the latest Xreal Air 2 Ultra don't look revolutionary from the outside, they do something no other pair of AR glasses have: 6DoF tracking. In short, that means they can track the space around you like a VR headset, mapping it out in 3D and allowing you to move around virtual objects as if they were real.

Android Central's Nick Sutrich, who got to try on the glasses, writes about his experience with the Xreal Air 2 Ultra, saying they were the "most compelling AR product" he saw at MWC 2024, which is high praise coming from him. A representative told him that soon, users will be able to anchor their smartphone apps using the glasses, meaning they'll be able to better use the Air 2 Ultra as an extension of their phone.

The best part is that the glasses actually look like something you'd wear around, which isn't often the case with smart glasses such as these.

What you need to know

• Nubia officially entered the foldable smartphone market with the Nubia Flip 5G, making its debut at the MWC 2024 event in Barcelona.
• Priced at $599, the phone claims the title of the most affordable foldable phone globally.
• The Nubia Flip 5G sports a 6.9-inch 120Hz folding display and a distinctive circular external panel.
• To keep the cost down, the phone opts for a midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset instead of a higher-end 8-series processor.

Nubia is jumping into the foldable smartphone game with the new Nubia Flip 5G, which made its official debut at the MWC 2024 event in Barcelona.

ZTE's Nubia Flip 5G targets a younger audience. Priced at $599, it's breaking ground as the most affordable foldable phone globally (via GSMArena). Interestingly, it appears to be a global version of ZTE's Japan-exclusive Libero model.

When it comes to pricing, the Nubia Flip 5G is giving the Motorola Razr a run for its money. The phone boasts a 6.9-inch 120Hz folding display plus a neat little circular external panel.

The trade-off for its affordable price is a midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset instead of a top-tier 8-series processor.

However, it compensates with a solid 4310mAh battery under the hood. Charging is a breeze, too, supporting fast charging up to 33W, leaving the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 in the dust at 25W.

The outer screen on the Nubia Flip 5G doubles as a camera viewfinder, allowing users to harness both the main and secondary displays for snapping photos. On the flip side, quite literally, you've got a set of 50MP and 2MP rear cameras, while the front camera packs a punch at 16MP.

What's unique about the cover screen is that it sits right in the middle of the camera ring. However, its main gig is handling widgets and notifications.

Running the show on the Nubia Flip 5G is Android 13. ZTE plans to roll out this new foldable across Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Although ZTE phones are a no-go in the United States, the Nubia brand is thriving in these regions.

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What you need to know

• ZTE Libero Flip only costs $420 and is even cheaper if pre-ordered in Japan.
• The cheapest clamshell phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC and runs on Android 13.
• It has a larger foldable screen measuring 6.9 inches, bigger than the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
• The device also puts it in a nifty sub-display in the camera visor for essential tasks.

While we were anticipating Samsung would bring the first cheaper foldable phone, ZTE brought one to the Japanese market this week. It is dubbed ZTE Liberi Flip — a clamshell phone priced at $420 and even cheaper if pre-ordered, making it only $265 (via The Verge).

According to its listing, the Libero Flip will be released on February 29, and users can pre-order for YEN 39,800 (~$265). The clamshell phone will come in white, gold, and blue colorways. Despite being a mid-range foldable phone, it still features design as seen on conventional clamshell phones like the Oppo Find N2 Flip and the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

The clamshell phone packs a 6.9-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution. There is another display, which the company calls a sub-display, in the camera visor that measures 1.43 inches. 

The sub-display allows users to check notifications and weather and set custom widgets. The housing is quite similar to what we have seen on the recent TECNO Phantom V Flip, which is, in fact, smaller than the one on the Libero Flip. 

Similarly, the sizeable foldable display on the Libero Flip is slightly bigger than the one featured on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which measures 6.7-inches. The large display can be bent to 90 degrees, which brings additional functionality like the ability to take photos, making it a viewfinder, eliminating the need for a separate tripod (again, quite similar to what we have seen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5).; it also supports gesture shooting for selfies.

The primary cameras include a 50MP primary sensor aided by another 2MP depth sensor. The punch hole on the foldable display packs in another 16MP selfie shooter.

Underneath, the Libero Flip is packing a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 accompanied by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. It runs on Android 13 out of the box and is powered by a 4310mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. The device is featuring in IPX2 for water and IP4X for dust resistance. 

The Libero Flip manages to look as good as the traditional clamshell phones when it comes to design and displays. However, the clamshell phone does not aim for the premium segment but rather the market for the mid-range foldable phone.

Henceforth, the cost-cutting measurements like opting for a Snapdragon 7 series chipset, toned-down cameras, and restrictions in IP rating are seen on the Liberio Flip and appear to be considerable bypasses to make the foldable flip phone accessible to a larger audience. 

We can expect a similar, if not better, approach when Samsung ventures into the mid-range foldable segment in the near future. While several rumors have pointed at Samsung already in the works to bring in an affordable book style and clamshell foldable phones, nothing concrete about it is available yet. Until then, the Libero Flip from ZTE might be the only clamshell phone users can buy in Japan.

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What you need to know

• The RedMagic 9 Pro will be introduced globally on December 18 following its China debut along with the RedMagic 9 Pro Plus.
• It sports a 6.8-inch Full HD+ OLED display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, a 50MP Samsung GN5 sensor, a 120-degree ultra-wide lens, and a discreet 16MP under-display front camera.
• The phone rocks the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a souped-up ICE 13 cooling system that drops temperatures by a whopping 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

RedMagic recently unveiled its shiny new gaming beasts, the RedMagic 9 Pro and 9 Pro Plus, in China, and now it's spilled the tea on when the Pro model will grace the global stage.

The RedMagic 9 Pro will make its international debut on December 18 at 7 AM EST, as per the company's teaser. However, it looks like the Pro Plus variant will remain a China-exclusive model.

Unlike some other companies that like to play games with their customers, RedMagic is keeping it real with the RedMagic 9 Pro and Pro Plus. These two devices are basically twins, with the only difference being the battery capacity, charging speed, and RAM.

The RedMagic 9 Pro is powered by the latest and greatest processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and an upgraded cooling system, the ICE 13, which keeps your phone cool even during the most intense gaming sessions. It includes a built-in fan that spins at 22,000 rpm, and it can lower temperatures by as much as 64 degrees Fahrenheit. And if that's not enough, the device features 520Hz shoulder triggers that give you lightning-fast response times.

And you can say goodbye to those clunky camera bumps that ruin the sleek look of your Android gaming phone. The RedMagic 9 Pro boasts a bump-free back panel, keeping the focus on your gaming experience.

It promises to not disappoint when it comes to capturing photos with a 50MP primary camera and a 50MP ultra-wide camera.

The phone sports a slick 6.8-inch flat AMOLED display, courtesy of BOE. There's no awkward front camera cutout stealing the spotlight—this phone rocks an under-display camera. With a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, you can enjoy clear and vibrant visuals even in bright sunlight. And for a bit of extra flair, the under-display fingerprint reader moonlights as a heart rate monitor.

The RedMagic 9 Pro also flexes with a solid 12GB of LPPDR5X RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. It packs a hefty 6500mAh battery. This beast of a battery promises to power your phone for up to two days between charges, even with heavy usage. And when you do need to top up, the 80W fast charging will get you back in the game in just 35 minutes.

It comes in three color options: black, transparent white, and transparent black. Pricing for the Pro variant starts at CNY 4,399 ($620) for the 8/256GB model and goes up to CNY 5,399 ($761) for the 12/512GB variant.

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ZTE has been in hot water multiple times over the years, earning it a heavy eye of scrutiny from the U.S. and Canada. Despite its many skirmishes with the powers that be, ZTE has continued to push forward, bringing us the brand's latest flagship offerings in the form of the Axon 40 series.

Politics aside, ZTE did a fantastic job with last year's ZTE Axon 30 family of phones. The company has done much to advance under-display camera technology, and we found the Axon 30's front camera quality to be even better than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3's under-display selfie snapper.

Now, the Axon 40 Ultra sports the next generation of ZTE's UDC technology. It's almost impossible to spot the concealed under-display camera, and the image quality of the hidden sensor has improved as well. 

When I was starting out this review, I was honestly expecting the Axon 40 Ultra to bump up every aspect of its predecessor. Spoiler alert: it doesn't. This is a spectacular phone in many regards, but several of the staple features of the best Android phones are missing.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: Price and availability

ZTE announced the Axon 40 Ultra along with the Axon 40 Pro on June 8, 2022, and sales went live a month later on July 11, 2022. Interestingly, the phone is available in Canada and the U.S., excluding American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Other regions include Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Africa.

You can purchase the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra 8GB/128GB variant for $799, and the 12GB/256GB model for $899. The ZTE is available in a single black colorway, and you get a region specific charger in the box.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: What I love

I would be remiss if I kicked off this segment without mentioning the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra's achingly beautiful backside. The entire phone is super slim and speckled with a smooth matte-meets-glitz texture on the rear. Combine that with the rectangular camera bump made of metal, and three vertically aligned camera lenses, and you've got yourself an S22 Ultra-esque feel, but more glamourous.

Clearly the display doesn't miss out in terms of style and fashion either. The 6.8-inch AMOLED panel cleverly hides an under-display camera on the top instead of a cutout, and it's as good as invisible to the naked eye.

With curved edges and narrow bezels all around, it's a delight to look at. The Axon 40 Ultra's display touts a 120Hz screen refresh rate and a 360Hz touch sampling rate. In simpler terms, that means that this phone is extremely responsive, and it shows.

Laying onto the concept of snappiness, ZTE went with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and coupled it with a nine-layered cooling system. The Axon 40 Ultra supports that hardware with lightweight software in the form of MyOS 12. 

It's based on Android 12, and even though there's no Material You dynamic theming here, you still get to personalize the accent colors, icon shapes, fonts, Always-On Display, fingerprint animations, and more.

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra has a humungous 5,000mAh battery that provides all-day battery life and then some. When that does run out, the bundled 65W USB-C charger tops it back up in 45 minutes. ZTE's generosity doesn't end with the free charger though; you also get a soft silicone case, a C-to-C cable, a USB-C headphone adapter, and weirdly, a pair of wired earphones in the box.

The fusion of powerful processing power, a snappy AMOLED display, and a gigantic battery goes so well with the outstanding stereo speakers of the device. Dolby DTS: X Ultra refines already well-seasoned wine, and the end result is spectacular audio production. This is also why the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is a superb Android phone for media consumption and gaming.

Multitasking is a matter of no consequence for the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra. The phone delivers reliably great performance without stuttering. There's a useful accessibility tool called Z-POP buried into the OS, along with gestures like "Raise to wake" and "Snooze/dismiss an alarm," where you can tap the screen or turn the phone over to close an alarm.

The list of features that I love about the Axon 40 Ultra is almost over, but I do feel the need to mention the third-gen UDC technology used in the AMOLED panel. 

ZTE has gone above and beyond what it pulled off last year. The 16MP front camera is nothing compared to the Pixel 6 Pro or the S22 Ultra, but it is a far cry from the blurry dumpster fire that we got the last time.

As you can see in the sample above, the color accuracy is way off and the entire picture looks overly saturated. However, these selfies are actually usable, so they get a green card from me. The UDC's improvement deserves applause, and makes me excited for the next generation of ZTE's under-display camera technology.

Let's move our focus to the main cameras now. When the Axon 40 Ultra was first announced, there was a lot of talk about the trio of 64MP lenses that make up the rear camera setup. While I'm not entirely sold on the idea, I do like most of the images shot by the main cameras.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra main camera samples

What's also really cool is that one of the 64MP lenses is a periscope telephoto camera. Here's the sort of results the telephoto lens can yield.

Under the right lighting, you can produce some decent results with the 91mm 64MP telephoto lens. The hues look a little washed out and the dynamic range suffers, but the images retain sufficient details and clarity at up to 3.5x telephoto zoom.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: What I don't love

ZTE's triple camera setup might have seemed super smart during the phone's initial days, but I wish more thought had went into it. Although the main cameras all work together to capture nice enough shots, there is a detestable elephant in the room.

See, the standard 16mm 64MP lens has some skeletons in the closet. While you approach a subject, closing in on the subject at a certain distance automatically triggers the macro photography feature. Anything captured in the macro mode is absolute trash, and I found myself disliking it even more than the dull 16MP selfie snapper.

