Since ZTE launched the Axon M foldable phone earlier this year, courting some of the world’s attention with its foldable nature, the company has been expected to release a follow-up. The Axon M features two 5.2-inch displays connected by a hinge which is clearly not the same technological design used by Samsung, LG, Huawei and others that are expected to be released next year. However, it seems ZTE could be working on a new foldable smartphone, but one with a flexible display.

ZTE has filed a design patent application earlier this year for the aforementioned device with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). The patent was filed on February 27 and the design is shown in the sketch to feature an external screen in front, which differs from the Axon M but comparable to the concept of the prototype released previous month by Samsung. The foldable device also features a dual camera setup at the rare coupled with a fingerprint sensor. The device becomes a tablet when it’s unfolded.

Read Also: Get up to 50% off on phones on Ulefone’s Big Christmas Promotion

The size of the device is not included in the issued patent application, but the display size of the tablet is twice the size of the external screen. Also, according to the patent application, the internal and the external screen will be of similar height, different from the device featured by Samsung previous month. With the accusations and allegations of the US towards Huawei and ZTE being national threats, it’s uncertain if ZTE’s foldable device would make it to North America.

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How many of you remember the ZTE Axon M, a dual screen experimental device? Well, despite some good specs and dual displays, it has not received good sales. In order to cash out or to increase sales, ZTE is offering over 65% discount off the original price of $725. Users can grab the Axon M at the price of $250 from Ebay in the US. In a similar discount, it is now available at the retail price of 1887 Yuan (~$272) at Jingdong Guanqi store.

The recent price cut has made it a hot deal for users who want to experience dual screens at a reasonable price. Earlier, due to the high price of the device, people were reluctant to choose Axon M. Now, as the price has been reduced, we hope to see a good number of sales.

There might be different reasons behind the recent price slash, but majorly it can be to garner some sales or to clear its stocks before launching a successor. Well, whatever the reason is, we suggest the users who want to buy it should grab it immediately, as stocks might end soon.

Additionally, the dual display’s each of 5.2 inches with 1080p resolution can combine to form a 6.75-inch 2160×1920 panel. ZTE Axon M is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC coupled with 4/6GB RAM having 64/128GB storage. In the camera department, it has a 20-megapixel camera, 3180 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging.

In order to fully utilize the dual display functionality, ZTE has added four different modes in the device. It carries classic mode, large screen mode, split-screen mode, and mirror mode. The split screen mode is quite efficient and is also a significant selling point. You can open multiple apps at the same time without any interference.

• Read More: ZTE Axon M Teardown Shows A Surprisingly Simple Internal Arrangement

It is one of the best deals that is available in the market. In the US, buyers can head over to ebay to get it for $250. While who are residing in China can grab it for 1887 Yuan (~$272) at its Jingdong Guanqi store with Plus membership.

(Source, Via)

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One of the trends we expect to see in the phone industry in the coming years is the foldable smartphone. There are a number of top manufacturers like Samsung and Apple that have been developing one for years. However, ZTE, another top manufacturer beat them to it with its Axon M dual-screen foldable phone released last year.

For Samsung, there have been lots of patents and leaks giving us a glimpse of what they are working on, but for the first time, we get to see a live photo, albeit a canceled version of one Samsung’s early prototypes.

While in development, the device was referred to as Project V and its model number was SM-G929F. What is striking about Project V is its design. It is the same type ZTE used for its Axon M. I think we can cut ZTE some slack now.

The device has two screens joined together by a hinge in the middle. The screen on the right is home to the old front-mounted fingerprint scanner pre-Galaxy S8. It also has capacitive navigational and multi-tasking buttons flanking it. At the top is the earpiece, a LED flash, and a camera. This is the only camera on the device.

A picture of the phone from another angle shows us the ports are attached to the screen on the right and it is also home to the device’s battery judging from its thickness. There is a speaker grille, a MicroUSB port, and a 3.5mm audio jack at the bottom. The SIM tray (and probably microSD slot) sits at the top.

There is no info on the specs of the device but some sources have said the phone was in development between 2015 and 2016, so its internals should be similar to Samsung flagships released in those years.

READ MORE: Samsung To Begin LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.0 Storage Mass Production This Year

Samsung is expected to release its foldable smartphone in 2019. However, there are rumors it will have a price tag close to $2000. That sure is a lot for a phone.

(Source, Via)

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ZTE first unveiled the Axon M with a foldable display back in November in the U.S. The device was launched in collaboration with U.S carrier AT&T. The smartphone also made its debut in China this January. The Axon M has received positive reviews so far but in reality, it is just a step towards developing a foldable smartphone because the Axon M is a smartphone with two screens. In case you are wondering how ZTE was able to mount the two screens on a single smartphone, here is a dismantling video by Zack Nelson on his YouTube channel JerryRigsEverything.

The Axon M dual-screen foldable smartphone is available online via MyZTE.com and JD.com in China. Interested individuals in China can also get the device offline via China Telecom stores. The device will also come to Europe where it will be available via Vodafone and TIM as well as other “leading carriers”. The ZTE Axon M sells for $725 in the U.S when buying outrightly. Customers also have the option of accessing the device through instalment payments via AT&T Next scheme which enables them to pay $24.17 each month for a period of 30 months.

