ZTE is seemingly gearing up for the release of a new smartphone which recently earned a certificate from China’s regulatory agency TENAA. The device is identified by the model number ZTE V0721, strongly hinting that this may be a direct successor to last year’s ZTE Blade V7 Lite which happens to carry the model number V0720. The new model appears to fit in the budget-friendly market segment according to the specifications revealed by TENAA, which include an unspecified octa-core system-on-chip whose cores operate at 1.3GHz.
Furthermore, the TENAA listing reveals 3GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board memory with no possibility of expansion. Additionally, the ZTE V0721 appears to carry a 5.2-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, and two camera modules including a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing shooter. The back of the device accommodates a fingerprint recognition sensor and all the components rely on a 2,540mAh battery. According to the regulatory agency, the smartphone measures 146.1 x 72.6 x 8.25mm, weighs 138 grams, and will be launched in a couple of color options including Silver Gray and Gold. Lastly, the smartphone appears to run Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, which may be somewhat underwhelming for some prospective buyers given that Android 8.0 Oreo is already making its way toward certain smartphones around the globe. Regardless, the operating system is expected to be covered by a custom user interface developed by ZTE.
As of yet, there’s no telling when the ZTE V0721 might hit the market, especially considering the fact that the ZTE Blade V7 Lite which seems to be its closest relative was launched in February 2016. In any case, the upcoming device seems to be a direct upgrade over the 2016 model in virtually every aspect, including a more powerful SoC, additional RAM and on-board storage, and a slightly larger display boasting a higher pixel count. Unsurprisingly, pricing details have not been revealed by TENAA, but it’s worth noting that as of this writing, the ZTE Blade V7 Litecan be purchased online from retailers like Amazon for around $160. More details on the smartphone may follow in the coming months.