The worst part is, you might have the perfect shot in front of you, but the camera software erratically jumps mid-way through that take. I lost so many potentially great photos because the Axon 40 Ultra's brains warped and decided to switch lenses last minute. You then have to readjust the angle and start from scratch. It's very frustrating!

Thankfully, the AI-powered "smart" macro mode can be turned off. That helps the case, but the cameras are still pretty inconsistent and suffer in low light. Night mode exists but the results are so over-processed and blurry that you won't end up using it anyways.

My other qualms about the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra are nothing new. However, in no way does that disqualify them as unreasonable wants. How many flagship phones have you seen that feature no IP rating? And yet, the Axon 40 Ultra is not waterproof or dustproof. It borrows the UDC from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3's book, but can't adopt waterproofing?

The Axon 40 Ultra looks and feels like a premium phone, so much so that I almost forgot that it isn't resistant to the forces of nature, almost wetting it in the process. Imagine what a horrendous disaster that would've been, which makes it all the more important that all phones sport some level of resistance to water.

Another upper-tier spec that this gigantic slab of glass and metal lacks is wireless charging. The ZTE device boasts amazing battery specs, so I don't understand the absence of wireless charging. If budget Android phones like the Nothing Phone 1 and the Google Pixel 6 can do it, so can ZTE's top-of-the-line Axon 40 Ultra.

Lastly, I have a trivial complaint about the included case. The soft silicone case does nothing in the way off protection, and it looks like a disposable cup. It also kept slipping off during my testing, which made me wonder why did ZTE bother to include it anyways. 

I don't see many big case makers like Spigen or Otterbox flocking to cater to the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, as it's is a niche product in an overcrowded market. So the poor quality of the included phone cover is a sore spot.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: Competition

ZTE better hold on tight, because this is about to be a scary ride. We don't just have your run-of-the-mill flagships anymore, even that sector has been broken up into various segments. There are budget flagships, mid-tier flagships in the form of "plus" or "pro" models, and insanely beefed up flagships under the "Ultra" or "Pro Max" banners.

Samsung's latest and greatest S22 Ultra is the best upscale Android phone that you can buy. It doesn't sacrifice anything, and you even get an S Pen with the device. Of course, it's also ridiculously expensive, though you do often find deals from Samsung every once in a while.

If you want a value flagship, the Pixel 6 Pro is your go-to alternative. The Google phone captures incredible shots, and has some powerful on-device AI features thanks to the Tensor chipset.

Those of you who are after big bad boys for gaming will like the ROG Phone 6 Pro and the Red Magic 7S Pro. The Red Magic gaming phone delivers even more robust internals than the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, and starts at a lower price tag.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if...

• You want a notch-less 120Hz AMOLED display
• You need a lot of firepower under the hood
• You like phone speakers with high-end sound quality
• You're partial to the S22 Ultra's design
• You want a big battery with 65W fast charging

You shouldn't buy this if...

• You want water and/or dust proofing
• You want flagship cameras
• You like wireless charging
• You don't like large phones
• You take a lot of selfies

The Axon 40 Ultra offers a good value proposition, but it misses some key features that make up a flagship in 2022. There's no wireless charging or any sort of ingress protection against water damage. Even if you don't care about the former, the latter has become nearly essential nowadays.

The ZTE phone's cameras are decent in the right conditions, but they're inconsistent. You don't get accurate color reproduction, the front camera is still a work in progress, and the macro mode is a disaster. Low light photography isn't even worth your attention. If I have to struggle to make full use of my $800 Android phone's lenses, was that money well spent? You be the judge.

After much thinking, I've concluded that the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is a pretty gaming phone posing as a flagship Android device. It has a really powerful processor that performs incredibly well. The phone even has a unique cooling system to keep overheating at bay, and fantastic battery specifications.

Update (June 8, 5:45 pm ET): The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is now available outside China.

What you need to know

• ZTE has announced its latest flagship, the Axon 40 Ultra with an improved Under-Display Camera (UDC).
• The device features three 64MP sensors on its rear for the primary, ultrawide, and telephoto cameras.
• The phone is now available in China with a global launch scheduled for June.

ZTE has been more or less at the forefront of Under-Display Camera (UDC) technology and continues to improve on this with its latest flagship. On Monday, the company launched its latest flagship, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, which features its latest UDC advancements for improved selfies while keeping the display free of any notches or hole punches.

The new Axon 40 Ultra features an uninterrupted 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a FullHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Underneath that display is a 16MP selfie camera that can combine pixels to achieve a 2.24μm pixel size for improved light capture. The display area over the camera has a pixel density of 400ppi, similar to the ZTE Axon 30 5G, so there shouldn't be any noticeable loss of display density around the camera, unlike the UDC found on Samsung's best foldable phone. Additionally, selfies should be improved thanks to ZTE's Selfie Algorithm 3.0, which uses AI to reduce noise and make any adjustments to the image.

On the back, ZTE has also gone all-out in the camera department, outfitting the phone with three 64MP cameras for the primary, ultrawide, and telephoto sensors. The primary and ultrawide cameras use the Sony IMX787 sensor with "dual full-pixel omnidirectional focusing" for faster and more accurate focus. The primary 35mm equivalent lens has an f/1.6 aperture for more natural blur, while the 16mm-equivalent ultrawide lens can also capture macro images. The periscope telephoto features a 5.7x optical zoom and is aided by "Steadicam-level" optical image stabilization.

ZTE also highlights nighttime photography thanks to improved light capture, enabling features like Smart Moon, Star Photography Algorithm, and AI constellation.

Powering everything is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Chinese variant will also have an option for 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. A 5,000mAh battery keeps the lights on, which can be topped up quickly thanks to 65W charging support (80W charging will be exclusive to China). You'll also find dual stereo speakers with DTS audio, Snapdragon Sound, and MyOS 12 based on Android 12.

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is currently available for purchase in China. However, it won't be long for the all-screen phone to reach other regions, with a global launch set for June.

Update

ZTE has announced that the new Axon 40 Ultra is will go on sale in global markets on June 21. It includes the same 64MP triple camera setup, 5,000mAh battery with 65W charging, and 6.8-inch 120Hz AMOLED display with a 16MP Under-Display Camera.

Depending on the region, the device retails for $799, €829, and £709 for the 8GB+128GB variant. For 12GB of RAM and double the storage, you'll fork over $899, €949, or £809.

Update: Google has responded.

What you need to know

• A new study ranks Android smartphones with the highest radiation emissions.
• Older models from Google, Sony, Motorola, and OnePlus dominate the list.
• The FCC says there's no "credible scientific evidence" suggesting smartphone radiation causes harm to humans.

It's no secret that smartphones emit radiation, albeit at varying levels, but a new report sheds light on which smartphone models are the worst radiation emitters. The results might surprise you.

According to Bankless Times, some of the older models from Google, Sony, Motorola, OnePlus, OPPO, and ZTE emit the most radiation. The Motorola Edge tops the list, followed by ZTE's Axon 11 5G and the OnePlus 6T.

Interestingly, a couple of Google Pixel phones, OnePlus models, and Sony Xperia devices dominate the list. It includes the Pixel 3, Pixel 3XL, Pixel 4a, Xperia XA2 Plus, Xperia XZ1 Compact, and the OnePlus 6/6T.

It should be noted that these devices were some of the best Android phones two to five years ago, so the number of people who use them today is likely to be small.

Android Central reached out to each brand mentioned in the report but was unable to get a response as of this writing.

The study ranks these devices based on their Specific Absorption Ratios (SAR), which measure how quickly the body absorbs radiofrequency energy. The chart below shows the SAR for each smartphone.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has set a maximum SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram. The chart indicates that the Motorola Edge has the worst radiation emission level.

Nonetheless, there is currently "no consistent or credible scientific evidence of health problems caused by the exposure to radiofrequency energy emitted by cell phones," according to the FCC.

Having said that, it won't hurt to limit our smartphone exposure to a healthy level.

Update April 9, 2022 6:32am

A representative from Google's Pixel team told Android Central that it publishes SAR data for every phone it releases, including the Pixel 3, Pixel 3XL, and Pixel 4a.

"These phones are well within all the regulatory and compliance guidelines in countries where we distribute them," the spokesperson said. "Our latest phones Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have even lower SAR values."

More details about the Pixel 6 series' SAR can be found on the Pixel Phone help page.

What you need to know

• ZTE has introduced the new Blade V40 series at MWC 2022.
• The V40 series includes the vanilla Blade V40, Blade V40 Vita, V40 5G, and V40 Pro.
• All four phones will go on sale globally from April.

Last week, ZTE announced the world's first Android phone with magnetic wireless charging. Less than a week later, the company has released four new V40 series phones to take the fight to the best budget Android phones. The new V40 family includes the Blade V40 5G, Blade V40 Pro, Blade V40, and Blade V40 Vita.

The ZTE Blade V40 5G features an unnamed 7nm octa-core 5G chipset with a 360-degree integrated antenna system and Sounding Reference Signal technology to speed up 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi signals. Weirdly, the company hasn't revealed any of the other key specs of the phone.

ZTE Blade V40 Pro comes with a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display and an 8.3mm slim body. The phone also packs a large 5,100mAh battery and supports 65W "super fast charging."

ZTE's vanilla Blade V40 has a 6.67-inch FHD+ display with a hole-punch cutout and a screen-to-body ratio of 92.1%. On the back of the phone is a triple-lens camera system with a 48MP primary camera, joined by a 4cm macro lens and a depth sensor.

Finally, we have the Blade V40 Vita, which touts a "super-large screen and long battery life." The phone comes equipped with a 6.745-inch HD+ display and has an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 91%. While the combination of a large screen and HD+ resolution may not appeal to everyone, the V40 Vita's massive 6,000mAh battery is sure to draw attention. The phone also supports 22.5W fast charging and uses UFS 2.2 flash memory.

There's no word on pricing yet, but ZTE says the V40 series will go on sale globally starting in April.

What you need to know

• ZTE has announced a new Android flagship powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip.
• The new Nubia Z40 Pro comes with a 64MP Sony IMX787 primary sensor featuring a 35mm equivalent lens.
• There's also a "Gravity Edition" of the Z40 Pro with 66W wired and 15W magnetic wireless charging.

Chinese smartphone maker ZTE unveiled its first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered phones last week, the Nubia RedMagic 7 and RedMagic 7 Pro. The company has now announced another flagship phone powered by the 4nm Qualcomm chip, dubbed Nubia Z40 Pro.

As you can tell from the image above, the Z40 Pro isn't targeted at gamers. It is more of a Galaxy S22+ rival with an impressive camera setup and innovative charging tech. The phone sports a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. Nubia has paired the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset on the Z40 Pro with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB of storage.

In the camera department, ZTE's newest flagship features a 64MP Sony IMX787 primary sensor with a 35mm equivalent lens. The 1/1.3" type sensor is joined by a 50MP ultra-wide lens and an 8MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. ZTE's answer to the best Android phones has a 16MP camera housed within the hole-punch cutout at the top of the screen for selfies and video calls.

The Z40 Pro also packs a large 5,000mAh battery with support for 80W wired charging. The limited "Gravity Edition" of the phone features a smaller 4,600mAh battery with 66W wired charging and 15W magnetic wireless charging. On the software side of things, the Z40 Pro runs Android 12 with MyOS 12 on top.

The ZTE Nubia Z40 Pro starts at 3,399 yuan (about $538) in China for the base 8GB/128GB version. The Gravity Edition, on the other hand, starts at 4,299 yuan (about $680). There's currently no word on when the phone will make its way to global markets.

What you need to know

• President Joe Biden has signed legislation prohibiting Chinese firms such as Huawei and ZTE from receiving new equipment licenses.
• The Secure Equipment Act received a unanimous approval from the Senate last month.
• Under the new law, the Federal Communications Commission will reject any application from those companies.

Huawei, ZTE, and three more Chinese technology firms have lost all hope of obtaining network equipment licenses from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after President Joe Biden signed the Secure Equipment Act into law.

The new legislation prohibits the FCC from accepting or reviewing applications for network equipment from companies that pose a national security risk. Its purpose is to ensure that network equipment from those companies is not used in the US telecommunications network.

Last year, the FCC designated Huawei and ZTE as national security threats, a sign of increased trade tensions between the United States and China. It did not, however, prohibit those companies from applying for FCC licenses as long as no federal funds were used.

The new law closes that loophole. According to Reuters, FCC commissioner Brendon Carr stated that the regulatory body has approved over 3,000 applications from Huawei since 2018. The Secure Equipment Act makes it illegal to use Huawei and ZTE equipment in the country's communications networks, which power many of the best Android phones.

