ZTE is the fourth largest manufacturer that sells smartphones in North America, behind Samsung, Apple and LG. ZTE and Rogers announced that the 5.5-inch Axon would be coming to Fido on November 6. Though announced in the US in July along with a more powerful Axon Pro, in Canada, with its partnering with Rogers, there are no plans to release it unlocked through any other retail channels. This Android 5.1.1 smartphone will arrive with a $400 no-term price tag, but you can also get one for only $100 on a two-year standard plan or $0 on a two-year Smart or Max Plan. ZTE is calling the Axon a “premium value,” which means it has some flagship specifications, but with an affordable price tag.
For its pricing, the Axon is a nice looking smartphone with clean metal lines – the speaker grills on the front are sharp looking. It will be available in three colors – Black, Chromium Silver and Ion Gold variants. It comes with a 5.5-inch IPS LCD Full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 401 pixels-per-inch (PPI). A Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3 GHz supplies the processing power. It comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of fixed internal storage. The Axon also sports two main camera sensors – 13MP + 2MP – with autofocus, dual-tone LED flash and can capture 4K videos. It also has a large 8MP front-facing camera for social selfies and video chatting. It has a great focus on sound with its Hi-Fi audio and dual front-facing speakers. A non-removable 3000 mAh battery provides power and has Quick Charge 1.0. It measures 153.9 x 73.7 x 9.4 mm and weighs in at 169.8 grams.
While some of the new Axon specs are essentially, 2014 specs, ZTE appears to be differentiating itself through a metal build quality, which does feel great. Not to mention, an emphasis on photos, video and sound capabilities. The main 13MP sensor boosts the same f/1.9 aperture that the Samsung Galaxy S6 uses – it is larger and allows more light in for better low-light pictures. The second 2MP sensor is used to capture depth and allows users to refocus photos after they have been taken. This was the same thought process used on the HTC One M8 duo-cameras. It also incorporates a rather large 8MP FFC as social media becomes more popular. This is a great device for Fido customers.