Lenovo‘s ZUK brand seems to have been missing in action for a while especially since the launch of the edgy ZUK Edge. The brand is back in the news with a bang, as it announced the final push of the latest ZUI 2.5 stable version for the ZUK Z1 and the upgrade of the kernel to Android 7.0 Nougat.

If you’d recall very well that the Lenovo ZUK Edge which was announced in December last year was the first Lenovo smartphone to run on the new ZUI 2.5 based on Android Nougat. The company in January announced upgrades for the ZUK Z2, Z2 Pro, as well as the ZUK Z1 to the latest Android Nougat. While the Z2 and Z2 Pro seem to have gotten Android Nougat stable version, the ZUK Z1 only received an open beta version of the update only.

Now, the Snapdragon 801-powered Lenovo ZUK Z1, ZUK’s first flagship smartphone, has started getting the stable version of the Android Nougat-based ZUI 2.5. The new operating system comes with the version number 2.5.406 and the update package volume is a little above 1,000MB. The upgrade brings lots of new features to the interface which includes the ability to lock the phone’s gallery, split screen, screen recording, U-Touch fingerprint function and many others.

Read Also: Lenovo Announces Nougat Update for ZUK Z2 Pro and Z1

At the moment, some users have started receiving an update prompt but ZUK is yet to officially indicate it has started pushing the stable version to Z1 owners. Since the updates have started rolling in, we expect an official statement from ZUK any moment from now.

The post Lenovo ZUK Z1 Joins the Nougat Train, Gets Android Nougat-Based ZUI 2.5 Stable Version appeared first on Gizmochina.

If you own a ZUK Z2 Pro you should look forward to receiving the Android Nougat update today as some owners have started receiving it.

The Lenovo owned company had announced last month that it was planning a Nougat update for the ZUK Z2 Pro and ZUK Z1. The update was scheduled to start rolling out before the beginning of the Spring Festival next week. And true to their words, the update has started already.

The update comes as a ZUI 2.5.335 update based on Android Nougat. It will bring new features, security patches and bug fixes. The changelog is listed below:

• System optimization or system stability
• System security patches
• Split screen experience
• Fix system silent problem
• Repair off screen after a period of time to open the screen, WeChat “network connection is not available” problem
• Repair specific scenarios even accidental loud speaker problem
• Repair the occasional system color reversal problem
• A small tool to optimize the file manager performance
• Some basic Android Nougat changes

The post Android Nougat Update for ZUK Z2 Pro Already Rolling Out appeared first on Gizmochina.

Is it just me or are manufacturers taking updates more seriously now? In the last couple of weeks, we have seen a number of manufacturers roll out Nougat updates to their devices or announce a roll-out plan. Lenovo has joined the ranks and have announced a Nougat update for its ZUK  sub-brand.

The Android 7.0 update will come in form of a new version of their ZUI OS. The new ZUI  2.5 update is scheduled to roll out before the Spring Festival which falls on January 28.

ZUK is also keeping its promise of updating its first flagship, the ZUK Z1 to Android Nougat and will be the first Snapdragon 801 phone to get updated to the latest version of Android. The ZUK Z1 will only receive an open beta version of the update though, and it will be available before the Spring Festival too.

READ MORE: Huawei Announces Roll-Out Plan for Nougat Update

This news will definitely increase the sales of the ZUK Z2 Pro which already has a price cut and is one of the cheapest SD 820 hones in the market as at this moment. We are however surprised that the ZUK Z2 was not mentioned.

The post Lenovo Announces Nougat Update for ZUK Z2 Pro and Z1 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Lenovo’s sub-brand ZUK has a one interesting device – the Z1. It has decent specs and performance for the price but you may be curious about its camera. Thus, I decided to put it against the slightly more expensive OnePlus 2, which is capable of capturing some impressive looking images.

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Lenovo ZUK Z1 vs OnePlus 2 Camera Comparison: VIDEO

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORaCkQsWrNI[/embedyt]

Lenovo ZUK Z1 uses a 13MP Sony IMX214 camera with IOS and this combo sounds pretty good on paper.

The OnePlus 2 has a 13MP OmniVision sensor with both IOS and laser-assisted auto-focus systems.