Following the House's approval earlier in October, the law was unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate late last month. The ban also affects Hytera Communications Corp., Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, and Dahua Technology.

Earlier this year, the FCC also launched a $1.6 billion program to assist telecom companies in replacing Huawei and ZTE equipment in their networks. The latest move by the U.S. government represents an intensified effort to remove Chinese technology from the country's telecommunications infrastructure.

What you need to know

• The RedMagic 6S Pro is Nubia's latest flagship gaming phone.
• It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888+ chipset and features an AMOLED display with a 720Hz touch sampling rate.
• The RedMagic 6S Pro will go on sale globally from September 27 for a starting price of $599.

ZTE's Nubia sub-brand has announced a feature-packed new gaming phone to take the fight to ASUS' ROG Phone 5s series.

The new RedMagic 6S Pro is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888+ processor, which promises slightly faster performance compared to the Snapdragon 888 chip that powers nearly all the best Android phones of 2021. Along with a new chipset, the RedMagic 6S Pro also brings Nubia's ICE 7.0 cooling system with "Phase Change Materials (PCM." There's an active cooling fan too, with four RGB LEDs.

Nubia's latest gaming phone comes with a similar 6.8-inch 165Hz AMOLED display as the RedMagic 6 Pro, but the touch sampling rate has been upgraded to 720Hz. The shoulder triggers on the back of the phone also run at a higher 450Hz touch sampling rate and tout a response time of just 2.2ms.

The rest of the phone's specs are pretty much identical to its predecessor. It has a triple-camera setup on the back with a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a depth sensor. For selfies, the phone comes with an 8MP camera on the front. Keeping the lights on is a 5,050mAh battery with support for 66W charging speeds. Disappointingly, the phone will ship with just a 30W charger in the box. The Chinese version of the phone, on the other hand, features a smaller 4,500mAh battery with 120W charging.

The RedMagic 6S Pro is set to go on sale in North America, Europe, and a few other markets from September 27. It is priced at $599/€599/£519 for the 12GB/128GB version and $699/€699/£609 for the 16GB/256GB version in Cyborg Black. The transparent version featuring 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will be available for $729/€729/£629.

What you need to know

• Nubia has teased its upcoming RedMagic 6S Pro gaming phone.
• The phone will come with an RGB cooling fan and support for 120W wired charging.
• The RedMagic 6S Pro is set to be unveiled on September 6.

Nubia is set to launch its next flagship gaming phone at an event in China next week. Ahead of the launch event, the company posted a few new teasers highlighting some of the key features of the upcoming RedMagic 6S Pro. The phone will be Nubia's answer to the ASUS ROG Phone 5S, which is one of the best Android phones for gamers.

Official teasers posted by Nubia on its Weibo page reveal the RedMagic 6S Pro will feature an RGB cooling fan with 200% higher performance than its predecessor. It will also support identical 120W wired charging speeds as the Chinese variant of the RedMagic 6 Pro.

As per the phone's TENAA listing, the RedMagic 6S Pro isn't going to be a huge upgrade over the RedMagic 6 Pro. It will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888+ chipset, which offers slightly improved performance over the Snapdragon 888. As confirmed by official teasers earlier this week, the phone's display will tout an impressive 720Hz touch sampling rate and a response time of just 7.4ms for an ultra-smooth gaming experience.

The rest of its key specs are expected to be fairly similar to the RedMagic 6 Pro. The phone will have a 6.8-inch OLED display with FHD+ resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. It will have a triple-lens camera system on the back with a 64MP main sensor. As for selfies, the RedMagic 6S Pro is tipped to include an 8MP sensor on the front. On the software side of things, the gaming phone could ship with Android 11-based RedMagic UI out of the box.

RedMagic 6 Pro

If you're looking for a great gaming phone, the RedMagic 6 Pro is worth considering. The phone has Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 processor, a large 6.8-inch display with a 165Hz refresh rate, and a host of gaming-focused features.

• $700 at RedMagic

Just when we think technological advancement has reached its pinnacle, things start to get even more exciting. We've seen e-ink screens that mimic paper, displays that fold, and now, glass that can allow a camera to peek through it. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 may have popularized the new-fangled under-display camera (UDC) technology, but it was ZTE who debuted the world's first phone with this feature.

The ZTE Axon 20 5G was the first of its kind in the world of Android phones. It cleverly housed a 32MP selfie camera underneath the phone's 6.92-inch OLED display, buried under a layer of pixels and clever tech wizardry. Now, the successor to the Axon 20 5G is here and, along with it, the newer and better version of ZTE's UDC technology.

I have been using the Axon 30 5G as my primary phone for a week now, and I have some very strong feelings about it. The Axon 30 has so much going for it, but the hero is the stunning display. I am absolutely blown away by the unbroken stretch of glass on the phone, unblemished by notches or holes. You also get robust internals and fantastic performance overall.

Despite all that, I find myself having to pause when I'm on the cusp of recommending it to someone. In some key areas, the ZTE Axon 30 falls short of being one of the best affordable Android phones. This is mainly because of the terrible front camera, plus a few other minor flaws. Each issue is small in isolation but added together, they can undo the potential of a great phone.

ZTE Axon 30 5G: Price and availability

The ZTE Axon 30 5G will be available to buy on September 9, 2021, in North America, Europe, and a few other regions. Prospective customers can purchase the 8GB RAM variant with 128GB of onboard storage for $499/€499/£429. Meanwhile, the top-end version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage will cost $599/ €599/ £519.

ZTE will offer a one-day exclusive discount on September 9, where customers will be able to buy the Axon 30 5G for $10 less than the retail price on its site.

ZTE Axon 30 5G: Design

If you're familiar with the ZTE Axon or Blade series, you'll notice that the Axon 30 hasn't evolved much in design compared to its predecessor. The ZTE Axon 30 5G comes in two glossy color options: Black and Aqua. I was sent the darker shade that features a holographic finish. You can't really tell that the phone is black because it shifts colors when light bounces off of it.

Even though it looks premium, the back is actually made of plastic and doesn't feel all that fancy to the touch. The rectangular camera unit is in the upper left corner on the rear and has metallic blue accents. Personally, I really like the overall look of the Axon 30, even if I'm not happy with the plasticky feel. The giant 'Axon' and 'ZTE 5G' logos plastered on the rear aren't for everyone, so you might want to get a case if it bothers you.

Turn the phone sideways to the right, and you will find the volume button followed by the power button in a neat arrangement. At the bottom of the Axon 30, there is a mono speaker with DTS: X Ultra sound, a USB-C port, and the dual SIM slot that can accommodate a microSD card if used with a single SIM. Sadly, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack.

The bottom-firing speaker doesn't come close to being loud and clear enough for video calls or watching videos, so you'll have to get a pair of wireless earbuds or Bluetooth headphones to please your aural senses. If you don't want to throw away your comfy wired headset, ZTE is kind enough to include a USB-C headphone adapter in the box.

ZTE Axon 30 5G: Display

Displays are the most crucial element of phones because that's what you look at all day, every day. ZTE left no holes barred with the gargantuan 6.92-inch 20.5:9 FHD+ AMOLED display, sitting blemish-free and entirely uninterrupted. There is no hideous teardrop notch or hole-punch cutout covering any part of the screen. You can configure the refresh rate and set it to 60Hz, 90Hz, or a blazing fast 120Hz. The display is fairly bright and easily readable in bright daylight.

The last generation under-display camera (UDC) technology on the Axon 20 5G had its limits capped. It allowed for a pixel density of 200ppi to be layered on top of the UDC. This resulted in a stark difference in image quality between the rest of the display and the portion covering the hidden selfie camera. To put things in perspective, the pixel density of the screen covering the Galaxy Z Fold 3's UDC is only 144ppi.

Such discrepancies make the pixelated part of the display obvious to the naked eye. ZTE bolstered the Axon 30 5G's display tech to combat this, using seven material layers and AI assistance. As a result, the display section covering the UDC of the Axon 30 has an impressive pixel density of 400ppi. Simply put, the end result is a stunning all-glass marvel of a display.

It is incredibly hard to spot the UDC on the Axon 30's screen. This is the closest the under-display camera has come to be truly "invisible." You can't see it with your bare eyes unless the light hits it just right and the display is showing something black or really dark. Even with my camera, I had my work cut out for those UDC shots.

The phone's other under-display feature is much more common: an in-display fingerprint scanner. Unfortunately, I find using the fingerprint reader really irksome. I found it only works 6 out of 10 times; the other 4 times, you're left sticking your thumb into the glass vigorously as if it were stamping ink. I'd eventually give up and use the good ol' password or pattern to unlock the phone — as there's no face unlock on the Axon 30.

ZTE Axon 30 5G: Performance and specs

Under the hood, you'll find plenty to like in the ZTE Axon 30 5G. Powered by the Snapdragon 870 5G chipset and 8GB of RAM, this phone doesn't get bogged down by any action or activity. You can play any of the best Android games and while away your time blissfully. Productivity and processor-heavy apps are handled without fault, and everything works in a snappy, satisfying fashion.

The phone's triple cooling system is another fantastic feature. It combines the collective cooling power of the vapor chamber, a Graphene copper matrix composite substance, and a high-power heat-transmitting gel. I am very pleased with my gaming experience on the Axon 30, though it isn't surprising considering ZTE owns the Nubia RedMagic brand responsible for some of the best gaming phones.

Where the RedMagic gaming phones are notorious for software issues, I am happy to report that the ZTE Axon 30 offers a far better experience on the software side of things. For the Axon 30, ZTE scrapped its old custom skin called MiFavor OS and started anew. The Axon 30 is ZTE's first phone to come with the company's brand new MyOS 11 based on Android 11. The skin is very close to stock Android, and you don't get any bloatware installed on the handset out of the box.

A drawback of the simplicity of MyOS 11 is that I find it too plain and somewhat boring at times. Sure, there's one gesture where you can shake the phone to turn on the flashlight. But that's the end of the road when it comes to fancy features of the Axon 30. You can't even customize the theme and accent colors of the phone beyond light and dark mode. For that, your best bet is third-party theming apps that offer wallpapers, widgets, and icons.

It's all no-nonsense, all work, and no play with this phone's OS. The most fun I had with the software was playing around with the Always On Display. As a fan of customizability and neat features, this is a little disappointing. Nonetheless, the bloat-free, almost-stock Android operating system is a dream to use, so I'll give credit where credit is due.

ZTE Axon 30 5G: Battery

The Axon 30 5G sports a 4,200mAh battery inside. You get all-day battery life with regular use, taking video playback and light gaming into account. I am always on my phone (to the dismay of my family members), and I get about 25 to 26 hours in one go out of mine on average. This includes playing games such as Eternium and Warhammer: Odyssey for around half an hour apiece. I set the refresh rate to auto which means the phone automatically determines the appropriate refresh rate setting based on your usage and power consumption.

Increasing the refresh rate to the max 120Hz setting does take a toll on the Axon 30, though. In that case, it will definitely need to be recharged at least once a day. Thankfully, the phone supports 65W fast charging that tops up the 4,2000mAh battery at an incredible rate. The Axon 30 5G is rated to go from 0% to 100% in just 45 minutes. According to my testing, you can juice up your Axon 30 from zilch to a full 100% in under 50 minutes. You get a 65W charger out of the box, so you won't need to buy one separately.

ZTE Axon 30 5G: Cameras

Although the UDC front camera stands miles apart from the crowds, ZTE hopped on to the quad-camera bandwagon for the rear camera setup. The Axon 30 5G has the 64MP Sony IMX682 sensor as its primary camera and a secondary 8MP wide-angle lens with a 120° FoV. Then you have the standard 5MP macro and 2MP depth sensors.

The main camera has up to 20x digital zoom, plus the option to capture images in the full 64MP resolution if you like. It does a good job of capturing natural colors and retains a decent amount of detail as you zoom in. The shots came out pretty decent, as you would expect from a $500 phone.

Here are some pictures taken with the main camera at 5x, 10x, 15x, and 20x zoom. As the camera zooms in more, the image becomes grainy and very processed. The images aren't very crisp, but they are clear enough.

There's also a dedicated night mode in the ZTE Axon 30 5G. I shot some pictures with and without the night mode. While the difference wasn't as dramatic or pronounced as some other phones, the minor details and lighting looked much better with the night mode. You can see the flow of the water and the light bouncing off the glass.