Read More: ZTE Axon M Will Have A Successor: The Company Will Release Another Foldable Smartphone

As a reminder, the Axon M comes with an innovative foldable design which accorded ZTE a CES 2018 Innovation Award. The foldable device packs a pair of 5.2-inch screens with full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It has a single 20MP camera at the rear with image stabilization, PDAF, and 4K video recording. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 821 chipset paired with 4 GB of RAM and there is 64GB of internal storage onboard. The handset is preinstalled with Android 7.1.2 Nougat OS and keeping the lights on is a generous 3,180mAh battery.

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Chinese smartphone maker ZTE first unveiled the Axon M with a foldable display back in November in the U.S. The device was launched in collaboration with U.S carrier AT&T. ZTE is yet to bring its first foldable smartphone home to its Chinese fans and was expected to do that yesterday (January 16). However, it turns out that yesterday was just another promotional event where the company announced that the device would be available in China on January 20. 

The foldable smartphone is already up for pre-order online via MyZTE.com and JD.com. Interested individuals in China can also get the device offline via China Telecom stores. In addition, the Axon M will also be launched later the present quarter in Europe and would be available via Vodafone and TIM and other “leading carriers”. Unfortunately, we are yet to get the price it would be sold for. The ZTE Axon M sells for $725 in the U.S when buying outrightly. Customers also have the option of accessing the device through installment payments via AT&T Next scheme which enables them to pay $24.17 each month for a period of 30 months.

Read More: ZTE Axon M Will Have A Successor: The Company Will Release Another Foldable Smartphone

The Axon M comes with an innovative foldable design which accorded ZTE a CES 2018 Innovation Award. The foldable device packs a pair of 5.2-inch screens with full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It has a single 20MP camera at the rear with image stabilization, PDAF, and 4K video recording. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 821 chipset paired with 4 GB of RAM and there is 64GB of internal storage onboard. The handset is preinstalled with Android 7.1.2 Nougat OS and keeping the lights on is a generous 3,180mAh battery.

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ZTE Axon M is a unique and revolutionary product: it is the first and only phone which has a dual display and can be folded to transform it from a smartphone to a sort of tablet. But even though it is a very innovative device, the public feedback hasn’t been entirely positive. Despite this, the company has declared, through its marketing VP Jeff Yee, that it will keep experimenting with foldable phones, and this means that the Axon M will likely have a successor.

The company is working to innovate the series even more, so you can expect to see a foldable smartphone which, unlike ZTE Axon M, has a bezel-less display. You can also expect a real foldable display instead of two separate displays which merge with each other. The next foldable phone will obviously be a flagship, so it will not be sold with a low price tag. The Axon M has been launched in the U.S. with a price of about $730 and it is available through AT&T. Soon the handset will launch in China too, and we hope that it will obtain more success in the home country of the company.

The device is composed of two displays with a size of 5.2 inches which can form a 6.75-inch screen if you unfold the phone. Under the hood, ZTE Axon M sports a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC with a max frequency of 2.35 GHz: it is not the best one from Qualcomm, but it is the best one launched in 2016. It is possible to run two different apps on each screen, so, besides the comfort of having a smartphone which can turn into a tablet, this is also a great productivity phone.

Do you like this concept or you prefer the traditional smartphones?

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Mobile phones OEMs continually formulate innovative concepts in order to make smartphones more appealing to users which in turn leads to better sales. The latest trend has been the highly popular full-screen design which has found its way into almost all flagship models released in the second half of this year. The full-screen design is also getting an appreciable amount of usage in the mid-range and budget segment as well.

We may be seeing a slight shift from full-screen phone designs to dual screen foldable phones next year. There is a new rumour in town that many mobile phone manufacturers have got the foldable dual-screen phone in the works. This isn’t the first time we are getting such hint and sure, we are not talking about concept design anymore. ZTE recently announced the Axon M with a dual foldable screen design but the reception for that design hasn’t been encouraging. Sharp had also announced a dual screen foldable phone in the past.

Read Also: The Axon M is ZTE’s First Dual Screen Foldable Smartphone

Despite that, the latest news from the Taiwanese industrial chain shows that Huawei, OPPO and  South Korea giants Samsung and LG are all actively developing dual-screen foldable phones. However, the design is said to be what would set the models apart as they are trying to eliminate a separation of the two screens in order to get a good visual experience. Huawei Consumer Business VP Yu Chengdong is reported to have disclosed in an interview with CNET that his company is developing a foldable smartphone and the prototype is already out. The Huawei VP also disclosed that the company is trying to perfect the foldable phone design. Yu Chengdong also disclosed that Huawei foldable phone may launch next year depending on how soon they are able to perfect the display. We can’t say for sure when that will be but be rest assured that as soon as the perfect foldable full-screen phone is launched, the market will get busy with different foldable models.

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ZTE, today unveiled the Axon M at an event in the US. The foldable smartphone has a familiar but redefined design and is expected to change the way we use our phones.