I’ve put these cameras head-to-head to see which one is better but this time around I ask you to be the judge and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Please make sure to stay tuned for the full comparison review, where I’m going to tell my opinion.

Buy Chinese smartphones from Giztop

The post Lenovo ZUK Z1 vs OnePlus 2 Camera Comparison appeared first on Gizmochina.

On 26 October, ZUK launched its flagship Z1 in the Middle East at the Dubai Event. The company has entered in a partnership with Comtel for selling its devices in the region. Comtel is a leading distributor of smartphones in Middle East as well as Africe, so this partnership will give some exposure to the Z1 in the region.

Since its launch back in August in China, the Lenovo backed yet independent ZUK brand has received positive comments for its first smartphone. It comes with a large 4000mAh battery, unusual in flagships at this price, making it set apart from the crowd. Even the solid aluminum body of the device makes it look pretty premium.

At the Dubai Conference, ZUK CMO Mr. Jin Chen addressed the attendees revealing details about the Comtel partnership.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Jin Chen, Chief Marketing Officer, ZUK Mobile, said, “It is indeed a proud moment for us to introduce ZUK Mobile in the region in partnership with Comtel. We believe partnering with a key distributor as Comtel will give our brand the platform and the momentum to penetrate into high growth and far reaching markets in the MEA region. Our strategy is to offer a limited but powerful portfolio of models – each device will be a master-piece at a price which will wow our customers and channel.”

The phone does have the goods to do well in the Middle East. First of all, its cheap costing less than $300. Secondly, it comes with pretty great specs like 3GB RAM, Snapdragon 801, 64GB ROM, WorldMode LTE ie FDD-LTE and TDD-LTE and dual SIM dual standby. So, the brand could be well received in the region. But its still too early to comment.

The company has also revealed that after launching in the Middle East, it is eyeing the European as well as South East Asian markets. Unfortunately, the company is yet to reveal a launch date in these regions.

Meanwhile, you can check out some of the pictures of the Dubai Launch from down below.

The post ZUK All Set For European & South East Asian Markets After Middle East Launch appeared first on Gizmochina.

UPDATE: The deal still seems to be available (at $279.99), so do check out the page in case you are interested in buying the phone.

Lenovo backed ZUK Z1 first was launched in China and now is available internationally. The phone usually retails for around $300, but for a limited period today, Aliexpress is offering the smartphone for just $279.99. What’s more this is for the 64GB version of the smartphone making the deal all the more sweet. You also get 2 year warranty on the device.

We think this is a great deal for anyone looking for a powerful flagship under $300. The phone features the Snapdragon 801 chipset with 3GB of RAM and a large 64GB of storage. There’s a large 4100mAh battery as well, which makes sure that the phone will last for more than a day. As for the display, its a 5.5-inch panel with FHD 1080p resolution. At the back, there’s a 13MP shooter while up front, you have a 5MP camera. The phone supports 4G LTE networks with supported bands that include: FDD-LTE 1800/2100/2600MHz.

Overall a great device for just $279.99. Remember this is a limited period offer, so you better grab the deal as soon as possible. There’s only around 1000 units available at this discounted price tag, and within minutes of the deal, around 150 units have already been sold.

The post 64GB Lenovo ZUK Z1 Flagship Available At Just $279.99 Today With 2 years Warranty appeared first on Gizmochina.

Lenovo backed ZUK announced its first smartphone a few months back. The ZUK Z1 is now available both in China as well as internationally and is one of the few flagship smartphones that can boast of a battery that’s bigger than 4000mAh. While this will definitely offer better battery life as compared to its rivals, the company has just released some more details about the phone’s technology which improves its life.

The ZUK Z1 reportedly comes with a special chip inside which helps increase the age of its battery. To help you understand how this chip increases its life, we would first have to know how normal smartphones work during charging.

In case of a regular smartphone, when the battery inside is fully charged and yet is being kept on charging, the internal mechanism of the phone shuts off the direct charging automatically. This means that after getting fully charged, the phone will start using its own battery even when a charging cable is connected. Now, when the battery is again discharged to a certain level, the charging process starts to kick in.