ZTE included loads of filters and settings to its cameras so you can play around when taking pictures. There are plenty of photography modes to choose from, such as the portrait mode with the bokeh effect, a night mode, a beauty mode, and AI assistance. You can also take panorama shots to capture a really wide-field view, such as natural settings.

The shots captured by the 5MP macro sensor weren't very good, just as I suspected. You need to bring your phone way too close to the subject, resulting in really dark shots. Ironically, the shadows diminish the details and add an odd vignette to the picture. The resulting photo looks like it was taken with a much older phone.

As for the under-display camera, you will find a 16MP lens to take selfies with. Since the technology is still fairly new, I did not expect anything to rave about. In line with those expectations, I found the pictures captured with the front camera inferior to the output of most selfie cams.

If you look at the sample I took, you can see just how bad the selfies turn out. The entire image is incredibly blurry, and the edges are soft. There is very little detail, and the colors are murky and oversaturated. And that's in prime lighting conditions, so you can imagine how useless the front snapper is in low light.

Still, compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 3's under-display camera, the ZTE Axon 30 looks amazing. If you look at the shot captured by the Axon 30 on the left, it has a lot more depth and better clarity. Meanwhile, the selfie taken with the Z Fold 3 on the right is downright terrible. It's safe to say that the Axon 30's under-display front camera is far superior.

ZTE Axon 30 5G: Competition

At the $500 price range, there are some excellent budget Android phones on the market right now. The ultimate mid-range phone that can compete with the ZTE Axon 30 5G would be the Google Pixel 5a. Both phones have 5G and are priced similarly with competing specs.

Although the Pixel 5a is $50 cheaper than the Axon 30, it has stellar main and front cameras, an IP rating, and unbeatable battery life. However, the Axon 30 trumps the Pixel 5a for performance, and it has a much better display. It also features an excellent cooling system that the Google Pixel 5a can't compete with.

If we consider phones with under-display cameras, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the only true competitor for the ZTE Axon 30 at the moment. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 also has a UDC but it is only available in China. When comparing the screen qualities and the images shot by the front cameras, the Axon 30 wins hands down. The display covering the UDC is undoubtedly better, with a pixel density of 400ppi as opposed to 144ppi, and the selfies are a tad better (although still not good on their own).

Comparing the Z Fold 3 to the Axon 30 is like pitting apples against oranges. One is an ultra-premium, top-of-the-line, folding phone, whereas the other is attempting to package new tech under a value banner. Not to mention the exorbitant amount of money you need to pay to purchase the Z Fold 3 against the ZTE Axon 30's very reasonable asking price.

ZTE Axon 30 5G: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

• You want a sublime 120Hz AMOLED display without a distracting notch or cutout
• You want consistently great performance and 5G
• You dabble in long mobile gaming sessions
• You want a phone that will go from 0% to 100% in 50 minutes or less.

You shouldn't buy this if...

• You want an awesome front camera
• You want a fast and accurate fingerprint sensor
• You prefer playing audio on your phone's loudspeaker
• You want fancy features like wireless charging and water resistance

4 out of 5

In the end, the ZTE Axon 30 5G is a tough one to figure. It sports a remarkably stunning display, and I admire the efforts to create a new OS. It shows initiative to better the product. Yet, I find myself nitpicking on the horrid selfie camera and the lack of wireless charging or an IP rating. For a $500 phone using a brand new technology, I might be asking too much. But if the Google Pixel 5a can offer water resistance on a phone that's $50 cheaper, I expect the Axon 30 5G to have at least an IP rating.

That being said, if you are down for blurry selfies and don't care about the small details, you will be satisfied with this phone. The sheer computing power and that achingly pretty (oh-so-pretty) display will win your heart any day of the year. Just know what you signed up for when buying yourself one.

ZTE Axon 30 5G

Bottom line: If you can live with the essentially useless front camera and a few bumps here and there, the ZTE Axon 30 is an excellent mid-ranger with a wow factor. Staring at the buttery-smooth 120Hz AMOLED display is a treat, and it can handle any task you throw its way. It may not go on for days, but that 65W fast charging will top you up so fast you won't feel the difference!

• From $499 at ZTE

Original July 27 article updated with pricing and global availability information.

What you need to know

• ZTE has announced the Axon 30 in July with an initial release in China.
• This marks the second attempt at integrating an under-display selfie camera.
• Global launch is set for September 9, starting at $499 for U.S. buyers.

The new ZTE Axon 30 5G was announced in July, introducing the second iteration of ZTE's under-display selfie camera technology. The first attempt came via the ZTE Axon 20, which marked the first smartphone release to include such a feature.

Before diving too deep into this new selfie camera, let's run down the specs. The Axon 30 sports a 6.92-inch AMOLED display, along with a 120Hz refresh rate and a FullHD (1920 x 1080) resolution. Powering ZTE's latest handset is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870, which means that its a step down from the Axon 30 Ultra, which launched earlier in the year.

The chipset is being paired with 6GB, 8GB, or 12GB of RAM, along with 128GB or 256GB of storage. In terms of battery life, ZTE packed a 4,200mAH cell into the Axon 30, also equipping it with 55W fast charging. But ZTE has even gone one step further as the Axon 30 is also compatible with Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+.

One of the key reasons why the Axon 30 Ultra is considered one of the best Android phones of 2021 is thanks to the camera system. While this newer Axon 30 won't be quite as robust, it still includes a quad-camera array on the back, headlined by a 64MP main wide-angle main camera. Offering some help with the rest of your camera needs is an 8MP ultrawide sensor, a 5MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor.

Going back to that under-display selfie camera. At first, it may seem like the same 16MP lens found in many of the best cheap Android phones. But that's not the case, as ZTE has taken strides to increase the pixel density of that portion of the display (from 200 PPI to 400 PPI) and ensure that the light sensitivity remains unaffected.

ZTE used a total of seven layers of "highly transparent materials and 3 special processing technologies" to ensure that the camera area is "more light-transmissive." This 16MP lens also uses 4-in-1 pixel binning, along with a large pixel size of 2.24 μm to provide the best selfies possible with this new technology. For comparison, that's larger than the 2 μm pixel size of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3's Under Panel Camera, and should provide bright images while retaining a relatively inconspicuous sensor.

The Axon 30 also includes an under-display fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth 5.1, 5G connectivity, and dual-band Wi-Fi support. The Axon 30 was initially available in China, but is now making it's way to global markets on September 9. The device will start at $499/€499/£429 for the 8GB/128GB model and $599/€599/£519 for 12GB/256GB.

What you need to know

• FCC votes to in favor of a plan that would approve bans for Chinese telecom equipment that are a national threat.
• The ban would affect companies like Huawei and ZTE.
• FCC does not want to have any "opportunities" for the use of companies that are considered "untrustworthy."

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted in favor to advance a plan that would approve bans for equipment in U.S. telecom networks from Chinese companies that are considered a national security threat.

The ban would affect companies like Huawei and ZTE, Reuters reported. Equipment from Huawei, for example, have been used by many telecom companies in the U.S. to power rural areas of the country, which help function some of the best Android phones. The approval caused opposition from Beijing.

"The United States, without any evidence, still abuses national security and state power to suppress Chinese companies," said Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson at China's foreign ministry. "Once again we urge the U.S. to stop stretching the concept of national security and stop politicizing economic issues."

The proposed rules that won an initial approval, would also revoke any equipment that was authorized to Chinese companies. Huawei told Reuters that the FCC revision was "misguided and unnecessarily punitive."

Jessica Rosenworcel said the new measures would "exclude untrustworthy equipment from our communications network… We have left open opportunities for (Huawei and other Chinese equipment) use in the United States through our equipment authorization process. So here we propose to close that door."

Reuters reported that the U.S. has approved more than 3,000 applications from Huawei since 2018.

In 2019, the FCC designated five Chinese companies as a threat to national security under a 2019 U.S. law protecting U.S. communications networks. Affected companies included Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co, and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co.

In 2020, the FCC designated Huawei and ZTE as a national security threat to communications networks and barred them from tapping into any funding that the government was offering. In December, the FCC finalized that the two companies' equipment would be ripped out and replaced. It proposed a reimbursement program, which received a $1.9 billion fund from U.S. lawmakers.

Update, June 7 (08:30 am ET): Global availability announced

What you need to know

• Nubia has announced another new flagship gaming phone.
• The RedMagic 6R features a 144Hz AMOLED screen, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 processor, and a 4,200mAh battery.
• It will go on sale in China from June for a starting price of 2,999 yuan ($470).

ZTE's Nubia sub-brand has announced a new addition to its RedMagic 6 series family, dubbed the RedMagic 6R. The phone is primarily aimed at gamers, but doesn't have the same gaming-inspired design as the RedMagic 6 and 6 Pro phones.

Nubia's new RedMagic 6R sports a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate. Under the hood, it packs the same Snapdragon 888 chipset as the best Android phones on the market, paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

The RedMagic 6R has a quad-camera setup at the rear, featuring a 64MP Sony IMX682 main sensor. It also includes a 16MP selfie camera, Wi-Fi 6 support, 5G connectivity, 400Hz shoulder triggers, and a 4,200mAh battery with 55W charging. The phone runs Nubia's custom RedMagic OS 4.0, based on Android 11.

The RedMagic 6R is set to go on sale in China from June for a starting price of 2,999 yuan ($470). Nubia has also confirmed that a global version of the phone will be unveiled early next month. It is expected to be identical to the Chinese version in most areas, but will support slower 30W charging speeds.

Update, June 7 (8:30 am ET) — RedMagic 6R will be available globally from June 24

Nubia today announced that its RedMagic 6R will be available to purchase globally from June 24. It has been priced at $499 / €499 / £429 for the 8GB/128GB version and $599 / €599 / £519 for the 12GB/256GB version.

RedMagic 6 Pro

The RedMagic 6 Pro is one of the best gaming phones available right now. It has a 165Hz screen, a huge battery with 65W charging, and shoulder triggers with a 400Hz touch sampling rate.

• $699 at RedMagic

What you need to know

• ZTE's Axon 30 Ultra will go on sale globally starting June 4.
• The phone features a 144Hz AMOLED display, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chipset, and three 64MP cameras.
• It will start at $749 in the U.S. and €749 in Europe.

Last month, Chinese smartphone maker ZTE announced the Axon 30 Ultra, its answer to Samsung's Galaxy S21. While the flagship phone is currently available only in China, ZTE has now confirmed that the Axon 30 Ultra will soon go on sale globally.

The Axon 30 Ultra will be available to pre-order in Europe and North America from May 27, while open sales are set to begin from June 4. If you pre-order the phone before June 4, you will receive a free pair of Livebuds true wireless earbuds. The 8GB/128GB version of the phone is priced at $749 / £649 / €749, which makes it more affordable than the best Android phones from Samsung and OnePlus. The 8GB/256GB version, on the other hand, will cost $849 / £739 / €849.

The Axon 30 Ultra 5G has a 6.67-inch AMOLED curved display with FHD+ resolution, a 144Hz variable refresh rate, and a 300Hz touch sampling rate. It is powered by Qualcomm's 5nm Snapdragon 888 processor, which has been coupled with up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

On the back of the phone is a quad-camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, a 64MP wide-angle lens, a 64MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. As for selfies, the Axon 30 Ultra includes a 16MP camera on the front.

Keeping the lights on is a 4,600mAh battery with support for 65W charging speeds. The Axon 30 Ultra also comes with an "ultra-thin" optical under-display fingerprint sensor, dual speakers, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E, and DTS: X Ultra. On the software front, it runs Android 11 with ZTE's My OS 11 on top.

What you need to know

• Leaked renders show off the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra from every angle.
• The phone will sport a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate.
• There's a new focus on cameras with triple 64MP sensors and an 8MP telephoto lens.

While Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus duke it out for the title of best Android phone so far in 2021, ZTE is gearing up to throw its hat in the ring. Evan Blass has shared a series of official press renders showing off the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra, which brings another enormous camera module to the conversation.

Blass states that the Ultra will feature a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with those waterfall-curved edges on the sides. This could be a contender for one of the best gaming phones, thanks to its 144Hz refresh rate, which is a bump up from the new 120Hz standard for flagships.

Under the hood, there's not too much of a surprise, as the Snapdragon 888 will be powering ZTE's flagship offering. And while we won't have an enormous battery, as this "only" features a 4,600mAh battery, ZTE is aiming to make up the difference with 66W fast wired charging.