Axon M Design

The Axon M reminds us of the Kyocera Echo, an android smartphone released in 2011 with foldable dual screens. You could also say it reminds you of a Nintendo DS without the buttons.

The Axon M is not as thick as any of the above mentioned devices and is certainly better looking. It has a metal frame and is thicker than your regular smartphone and heavier too at 230g. The dual screens are attached by a sort of hinge mechanism with one display attached to the body while the other can be folded to the back or extended outwards. The hinge actually works so well such that the phone will stand at virtually any angle when opened. You can also decide to lay it out flat completely.

ZTE Axon M Specs

The Axon M has two 5.2-inch displays, both covered with Gorilla Glass 5. Each has a FHD resolution with a 428ppi and an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 when laid out completely.

It is powered by the Snapdragon 821 mobile platform and packs 4GB of RAM. Built-in storage is 64GB but you can add an additional 256GB via a MicroSD card slot.

Because of the way the Axon M is designed, there is only one camera which can either be the front facing camera or the rear camera depending on how you hold it.

Launch the camera app when the phone is folded and it is in the selfie mode. Tap the icon to use it as the rear camera and you have to turn the phone to the second display which now displays the viewfinder. The camera is a 20MP F/1.8 sensor with image stabilization for pictures and videos and PDAF. There is a LED flash flanking it on the left.

The Axon M is an entertainment and productivity device and ZTE has added the features you need to enjoy media consumption. There are dual speakers and a dedicated HiFi audio chip. A 3.5mm audio jack sits at the top of the device and there is a USB-C port at the bottom for charging the 3180mAh battery. The device supports QC 3.0 for rapid refilling of the battery.

Sadly, the Axon M runs Android 7.1.2 out of the box.

Axon M Usage

The Axon M has two screens which means it should offer more productivity compared to a single screen device. ZTE says it can be used in three different modes and you can switch between the three modes using the virtual “Axon M” button which is positioned beside the familiar Android navigation buttons.

1. Extended Mode – denoted by a large A, this is for more screen estate when using a single app. Open YouTube and you can watch videos on one screen and scroll through the comments on the other screen. Launch Facebook or an e-mail app and the second screen becomes a keyboard.
2. Dual Mode – labelled AB, this is similar to regular split screen multitasking, but in this case each app occupies each of the displays. You can also run two instances of the same app on each screen. An example is firing up Google Docs and opening a slide, you can view the slide on screen and keep going through other files on the second screen. You will also be able to copy and paste from one document to the other. For entertainment, you can watch the new Black Panther trailer on YouTube on one screen and tweet about it on the other screen. There is also support for gestures – a three finger swipe will swap the positions of each app and a swipe across the bottom will extend the app from half-screen to full-screen.
3. Mirror Mode –  labelled AA, this mode duplicates what you are doing on one screen on the other. It is perfect for multiplayer games like chess or for watching a video with another person sitting across you while in tent mode.

READ MORE: Nubia Z17S Launched In China With Bezel-Less Display And Four Cameras

ZTE Axon M Price and Availability

The Axon M will be available as an AT&T exclusive in the US starting next month for $24.17/ month. ZTE says it will also be available in Q1 2018 in Japan through Docomo, China through China Telecom and on JD.com, and also in Europe.

There will be an overseas replacement assistance program (excluding Japan) and owners will get a free 2-year warranty.

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Earlier in this month, the rumor mill had revealed that ZTE will be announcing a foldable smartphone with dual screens called ZTE Axon Multy in the next month. Today, Android Authority has revealed a leaked photo to show the semi-unfolded view of the alleged smartphones.

The ZTE Axon Multy features a pair of full HD displays. When the device is unfolded, these screens join together to form a larger display of 6.8 inches with a resolution of 1,920 x 2,160 pixels. It suggests that the unfolded screen would offer an unconventional aspect ratio of 1:1. As it can be seen in the image below, the two displays are connected by means of a hinge.

Read More: ZTE’s Nubia May Have A Full Screen Smartphone Coming Soon

The leaked logo of the smartphone had suggested that the smartphone would be unveiled as ZTE Axon Multy. However, newer information suggests that the handset may debut as ZTE Axon M. It is expected to deliver superior multi-tasking experience as it will allow users to run different apps on both screens simultaneously

Previous reports have revealed the thickness of the device when kept in the folded state would be less than 10mm. The dual screen phone would be driven by Snapdragon 820 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. It is pegged to arrive with an internal storage of 32 GB. It is expected to include a 3,120mAh battery. It is speculated to feature a 20-megapixel camera and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The ZTE Axon M is rumored to be unveiled on Oct. 17 in New York. The Chinese firm had already confirmed that it would be holding an unveil event on that day. The Axon M is expected to be exclusively available in the U.S. through AT&T. As far as pricing is concerned, it is expected to cost around $650. Initial reports suggest that the smartphone may not be available outside of the U.S.

What do you think about this smartphone? Will it be able to entice buyers even though it does not feature high-end features like Snapdragon 835 and dual rear cameras? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(source)

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