This process continues as long as the charger is connected to the phone. This charging – discharging process ages the battery, which means you may not get as much battery life like you did at the start, after a few months.

On the other hand, the ZUK Z1 reportedly comes with a special chip to solve this problem. Once the phone is fully charged, instead of shutting off the external power supply, the phone’s chip makes sure that it starts using the power supplied by the charger. So, there’s no constant charge – discharge going on which helps improve the age of the battery to a certain level.

While this may not be a revolutionary feature, still its good to know that such a chip helps the Z1’s battery to age slower. Further, the 4100mAh battery should provide pretty good battery backup (more than a day easily). Also, the ability of charging at 5V 2A means that the phone charges quickly as well.

Have any of you bought the device? What do you think about the phone’s battery?

The post ZUK Z1 Features A Special Chip To Enhance Its Battery Life appeared first on Gizmochina.

However, this presented another question. Will the ZUK Z1 International version too be upgraded to Android 6.0? At that time, we weren’t sure of this, but according to the latest news, the international variant will also be upgraded to Android 6.0. This particular version runs on the Cyanogen OS 12.1 based on Android 5.1.1. It is said that Cyanogen is working on the Android 6.0 based Cyanogen OS 13 and ZUK Z1 International version will be one of the first devices to get the update.

Unfortunately, at this moment, there’s very little information regarding the Cyanogen OS 13 update. But given that the Chinese variant of the device is supposed to get the update sometime after February, you can expect the same release time frame for the international variant as well.

We will keep you guys updated if more information comes up in the next few weeks.

The post ZUK Z1 International Version To Get Cyanogen OS 13 Based On Android 6.0 appeared first on Gizmochina.

ZUK co-founder Chenyu has just announced via his Weibo page that the company has started on the development of Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for ZUK Z1. At present, the update is being adopted for the domestic version of the device. However, since the domestic version will receive the update next year, we also expect the international version to get the update sometime in 2016.

The domestic version of ZUK Z1 features the company’s own ZUI operating system based on Android. On the other hand, the international variant comes with CyanogenOS on board. The company had already started on the Marshmallow update since Google announced it. However, Chenyu adds that there is still a lot of work to be done which will likely be completed by the Chinese New Year in February. So, domestic ZUK Z1 users can expect the Marshmallow update sometime in March 2016.

Unfortunately, we have still no official information about the Marshmallow update time frame for the international ZUK Z1 variant.

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ZUK announced its first smartphone, ZUK Z1 last month with flagship features such as a 5.5-inch 1080p FHD display and Snapdragon 801 chip. The highlight of the device was its support for latest USB 3.0 standard on the USB type-C port. This made ZUK Z1 the first smartphone with such configuration. Since the phone came with a massive 4100mAh battery, it was necessary for the device to feature a tech like fast charge. Also, we know all Qualcomm 800 series processors supported Quick Charge 2.0, and hence we expected even the ZUK Z1 to come with this tech. But according to a charging analysis of the international version of the ZUK Z1 flagship by the smart charger manufacturer Tronsmart, the device does not support QC 2.0. This could be due to hardware or software limitations.

Before we move on to see the analysis by Tronsmart, lets take a look at the specifications supported by QC 2.0.

Now coming to the actual analysis done by Tronsmart, they tested the international version of the ZUK Z1. This version comes with CyanogenOS and supports charging at 5V 2A. On the other hand, the Chinese variant with ZUI comes with support for 5.3V 2.5A.

Using the original 5V/2A adapter provided in the packaging, the ZUK Z1 charged up to 15% in about 20 minutes. According to their test, the phone was charging at full 2A limit when the screen was off. The total charging time from 0% to 100% of its 4100mAh battery took about 2.5 hours, which is pretty impressive.

However, we had to see whether the phone supported QC 2.0, which can take more than 2A of current. To test this, the guys over at Tronsmart swapped the original charger with their own QC 2.0 supported fast charger at 2.5A. However, even with this charger, the result was more or less the same.

As a result, it looks like the international version of the ZUK Z1 limits current to 2A, which means it does not support fast charging at QC 2.0 standard. On the other hand, the Chinese variant with EUI will charge at a slightly faster rate since its supports charging at 2.5A.