Moving to the cameras, ZTE is seemingly swinging for the fences with a quad-camera array complete with an LED flash and a little bit of branding. There are three 64MP camera sensors headlining the Axon 30 Ultra, along with an 8MP telephoto camera capable of providing up to 5x optical zoom.

While the ZTE Axon 20 5G marked the first device to feature a 'sub-display' selfie camera, it seems that ZTE is ditching that this time around. We don't know what the specs of the selfie camera are or will be, but the Axon 30 Ultra will feature a more-traditional hole-punch cutout in the middle of the status bar.

Finally and from a software standpoint, the Axon 30 Ultra will be running ZTE's MyOS11, which is based on Android 11. Unfortunately, we aren't exactly sure when the Axon 30 Ultra will be launched, but these renders suggest it will be sooner rather than later.

What you need to know

• Nubia's RedMagic 6 series gaming phones will be available to pre-order globally from April 9.
• The RedMagic 6 series phones feature 165Hz AMOLED screens and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chipset.
• Nubia isn't launching the 18GB RAM variant of the RedMagic Pro 6 globally.

ZTE's Nubia sub-brand announced its latest flagship gaming phones in China earlier month. The company's new RedMagic 6 series phones are the first to come equipped with 165Hz screens and offer nearly everything that you would expect from a flagship gaming phone in 2021. Less than two weeks after their launch in China, Nubia has announced the global launch of the two phones.

The RedMagic 6 and RedMagic 6 Pro phones will be available to pre-order from April 9, while open sales will begin from April 15. Nubia has priced the RedMagic 6 at $599/ €599/ £509, while the Pro model will cost $699/ €699/ £599. In addition to the U.S. and Canada, the phones will also be available in several markets across Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.

The Red Magic 6 duo are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 processor and utilize the brand's new ICE 6.0 cooling system with a built-in turbofan. Similar to ASUS' ROG Phone 5, the RedMagic 6 series phones feature LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. Their biggest selling point, however, is the 6.8-inch AMOLED panel with full DCI-P3 color space coverage, 165Hz refresh rate, 500Hz touch sampling rate, and a sixth-gen in-display fingerprint sensor.

Both phones pack a 5,050mAh battery and support up to 66W charging speeds. However, they will only ship with a 30W charger in the box. On the software front, the phones will ship with Android 11-based RedMagic OS 4.0 out of the box. Needless to say, their aggressive pricing and impressive hardware specs make them two of the best Android phones of 2021 so far.

What you need to know

• Visible is launching the new Blade X1 5G, the latest in the Blade smartphone lineup.
• The Blade X1 5G comes with a FHD+ display, quad-camera setup, and Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G.
• Visible customers can purchase the Blade X1 5G starting today for just $384.

Visible is doing its best to make itself seen in the mobile industry for having one of the best prepaid plans for those on a budget. Our Joe Maring was actually quite impressed with the offerings and service in his Visible review. The carrier piggybacks on Verizon's nationwide 4G LTE network and recently began to support 5G for Android smartphones on its network, giving customers even faster data for the same $40 price. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Visible has launched its latest smartphone, the Blade X1 5G, built by ZTE with great specs and an affordable price.

The newest addition to the Blade family comes with a more modern design to match the more modern network, featuring a large 6.5-inch FHD+ display with a punch-hole selfie camera. It's made of durable plastic with blue luminescent streaks on the rear, which come to life when hit by the sun, a stark contrast to the device's Midnight color tone.

On the back, you'll find a read fingerprint sensor, along with the quad-camera setup. The main sensor is 48MP, with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle and two 2MP auxiliary sensors. The punch-hole up front houses a 16MP camera for selfies. Since Visible is focusing on gaming and entertainment with this device, the Blade X1 5G comes with DTS:X Ultra for a powerful, spatial audio experience, as well as DTS:X 3D audio support. Users can customize their listening experience in the settings to match different content scenarios. And yes, there is a headphone jack.

Powering the Blade X1 5G is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, which, along with the Adreno 620 GPU, powered many of the best cheap Android phones last year, along with several flagship devices. With 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage, the Blade X1 5G should be able to keep up with all your entertainment needs, and the large 4000mAh battery supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 for a quick top-up.

The new Visible Blade X1 5G is available starting today for $384 or just $16 a month and can be purchased through Visible's website. If you sign up and port your number from an eligible carrier, you can score a $150 MasterCard gift card and an Amazon Fire TV stick. You can also find more information about the deal on the Visible Website.

What you need to know

• The world's first phone with an under-display is now available globally.
• The ZTE Axon 20 5G comes with a 6.92-inch 90Hz OLED display, quad rear cameras, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G.
• Unsurprisingly, the device will not be available in the U.S. and Canada.

ZTE took the wraps off the world's first smartphone with an under-display camera in September this year. Nearly four months after its launch in China, the ZTE Axon 20 5G is finally making its global debut to challenge the best Android phones on the market.

The phone can now be ordered for $449 / €449 / £419 from the ZTE store in Europe, the United Kingdom, Korea, Ukraine, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. Unsurprisingly, the Axon 20 5G will not be making its way to North America.

What is also a little disappointing is that the first limited batch of ZTE Axon 20 5G will be available exclusively to users with invitation codes. You'll have to join the "New Vision Club" to get your hands on the limited invitation codes that are required to purchase the Axon 20. The first batch of Axon 20 buyers will receive a "New Year's gift" from ZTE, the company's LiveBuds wireless earphones. ZTE will also invite the first batch of buyers to submit a product review and get $20 cashback as a reward.

ZTE Axon 20 5G has a 6.92-inch full-screen display with FHD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone's 32MP under-display selfie camera uses a triple selfie algorithm to optimize the performance under various lighting conditions. Powering the phone is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Around the back of the phone is a quad-camera setup with a 64MP primary sensor. Keeping the lights on is a 4,220mAh battery with 30W fast charging and a "5G power saving mode."

ZTE Axon 20 5G

ZTE's Axon 20 5G is the first phone to feature an in-display selfie camera. It also has a massive 6.92-inch OLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, a large 4,220mAh battery, and quad rear cameras with a 64MP primary sensor.

• $449 at ZTE

What you need to know

• Chinese smartphone brand Nubia has teased a phone with a color-changing rear glass panel.
• The device will utilize electrochromic glass to achieve the color-changing effect.
• Vivo and OnePlus are also expected to launch phones with electrochromic glass next year.

ZTE's Nubia sub-brand could soon launch its first phone with a color-changing rear glass panel. The company today posted a video on Weibo, teasing the upcoming phone.

Similar to the OnePlus Concept One showcased at CES earlier this year, the upcoming Nubia phone will use electrochromic glass, which can quickly switch from opaque to transparent to achieve the color-changing effect. As can be seen in the video below, the phone has two transparent strips on the back, which show off its internals. However, users can choose to hide the internals of the device with the touch of a button.

While Nubia hasn't shared any details yet, the design of the device suggests it could be a successor to the RedMagic 5S gaming phone launched in July this year. We expect the next Nubia gaming phone to come with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 888 chipset and a few other major upgrades. Its main rival will be the ASUS ROG Phone 3 successor, which could launch a lot sooner than expected.

Nubia isn't the only Android OEM that is working on the technology. Vivo showcased its color-changing concept phone in September this year. Unlike the Nubia phone, which can only switch between transparent and opaque, Vivo's concept phone could switch between blue and silver colorways at the touch of a button.

What you need to know

• Nubia announced and launched the Nubia Watch back in October after an earlier Kickstarter campaign.
• But backers complained about what they said was an unfair campaign. Earlier adopters had paid more money for the Watch than it ultimately retailed for, some have yet to receive their product.
• The company this week claimed the delays were down to logistical issues and plans to compensate early adopters with free accessories.

Earlier this year, ZTE subsidiary Nubia announced the eponymous Nubia Watch, a flexible smartwatch that tackled everything we'd expect from a smartwatch. It had customizable watch faces, handled notifications, tracked your health, offered music streaming via Bluetooth, and would last for up to a week if handled with care.

The Watch hit the market in October after a brisk and successful Kickstarter campaign. The company reached its funding goal and subsequently launched the device globally for $219.

While that's all well and good, but backers who had supported the original Kickstarter felt slighted. For them, the product had been hit with repeated delays, and the final pricing had been revised downwards from what some backers had paid originally — $399. In fact, many had commented on being able to find the watch on alternate shopping platforms like noon or AliExpress with faster delivery for less money.

When reached for comment, a Nubia spokesperson confirmed that its shipping issues were mostly logistical and had been resolved broadly, sharing:

As for the payments, the Nubia spokesperson added that it had been a victim of its own success:

Kickstarters are always fraught with uncertainty. Even after funding comes through, unforeseen circumstances (or even deliberate dishonesty) may lead to products that never end up shipping. Nubia watch backers are likely in no danger of that, the company isn't a small start-up that could go bankrupt anytime (it still remains tied to the giant ZTE after all), and it has promised to reward early backers with free accessories. Their responses are not winning everyone over, but that's the risk you run with crowdfunded projects.

What you need to know

• Nubia's RedMagic 5S gaming smartphone is now available to pre-order globally.
• The phone features a 144Hz AMOLED display and a Snapdragon 865 chipset.
• It has been priced at $579 in the U.S. for the 8GB/128GB version and $649 for the 12GB/256GB version.

Nubia's RedMagic 5S gaming phone, which was launched in China last month, is now available to pre-order in the U.S. and Canada.

You will have to shell out $579 for the 8GB/128GB version of the phone, while the 12GB/256GB version is priced at $649. Both versions are expected to begin shipping on September 2. Apart from North America, pre-orders for the RedMagic 5S are now open in Australia, Europe, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE, and the UK.

While it isn't a big upgrade over the RedMagic 5G that Nubia introduced earlier this year, the RedMagic 5S offers fantastic value. You get a 6.65-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a class-leading 144Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. Powering the gaming phone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset with a silver-plated heatsink for effective cooling.

Around the back of the phone is a triple-camera array with a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro shooter. The phone also has a 4,500mAh battery with 55W fast charging, shoulder trigger buttons that boast a 320Hz touch response rate, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Nubia Red Magic 5S

With a Snapdragon 865 chipset, a 144Hz AMOLED display, and 55W fast charging, the Nubia RedMagic 5S is among the most impressive gaming phones on the market right now. It also has built-in shoulder trigger buttons and fast UFS 3.1 storage.

• From $579 at Nubia

What you need to know

• ZTE President Ni Fei has shared a render of the company's upcoming Axon 20 5G.
• The Axon 20 5G will be the world's first phone to feature an under-display selfie camera.
• It is set to be unveiled in China on September 1.

ZTE announced earlier this week that it will take the wraps off the world's first smartphone with an under-display camera next month. ZTE's President Ni Fei has now shared a render of the upcoming phone, giving us a clear look at its design (via Tweakers).

Since the Axon 20 5G will not have a hole-punch cutout or notch in the display, the phone's 32MP selfie camera isn't visible, at least in the render above. What is pretty clear, however, is that the phone will offer a truly immersive viewing experience with its true 'full-screen' design. Around the back of the phone, we can see a quad-camera array, along with an LED flash. As revealed by the phone's TENAA listing recently, it will come equipped with a 64MP primary sensor. The 64MP primary camera on the back will be joined by an 8MP sensor and a pair of 2MP sensors.

The rest of the Axon 20 5G's tech specs will be quite impressive as well. It will feature a massive 6.92-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G chipset, up to 12GB of RAM, and 256GB storage. It will also have a 4,120mAh battery and dual-mode 5G support.

While ZTE has confirmed that the phone will launch in China on September 1, there is no word yet on whether the Axon 20 5G will be sold in other markets as well.

Best Android Camera in 2020

What you need to know

• ZTE has confirmed that it will be launching the world's first phone with an under-display camera on September 1.
• The phone will be called the Axon 20 5G and will only be available in China, at least initially.
• It is expected to feature a 6.92-inch FHD+ display and Qualcomm's mid-range Snapdragon 765G chipset.

ZTE President Ni Fei teased the world's first phone with an under-display camera in a post on Weibo last week. The company has now confirmed that it will unveil the "world's first mass-produced 5G smartphone featuring an under-display camera" in China on September 1.

As noted by ZTE in its press release, nearly all "major industry players" have been working on under-display cameras. Xiaomi and OPPO were the first companies to showcase prototypes featuring under-display cameras last year. Unlike ZTE, however, Xiaomi and OPPO haven't confirmed any plans of launching a phone with the tech this year.

While ZTE hasn't revealed any key specs of the upcoming phone, the Axon 20 5G was spotted on the website of China's TENAA regulatory body last week. According to the phone's TENAA listing, it will feature a massive 6.92-inch FHD+ AMOLED display and Qualcomm's 7nm Snapdragon 765G chipset. The listing also revealed a quad-camera setup around the back of the phone, with a 64MP primary camera. Some of the other key specs of the phone that have been listed on the TENAA website include a 4,120mAh battery, a 32MP under-display selfie camera, up to 12GB of RAM, and 256GB storage.

Best Android Camera in 2020

What you need to know

• ZTE President Ni Fei has revealed that the company is "ready to launch" the world's first phone with an under-display selfie camera.
• The phone will be called ZTE A20 5G and is expected to be a direct successor to the Axon 10s Pro launched earlier this year.
• An exact launch date, however, has not been confirmed yet.

ZTE President Ni Fei today shared a post on Weibo claiming that the company is ready to launch a phone with an under-display selfie camera. While Fei's hasn't confirmed a specific launch date in the post, he has "accidentally" revealed the phone's name.

Fei made the post using a phone called the "ZTE A20 5G." Since ZTE hasn't announced any device with that name yet, it is quite clear that A20 5G will be the name of the company's first phone with an under-screen camera. The device was apparently spotted on the website of the State Radio Regulation of China (SRRC) recently with the model number ZTE A2121. Going by the name of the phone, ZTE A20 5G is likely to be a successor to the Axon 10s Pro that was launched in February this year.

While Chinese Android OEMs like Xiaomi and OPPO showcased their first under-display camera prototypes last year, ZTE hasn't showcased its under-screen camera tech yet. It is possible that the company will be using a panel from Visionox, which announced in June that it had started mass producing displays with under-display cameras. The company's under-display camera solution makes use of new organic and inorganic materials to achieve higher transparency than regular OLED displays in the area right above the camera.

Best Android Camera in 2020

What you need to know

• ZTE's Nubia sub-brand has launched a new flagship gaming smartphone.
• The new Nubia RedMagic 5S is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset and has a 6.65-inch 144Hz AMOLED display.
• It is slated to go on sale in China from August 1 for a starting price of 3,799 yuan ($542).

In March this year, ZTE's Nubia sub-brand launched the RedMagic 5G, the world's first phone to come equipped with a 144Hz display. Nubia today launched a "new" gaming flagship with a few minor upgrades to take on the ASUS ROG Phone 3 and the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel.

The new Nubia RedMagic 5S sports a 6.65-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a fast 144Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. Under the hood is a Snapdragon 865 chipset, which has been paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. While Nubia has strangely decided not to use the newer Snapdragon 865+ chipset, the gaming phone does come with an upgraded ICE 4.0 cooling system.

In the camera department, the RedMagic 5S has a triple-camera setup at the rear with a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary sensor. The main sensor is joined by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2MP macro lens. Keeping the lights on is a 4,500mAh battery with 55W fast charging. The phone also features shoulder trigger buttons with a 320Hz touch response rate for a superior gaming experience, dual-mode 5G support, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Nubia RedMagic 5S will be going on sale in China from August 1 in three variants. While the base 8GB/128GB version is priced at 3,799 yuan ($542), the 16GB/256GB version will cost 4,999 yuan ($714). The phone is slated to make its global debut in September.

Nubia RedMagic 5G

The RedMagic 5G is not just one of the most affordable Snapdragon 865-powered phones on sale in the U.S. but also among the more impressive gaming phones currently available. It features an impressive 144Hz AMOLED display, built-in shoulder trigger buttons, and a large 4500mAh battery with 55W fast charging.

• From $579 at Nubia

What you need to know

• The FCC has now designated Huawei and ZTE as national security threats.
• This move prevents telecoms providers from using federal funds when purchasing equipment from either of the two.
• FCC Chair Ajit Pai pointed to close ties with the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinse military when explaining the body's decision.

Huawei and ZTE have now been designated as national security threats by the FCC in a move that will be perceived as an escalation in the trade conflicts between the U.S. and China. This designation bars all U.S. telecoms providers from using the FCC's Universal Service Fund to spend on any equipment purchased from either company, whether it relates to procurement or repairs.

In a statement, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said:

Both ZTE and Huawei have been targets of the U.S. over the past few years. Huawei especially has seen trade bars decimate its smartphone business, once willing partners begin to back away on 5G, and the development of a fog of criminality over the company.

Both Huawei and ZTE have maintained their innocence throughout.

An international trade lawyer explains just how far reaching the Huawei ban really is

What you need to know

• Nubia has launched a new gaming-focused mid-ranger with a 144Hz AMOLED display.
• The Nubia Play is powered by a Snapdragon 765G chipset and packs a large 5,100mAh battery with 30W fast charging.
• It will be going on sale in China from April 24 for a starting price of 2,399 yuan ($340).

ZTE launched the world's first smartphone with a 144Hz display last month, called the RedMagic 5G. The company has now launched a more affordable 5G gaming phone with a 144Hz display and slightly less impressive tech specs.

The Nubia Play sports a 6.65-inch FHD+ AMOLED display panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, built-in fingerprint sensor, and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. Under the hood is a 7nm Snapdragon 765G chipset, coupled with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB UFS 2.1 storage.

On the back of the Nubia Play is a quad-camera array with a 48MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle shooter, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, the phone has a 12MP camera on the front. Some of the other key features of the Nubia Play include a 5,100mAh battery with 30W fast charging and capacitive shoulder keys to improve the gaming experience. The phone will ship with Android 10-based nubiaUI 8.0 out of the box.

The Nubia Play will be available in China in black, blue, and white color options starting April 24. Prices start at 2,399 yuan ($340) for the base 6GB/128GB version and go up to 2,999 yuan ($425) for the 8GB/256GB version. Nubia hasn't announced any plans of launching the phone in markets outside China yet.

Nubia RedMagic 5G

Nubia's RedMagic 5G is one of the most powerful gaming phones released so far, featuring a Snapdragon 865 processor with active cooling technology and a 144Hz AMOLED display. You also get a 4,500mAh battery with 55W fast charging, 64MP quad rear cameras, and built-in shoulder trigger buttons.

• $579 at Nubia

What you need to know

• The Nubia RedMagic 5G gaming phone is now available to pre-order in the U.S.
• It is powered by a Snapdragon 865 chipset and features an impressive 144Hz refresh rate AMOLED display.
• The phone will be available to purchase outright in the U.S. and a few other global markets starting April 21.

ZTE sub-brand Nubia unveiled the RedMagic 5G last month, the world's first phone to feature a 144Hz refresh rate display. The gaming phone is now available to pre-order in select global markets, including the U.S.

While the RedMagic 5G comes in a total of four variants in China, Nubia is only offering two variants for global markets. In the U.S., the 8GB/128GB version has been priced at $579, while the 12GB/256GB version is priced at $649. Along with the U.S., consumers in Australia, Canada, mainland Europe, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, and the UK will also be able to purchase the phone outright from Nubia's website starting April 21.

The Nubia RedMagic 5G's headline feature is undoubtedly the 6.65-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. Under the hood, the gaming phone features a Snapdragon 865 chipset with an active cooling solution. It has a triple-camera setup on the back with a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle shooter, and a 2MP macro lens.

Some of the other key features of the flagship gaming phone include an 8MP selfie camera, an in-display fingerprint sensor, Wi-Fi 6 support, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 4,500mAh battery with 55W fast charging. The phone runs Android 10 with Nubia's RedMagic OS on top.

Nubia RedMagic 5G

The RedMagic 5G is one of the most impressive gaming phones yet, featuring a powerful Snapdragon 865 processor with active cooling, dual-mode 5G support, and a 144Hz AMOLED display. It also comes with built-in shoulder trigger buttons and a large 4,500mAh battery with 55W Quick Charge support.

• $579 at Nubia

What you need to know

• ZTE today announced its first mid-range 5G smartphone, the Axon 11 5G.
• The Axon 11 5G comes with a Snapdragon 765G chipset and quad rear cameras.
• It is priced at 2,698 yuan ($380) in China for the base 6GB/128GB version.

Chinese smartphone maker ZTE today announced the Axon 11 5G, a mid-range smartphone that comes with dual-mode 5G support and a relatively affordable price tag.

The new Axon 11 5G sports a 6.47-inch curved FHD+ AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch at the top, housing a 20MP selfie camera. Under the hood is a 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage. On the back of the phone is a quad-camera setup featuring a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor.

The mid-range 5G phone also packs a 4,000mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ support and an optical in-display fingerprint sensor. Unsurprisingly, the phone will ship with Android 10 out of the box, with ZTE's MiFavor 10 running on top.

ZTE Axon 11 5G is now available for pre-order in China, with prices starting at 2,698 yuan ($380) for the 6GB/128GB version. The 8GB/128GB version of the phone is priced at 2,998 yuan ($420), while the 8GB/256GB version costs 3,398 yuan ($480). ZTE hasn't announced any plans of launching the Axon 11 Pro 5G in markets outside China yet.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro

The ZTE Axon 10 Pro is a surprisingly affordable flagship smartphone that offers a curved AMOLED display with slim bezels, triple rear cameras, Snapdragon 855 processor, and a 4,000mAh battery with wireless charging support.

• $440 at B&H Photo

What you need to know

• ZTE has announced the first smartphone featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset and LPDDR5 RAM.
• The new Axon 10s Pro sports a 6.47-inch AMOLED display and has a triple-camera setup at the back with a 48MP main sensor.
• Exact pricing and availability hasn't been announced yet.

Chinese smartphone maker ZTE has beaten Samsung and other Android OEMs to the punch by announcing the first Snapdragon 865-powered smartphone. The company's latest flagship device, the Axon 10s Pro also happens to be the first to use LPDDR5 RAM.

ZTE Axon 10s Pro features a 6.47-inch FHD+ curved AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch at the top and an optical in-display fingerprint sensor. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset under its hood has been paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. As you would expect from a phone featuring the Snapdragon 865, the Axon 10s Pro comes with 5G as well as Wi-Fi 6 support.

At the back of the phone is a triple-lens camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, 8MP telephoto lens, and a 20MP ultra-wide lens. For selfies, it sports a 20MP camera within the waterdrop notch at the top of the screen. Keeping the lights on is a 4,000mAh battery with support for Qualcomm's Quick Charge 4+ standard. The flagship phone comes with stereo speakers as well, although a headphone jack is missing.

ZTE's new flagship will ship with Android 10 out of the box, featuring the MiFavor 10 skin on top. However, the company is yet to reveal precisely when the Axon 10s Pro will go on sale or how much it will cost.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro

The ZTE Axon 10 Pro is a surprisingly affordable flagship phone that offers top-notch hardware. It runs on a speedy Snapdragon 855 processor, has a large AMOLED display with minimal bezels, and a large 4,000mAh battery with wireless charging.

• From $450 at B&H

What you need to know

• LG and ZTE have announced that they're skipping Mobile World Congress.
• Both companies won't be present as a result of Coronavirus.
• MWC is scheduled to take place between February 24 and 27.

Mobile World Congress is the largest mobile technology trade show, and for a lot of companies, it is the best time of year to make big product announcements. Unfortunately, due to rising concerns regarding Coronavirus, both LG and ZTE will not host a press conference as expected. ZTE will have a booth at the show, though.

A ZTE spokesperson confirmed this news to Android Central, saying, "We tend to be an overly courteous company, and simply don't want to make people uncomfortable." ZTE also cited visa delays and other travel issues for its absence.

Shortly after ZTE made this announcement, LG also confirmed that it too will be skipping MWC.

Furthermore, LG says that it will "be holding separate events in the near future to announce its 2020 mobile products."

Prior to these announcements from ZTE and LG, the GSMA (the organization in charge of MWC) released its own statement regarding the Coronavirus, saying that "there is minimal impact on the event thus far" and that MWC will "proceed as planned."

It's possible that other companies will follow in the footsteps of LG and ZTE, and should that happen, we'll be sure to let you know.

Coronavirus: Best Online Resources and How Your Smartphone Can Help

What you need to know

• Nubia President Ni Fei has hinted on Weibo that the company's upcoming Red Magic 5G gaming phone will feature 16GB of RAM.
• In addition to a whopping 16GB of RAM, the phone will also come with a new "air-cooled fast charging solution."
• The Nubia Red Magic 5G is expected to be the first phone to support 80W wired fast charging.

Nubia President and Ni Fei recently hinted that the company's upcoming Red Magic 5G gaming phone will support 80W charging speeds. In a series of new posts on Weibo, Fei has revealed a few more details regarding the upcoming flagship gaming phone.

As per Fei's latest posts, the Nubia Red Magic 5G will use a new "air-cooled turbo fast charge" solution to achieve faster charging times. While no details have been revealed yet, Fei did say that the phone will come with a built-in fan, perhaps similar to the one inside the Nubia Red Magic 3S.

Nubia's next flagship is also likely to be among the first phones to come with 16GB of RAM. However, just like the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Xiaomi's Mi 10 Pro, the base variant of the Red Magic 5G is likely to come equipped with 12GB of RAM instead. Fei has also shared a camera sample on Weibo, which suggests the upcoming phone could offer significantly improved imaging capabilities compared to its predecessor. Rumors suggest the Red Magic 5G will feature a triple-camera setup at the back, with a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary sensor.

Nubia Red Magic 3S

If you are in the market for a powerful new gaming smartphone, the Nubia Red Magic 3S is one of the best options currently available. The gaming smartphone runs on a Snapdragon 855+ chipset with active and liquid cooling, ensuring smooth performance at all times. It is also equipped with a 90Hz AMOLED display, gaming triggers, and a massive 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging.

• $479 at Nubia

What you need to know

• Nubia president Ni Fei has hinted that the company's upcoming gaming smartphone will support 80W fast charging.
• Expected to be called the Nubia Red Magic 5G, the upcoming phone will come with a 144Hz screen and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset.
• The current fast charging champion is OPPO's Reno Ace, which supports 65W charging speeds.

Nubia President and co-founder Ni Fei had revealed earlier this month that the company's next flagship gaming smartphone will come equipped with a 144Hz refresh rate screen. Fei today shared a new post on Weibo, revealing yet another key feature of the upcoming flagship.

The photo posted by Fei on Weibo shows an upcoming Nubia phone supporting 9.6A of charging current at 8.4 volts. This means the phone will offer 80W fast charging using the USB PD protocol. The phone shown in the photo is expected to debut as the Nubia Red Magic 5G sometime later this year.

OPPO's Reno Ace is currently the world's fastest charging smartphone, although Xiaomi's upcoming Mi 10 Pro is expected to soon snatch that title from it. The upcoming Xiaomi flagship will support up to 66W charging speeds. OPPO's upcoming flagship phone, the Find X2 is also likely to support the same 65W Super VOOC fast charging technology as the Reno Ace.

The Nubia Red Magic 5G will be powered by a Snapdragon 865 processor and sport a 144Hz display. Like the Nubia Red Magic 3S, the upcoming flagship is also likely to pack a massive battery.

Nubia Red Magic 3S

The Red Magic 3S is a surprisingly good gaming smartphone that is powered by a fast Snapdragon 855+ processor and boasts an ultra-smooth 90Hz AMOLED display. Thanks to its massive 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging, you won't have to worry about running out of juice while playing games. You also get customizable Pro Triggers and an innovative cooling solution that combines liquid cooling with an internal fan.

• $479 at Nubia

What you need to know

• Nubia President and co-founder Ni Fei has revealed that the company's next flagship gaming smartphone will feature a 144Hz display.
• The gaming smartphone is likely to be powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 865 processor.
• There is no word yet on exactly when the Red Magic series phone will be made official.

ZTE's Nubia sub-brand launched multiple gaming smartphones last year, all boasting impressive hardware and gaming-centric designs. The company is now working on its next gaming flagship, which could be among the first phones to feature a 144Hz refresh rate display.

Nubia President and co-founder Ni Fei shared a post on his Weibo page earlier today, revealing that the company's next Red Magic series smartphone with 5G connectivity will have a 144Hz refresh rate display.

As can be seen in the screenshot shared by Fei on Weibo, the phone will allow users to choose from four different refresh rate options: 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz, and 144Hz. We can be fairly certain that the upcoming gaming phone will have Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 chipset under the hood, paired with up to 12GB of RAM.

While 144Hz refresh rate displays will likely to be limited to gaming smartphones like the upcoming Nubia Red Magic flagship, we expect to see quite a few mainstream flagship phones with 120Hz displays this year. OnePlus has already confirmed that its next flagship will have a 120Hz display. Samsung's Galaxy S20 series is also rumored to come equipped with a 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED panel.

Nubia Red Magic 3S

Red Magic 3S is one of Nubia's most impressive gaming smartphones yet, featuring a Snapdragon 855+ chipset with active and liquid cooling. The flagship-grade phone also boasts a smooth 90Hz display, gaming triggers, and a massive 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging.

• $479 at Nubia

With flagships from Samsung, Google, and others creeping to and beyond the $1000 marker, it's no surprise that there's a demand for "lite flagship" phones that offer a premium experience at a fraction of the cost.

This is a market OnePlus has dominated for years, with 2019 seeing the OnePlus 7 Pro and 7T further cementing the company at the top. However, that's not to say other brands aren't offering compelling options of their own.

Back in August, ZTE launched the Axon 10 Pro in the U.S. ZTE isn't really synonymous with affordable flagships in the country, especially after all of the controversies it's faced with the U.S. government over the past year. This might have caused the Axon 10 Pro to slip under your radar, but I'm here to tell you that it's absolutely worthy of your attention.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro Where it shines

There are a lot of strong suits offered by the Axon 10 Pro, the first of which I want to talk about is its display. It's only 1080p instead of Quad HD and doesn't have a fancy 90Hz refresh rate, but overall, it's very pleasing to look at and doesn't have any real downsides.

Colors are vibrant and punchy, text is crisp, and viewing angles are excellent. ZTE gives you a ton of settings to change how the display looks, including a reading mode, night light, and customizable color temperature.

A faster refresh rate would have been nice to have, but even being limited to 60Hz, I found myself thoroughly enjoying how everything looks on the Axon 10 Pro.

Even more impressive than the display is the Axon 10 Pro's performance. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor powers the phone, and you then have your choice of either 8 or 12GB of RAM. I'm using the 8GB variant, and not once did I find myself wishing for more horsepower.

This is an insanely fast phone, and no matter what I threw at it, it never choked up or slowed down. Apps open quickly, multitasking is as smooth as can be, and graphically-intensive games run without a hitch. Call of Duty Mobile is set to Very High graphics and High frame rate by default, along with real-time shadows enabled. Not only does it look gorgeous on the Axon 10 Pro, but it also performs incredibly well with smooth gameplay and responsive controls.

There's not a doubt in my mind that this is flagship-level performance, so the fact that ZTE is able to offer it at this price is quite remarkable.

Two other specs I've been really impressed with are storage and battery life. The Axon 10 Pro ships with 256GB of storage no matter if you get the 8GB or 12GB model, and it's a huge slap in the face to phones like the Pixel 4 that default to 64GB. However, ZTE doesn't stop there. Should you find that 256GB not being enough room, you can expand it up to 1TB using a microSD card.

In regards to battery life, the Axon 10 Pro is equipped with a beastly 4,000 mAh battery. As you might expect, such a huge battery paired with a 1080p display results in fantastic endurance. Even with heavy use all day long, the Axon 10 Pro easily makes it to the end of the night with some juice left in the tank.

When it does come time to charge up, you can take advantage of 18W fast wired charging and Qi wireless charging. The lack of wireless charging is one of my biggest frustrations when using a OnePlus phone, so the inclusion of this alone makes me more likely to reach for the Axon 10 Pro over my OnePlus 7 Pro. I get that wireless charging isn't a big deal for some people, but as someone that's gone all-in on it, I'm ecstatic that ZTE included it on the Axon 10 Pro.

ZTE's also generous with the cameras it gives you, including a 48MP primary camera, 8MP telephoto camera, and 20MP ultra-wide camera. The functionality you get with these three lenses is fantastic, making it easy to capture more in your shot without stepping back and get up close and personal with something far away.

As for image quality, it's fairly average. The Axon 10 Pro is capable of taking decent-looking shots, but it's not without its weaknesses. Zooming in on a picture often reveals a watercolor-like effect with some of the finer details, and low-light images having a lot of noise present in them.

The camera setup is perfectly suitable for sharing photos on social media, but there is a noticeable difference in quality compared to more expensive devices from Google and Samsung.

Last but certainly not least, I was pleasantly surprised by how clean and unobtrusive the software experience is on the Axon 10 Pro. ZTE has made some visual tweaks things like the quick settings and power menu, but for the most part, this is a very stock-like build of Android. There aren't any unnecessary duplicate apps, the default launcher has a Pixel Launcher appearance with the Google Feed on the left-most home screen, and any of the extra features ZTE has added are neatly hidden in the settings.

Source: Joe Maring / Android Central

Source: Joe Maring / Android Central

It is slightly annoying that the Axon 10 Pro is still running Android 9 Pie, but ZTE has said that it'll get Android 10 on the phone before 2019 is over. I typically don't have a lot of trust with ZTE in this department, but seeing as how the Axon 10 Pro got the December 2019 security patch before my Pixel 4 XL, it's looking like the company is doing what it can to improve its image here.

A few other honorable mentions before we continue:

• ZTE's optical under-display fingerprint sensor is surprisingly good. It's not quite as snappy as what you get on the OnePlus 7T, but it's been fast and reliable enough that it hasn't been an issue.
• An NFC chip is onboard for Google Pay support.
• The waterdrop notch at the top of the screen is very minimal and isn't distracting in the slightest.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro What I don't like

While you won't find any deal-breakers with the Axon 10 Pro that completely tarnish the user experience, I do have a few qualms with the phone that knock it down a couple of notches.

My first, and biggest, gripe has to do with the Axon 10 Pro's design. From an aesthetic point of view, it's very bland and not all that exciting. There's nothing offensive or bad about the way the phone looks, but I feel like we've seen a million other handsets in 2019 with this exact same design.

More irritating than the bland appearance is the glossy glass back of the Axon 10 Pro. The blue, super-reflective glass looks great when you take the phone out of its box for the first time, but after just a few minutes of use, it picks up fingerprints and smudges like no other. This is a phone that never looks 100% clean, and it makes me desperately wish ZTE had gone with a matte glass similar to what Google did with the Pixel 4.

Another design decision I'm not fond of is the Axon 10 Pro's curved display. This is something I complained about in my OnePlus 7 Pro review, and it's something I'll complain about here, too. I often found pages scrolling and videos closing on the Axon 10 Pro because part of my palm was touching the curved edge of the screen. Yes, the curves look fancy and stylish, but on the Axon 10 Pro and just about every other phone that uses them, they're a usability nightmare.

My last few complaints aren't as significant, but they're still worth mentioning.

While I was excited about the promise of stereo audio to go along with the excellent AMOLED display, the actual output of the external speakers is pretty weak. Audio is extremely tinny and shallow, with the front-facing speaker having the same quality of a walkie-talkie.

There's also the fact that the Axon 10 Pro only works on GSM networks like T-Mobile and AT&T. This isn't uncommon for unlocked Android phones, but when the OnePlus 7T works on those networks and Verizon, it does limit the Axon 10 Pro's potential user-base.

You also have to put up with some other smaller issues, like a weak vibration motor and buttons that rattle when you shake the phone, but compared to everything the Axon 10 Pro does well, these are mostly forgivable.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro Should you buy it?

ZTE hasn't been on my radar at all lately, so I've been seriously impressed with just how much I've enjoyed using the Axon 10 Pro.

The OnePlus 7T is clearly this phone's biggest competitor, and it shares enough blows that it stands out as a worthy alternative. Camera performance isn't quite as good and the design isn't impressive, but you get wireless charging, expandable storage, and performance that's every bit as good.

4 out of 5

If you're on AT&T or T-Mobile and are in the market for a new Android phone around $500, you owe it to yourself to check out the Axon 10 Pro. It may not have been on your radar up until now, but for some people, it could very well be the better purchase over something like a 7T.

No, it's not a perfect phone, but the insane value offered by the ZTE Axon 10 Pro is good enough that it's now one of my go-to recommendations for friends and family that are shopping on a budget.

What you need to know

• ZTE has launched three new Android smartphones in the U.S.: Blade 10 Prime, Blade 10, and Blade A7 Prime.
• The Blade 10 and Blade 10 Prime are priceed at $179 come come with dual rear cameras.
• ZTE's entry-level Blade A7 Prime is priced at $99 and comes with a 6.09-inch HD+ display, 16MP rear camera, 5MP selfie camera, and a 3,200mAh battery.

ZTE today launched three new budget Android smartphones: Blade 10, Blade 10 Prime, and Blade A7 Prime. The ZTE Blade 10 and Blade 10 Prime are both identical in terms of tech specs and only differ when it comes to support for network bands. While the Blade 10 Prime is available from Visible for $179, the Blade 10 is available unlocked from the ZTE website for the same price. ZTE Blade A7 Prime, on the other hand, is available from Visible for just $99.

ZTE Blade 10 and Blade 10 Prime feature a 6.3-inch FHD+ display panel with a waterdrop notch at the top. The two phones have MediaTek's Helio P60 processor under the hood, coupled with 3GB RAM and 64GB storage. On the back of the two phones is a dual camera setup featuring a 16MP primary sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor. Rest of the key highlights include a 16MP selfie camera, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm headphone jack, 3,200mAh battery, and a USB Type-C port.

The entry-level Blade A7 Prime comes with a 6.09-inch waterdrop screen with HD+ resolution. It runs on a quad-core MediaTek Helio A22 chipset, which has been paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage. The smartphone has a single 16MP camera on the back and a 5MP selfie camera up front. Similar to the other two phones, the Blade A7 Prime ships with Android 9 Pie.

ZTE Blade 10 Prime

ZTE Blade 10 Prime is an affordable budget Android smartphone that has a 6.3-inch display with a waterdrop notch and a 16MP selfie camera. You also get 64GB of expandable onboard storage, DTS audio, and 16MP + 5MP dual rear cameras.

• $179 at Visible

What you need to know

• Nubia Z20 is the brand's first flagship smartphone to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset.
• The smartphone features a notch-less 6.42-inch AMOLED display and a smaller 5.1-inch secondary display on the back.
• It is slated to go on sale in select international markets next month.

ZTE's Nubia sub-brand has taken the wraps off its latest flagship Android smartphone – the Z20. Similar to the Nubia X that was launched in China in October last year, the Z20 has two displays and lacks a front-facing camera.

The main screen on the front is a 6.42-inch curved AMOLED panel featuring Full HD+ resolution with razor-thin top and bottom bezels. On the back of the phone is a secondary 5.1-inch AMOLED panel with HD+ resolution. Apart from allowing users to take selfies, the secondary display also functions as an always-on display.

Nubia Z20 is powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 855+ chipset, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 512GB UFS 3.0 storage. When it comes to optics, the phone has a triple camera setup with an optically stabilized 48MP Sony IMX586 primary camera, a 16MP ultrawide angle camera, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.

The smartphone can record videos at up to 8K resolution and is capable of 1920fps super slow-motion video as well. Keeping the lights on is a 4,000mAh cell with 27W PD fast charging.

The Nubia Z20 will go on sale in China beginning August 16 for a starting price of 3,499 yuan ($496). For the top-end variant with 8GB RAM and 512GB storage, consumers in China will need to shell out 4,199 yuan ($595). Nubia has confirmed that the phone will be making its way to the U.S., Canada, UK, and Europe sometime next month.

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2018 saw Huawei and ZTE face tough criticism from the United States regarding the national security threat the White House says both companies pose on the country, and as we head into the new year, it doesn't look like things are going to be lightening up at all.

According to a report from Reuters, President Trump could issue an executive order as early as January 2019 that would require the Commerce Department to stop the sale of any and all telecommunications equipment from foreign brands that are seen as a national security threat. Although not currently named explicitly in the order, this would clearly have a big impact on Huawei and ZTE.

Per the report:

Neither company responded to Reuters with a comment on the news, nor did the White House.

Should the order go through, it's noted that it could have serious implications on rural businesses throughout the country.

Considering everything the U.S. has put Huawei and ZTE through this past year, a move like this doesn't come as a surprise at all. Here's to seeing what happens in the coming days.

Huawei shipped over 200 million smartphones in 2018

It can be easy to say that smartphones have become boring and are no longer interesting, but a quick look at devices being released in other parts of the world will quickly prove you wrong. Most recently, ZTE's sub-brand Nubia released a new phone that has not one, but two full-sized displays.

The phone in question is the Nubia X, and in addition to a 6.26-inch LCD 2,280 x 1080 display around front with extremely tiny bezels and no notch, there's also a second screen on the back that's an OLED panel with a resolution of 1520 x 720.

You'll notice that the front of the Nubia X doesn't have a front-facing camera — one of the reasons Nubia was able to cram in such a large screen-to-body ratio without succumbing to the notch trend. Instead, your selfies are taken with the dual 16MP + 24MP rear cameras with the secondary display acting as your viewfinder.

That's not all the second display can do, however. It can also be used to showcase animated wallpapers, add additional controls for certain games, and allows you to do pretty much anything you'd do with the main screen.

Other specs for the Nubia X include Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 processor, a 3,800 mAh battery, and Android 8.1 Oreo.

The Nubia X is available in China for ¥3299, and as we see with a lot of these unique phones that are launched in the East, it likely won't ever see a proper release in North America.

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Following a teaser from the company earlier this month, ZTE's officially unveiled the Axon 9 Pro at IFA 2018 in Berlin.

The Axon 9 Pro is the long-awaited successor to the Axon 7 from 2016, and if you live in a market where the phone's being sold, you're in for a real treat.

At first glance, the Axon 9 Pro has all the makings of a typical 2018 flagship. There's a 6.21-inch AMOLED display with a notch and 18:9 aspect ratio, dual 12MP + 20MP rear cameras, 20MP selfie camera, Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 4,000 mAh battery, and Android 8.1 Oreo.

None of that is particularly exciting on its own, but the Axon 9 Pro manages to stand out for two main reasons — a new feature called Axon Vision and its price.

Axon Vision is making its debut on the Axon 9 Pro, and according to a hands-on from Engadget, this system uses the phone's screen and an RGB sensor to enhance the color and sharpness of anything that's on the display based on the color temperature of the environment around you. In addition to making everything look prettier, Axon Vision can even add frames to videos so that 24 and 30 FPS content is turned into a much smoother 60 FPS.

As for the Axon 9 Pro's price, it's going to cost €649 when it goes on sale this September. That's not the most affordable Snapdragon 845-touting phone, but it's considerably less than the €999 Galaxy Note 9.

Unfortunately, while the Axon 9 Pro will be making its way to Europe, there aren't any plans to bring the phone to the United States.

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Updated July 13, 2018: It's official! Just a day after ZTE signed its agreement with the DOC, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced that the ban on ZTE has officially been lifted. The past three months have undoubtedly put a damper on ZTE, but at least it's finally done with this massive setback.

ZTE's woes in the U.S. are about to come to a close. The Chinese telecommunications giant has signed an agreement with the Department of Commerce that will lift the export ban — which will allow ZTE to do business with American suppliers like Qualcomm. ZTE was issued a denial order in April after it was revealed that the manufacturer violated sanctions against North Korea and Iran.

ZTE is now required to complete a $400 million escrow payment, following which the ban will be lifted:

The three-month saga is estimated to have cost ZTE upwards of $3 billion, according to Bloomberg. The company had to appoint a new chairman and replace its senior management, and while the export ban is set to be lifted, ZTE could face further penalties from the U.S. Senate.

Truth is stranger than fiction. In April, ZTE was banned from using U.S. hardware or software by the Commerce Department Secretary Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. Fast forward to May and the company was banned from selling any products on U.S. military installations along with Huawei. These bans resulted in ZTE shutting down all its operations because it's hard to make money when you can't sell any products.

Today? Trump is back to Twitter and back to breaking his own news stories.

This is certainly an unexpected event. But not necessarily a bad event. ZTE was banned from using U.S.-based hardware or software because the U.S. government felt it did not follow through on a court ruling that said the company needed to pay a hefty fine, fire several key executives, and admonish 32 employees — a charge ZTE denies. Ordering a denial may have been the Commerce Department's idea of playing hardball to force compliance.

Having said that, the original issue — ZTE admittedly sold technology products to North Korea and Iran — is still troubling. As is a sitting U.S. President working in that company's best interests after this was done.

This is surely just a small part of a bigger picture and only Presidents Trump and Xi know how it will play out. We're going to watch closely, along with the rest of America.

The power trio of Daniel Bader, Russell Holly, and Jerry Hildenbrand talk about ZTE being banned from using U.S.-based hardware or software in their products as a consequence of selling products into North Korea and Iran. Could this put an end to their smartphone business? Also, Google is set to announce 'Chat', a messaging client intended to unify chat across all Android devices and eliminate the need for SMS in most situations.

But wait, there's more! The gang also discuss rumors that LG's G7 will have a dedicated Google Assistant button, Huawei punts on the U.S. market, Xiaomi gets on the analog stick with a gaming-focused phone in China. Plus, Moto continues to lead the way with some new, cheap phones.

Listen now

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Show Notes and Links:

• The LG G7 will have a dedicated Google Assistant button
• Xiaomi's Black Shark shows that the next big leap for smartphones will be gaming
• Huawei will stop focusing on the U.S. following security setbacks
• ZTE banned from using U.S.-based hardware or software in its products
• Moto G6 series hands-on preview: Hello photo
• Moto E5 and E5 Plus hands-on preview: Your next cheap phone
• Google to evolve Android Messages into 'Chat' using RCS, will pause Allo development

The notch has been a controversial subject in the smartphone industry ever since the Essential Phone was announced almost a year ago, and the past few months have seen more and more OEMs adopt this design trend. WinFuture recently shared exclusive renders of a concept device ZTE's working on, and it features not one, but two notches in its display.

The phone in question is currently referred to as the ZTE Iceberg, and similar to what we've seen on other handsets, the notch at the top of its screen is home to a front-facing camera, ambient light sensor, and an earpiece for phone calls. At the bottom is where you'll find the Iceberg's second notch, and this houses another front-facing speaker that can be used in conjunction with the earpiece for stereo audio.

Having two cut-outs in the display certainly isn't my preferred design choice, but it does allow the rest of the Iceberg's front to be virtually all screen. It's a unique look, but it's not the only unconventional part of the phone.

On all four corners of the Iceberg are raised edges of glass the stick out further than what we see on most smartphones. It gives the Iceberg an even more iconic look, but I don't even want to think about what'll happen to the phone with a small drop on concrete or a wood floor.

Rounding out the phone are dual cameras on the back, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and some sort of smart connector that could allow for ZTE's own take on Motorola's Moto Mods.

ZTE's apparently touting the Iceberg as a phone for "after 2018", but even then, there's no guarantee it'll ever hit store shelves.

What's your take on the Iceberg?

Display notches are fine, but companies are doing a horrible job justifying them

The ZTE Tempo Go made its debut last month, and the phone is now up for sale in the U.S. direct from ZTE for $79.99. That's the price for the unlocked variant, and while the specs on offer are underwhelming, the overall experience should be considerably smooth thanks to Android Go.

As a refresher, Android Go is a lightweight version of Android designed for low-powered hardware. The OS comes with just nine pre-installed apps — including the likes of Google Go and Maps Go — and all of them are lightweight versions of Google services that take up less than half the space as the full-fledged clients.

The ZTE Tempo Go offers a 5.0-inch 854 x 480 display, quad-core 1.1GHz Snapdragon 210 chipset, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, microSD slot, 5MP rear camera, 2MP front shooter, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, and a 2200mAh battery. Android Go is based on Oreo, and the software updates are delivered direct from Google.

The goal with Android Go is to provide a decent software experience on phones with entry-level hardware, and the pure Android interface coupled with the promise of quick updates makes it an enticing option in the sub-$100 segment.

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During MWC 2018, we're getting a look at some of the first devices launching under Google's Android Go initiative.

For customers in the United States, the first Android Go phone they'll be able to buy is the ZTE Tempo Go.

Looking at the Tempo Go's specs, there's nothing here that's all that impressive. The screen measures in at 5-inches with a resolution of 480 x 854 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 210 and 1GB of RAM power the show. There's 8GB of onboard storage (expandable up to 32GB), 5MP rear camera, 2MP selfie camera, and a 2,200 mAh battery.

Other tidbits for the Tempo Go include a 3.5mm headphone jack, microUSB port, 4G LTE connectivity, and Bluetooth 4.2.

Before you shrug this off as just another cheap Android phone, there are a couple important things to take note of. First, the ZTE Tempo Go costs just $80. Second, since it's an Android Go phone, it's running a lightweight, stock version of Android Oreo and is promised to receive software updates in a timely manner – something you don't often see with Android handsets in this price bracket.

The ZTE Tempo Go is available for purchase on ZTE's website now, but at the time of publishing this article, it's currently listed as "sold out."

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