But to be honest, even without QC 2.0, ZUK Z1 manages to impresses us by charging up to 100% within 2.5 hours. So, I am sure, many won’t mind the lack of Quick Charge 2.0 support on the device.

But we would like to know if you are disappointed to hear this news? Or are you fine with the charging time of 2.5 hours?

Let us know in the comments section below.

Meanwhile, hit the source link to check out the detailed charging analysis from Tronsmart of the ZUK Z1.

The post ZUK Z1 Does Not Support Quick Charge 2.0, but Charging is Still Fast appeared first on Gizmochina.

The smartphone, we are talking about the Lenovo ZUK Z1’s International version, the 5.5-inch phablet with an IPS FHD Display with 1500:1 contrast levels and 401 pixels per inch.

On the spec sheet, we have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 which is a quad-core CPU with 3GB RAM and Adreno 330. The 801 is based on the 64-bit architecture and will take advantage of Android Lollipop’s new ART Runtime.

The phone also boasts a 13-MP camera on the back with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), which puts it in a category very few phones to have the feature, from Lenovo. The front is equipped with an 8-MP camera for crisp selfies.

Other feature of the ZUK Z1 include 64-GB internal storage, USB Type-C connector, Bluetooth 4.1 LE (Low Energy), 4G connectivity for both the sims which are nano Sim size.

The main attraction of the phone is the HUGE 4,100-mAh battery which allows the phone to last more than one day on a single charge. Even with the large battery, the phone only weighs in at 180 grams.

One of the other things is the phone’s design itself. The ZUK Z1 resembles the iPhone in a lot of ways, as you can see from the pictures above. That is a good thing, making the phone familiar and wasy to handle. The Z1 has thin bezels, with chrome finishing on all the edges. The Z1 is available in white or Dark grey color options.

The post Lenovo ZUK Z1: The Snapdragon 801, 3GB RAM, 4G Smartphone appeared first on Gizmochina.

This afternoon, ZUK officially announced the international variant of the ZUK Z1 flagship. The company has revealed that the ZUK Z1 smartphone will be available for sale in a number of regions such as Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Americas from September this year.

According to ZUK’s international sales strategy, the company is looking to partner with Amazon to sell its smartphone outside of China. The company will also work with local retailers to sell the device at a retail price tag of $299. This is slightly higher than the domestic price tag of 1799 Yuan ($285).

One major difference between the international version and the domestic version will be CyanogenMod. The company has announced strategic partnership for the ZUK Z1 International edition. The phone will come pre-loaded with Android 5.1.1 system based on Cyanogen OS 12.1. Given that Cyanogen is one of the most popular ROMs in the market, its actually good to see an official tie up with the company.

The specs of the ZUK Z1 International edition will be the same as the domestic model. So, you get Sandpragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz inside with 3GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and 5.5-inch full HD 1080p display. There will be a 13MP camera at the back along with an 8MP front facing shooter. The battery will be of 4100mAh which is reportedly enough to last a whole day with heavy usage. The home button up front will feature fingerprint recognition along with other smart gestures and the port at the bottom will be the new USB Type-C with USB 3.0 specification. This means fast charge at 2.5A!

Considering the specifications of the ZUK Z1, the international price tag of $299 is quite decent.

We were present at the event today and got to take some beautiful pictures of the device. You can check out our ZUK Z1 International Edition hands on from down below.

The post ZUK Z1 International Version Launched With Cyanogen OS 12.1 for $299 appeared first on Gizmochina.

When established smartphone makers are obsessed about reducing the bezels on its flagships to a bare minimum, ZUK is apparently taking things to a whole new level. Just towards the end of the conference on Aug 11, where ZUK announced its first smartphone, the ZUK Z1, the company reportedly showcased an interesting prototype.

A transparent screen smartphone was showcased at the experience section. As you can see in the picture above, the transparent screen phone is no gimmick. The phone does exist and it looks like ZUK has the tech to make such an advanced device.

The phone was displayed on the stand and it is said the device can perform all the functions as a traditional smartphone. For example, it can display images, make phone calls, play music etc. In fact, as you can see in one of the image, the photo displayed was quite clear despite the transparent screen.

Of course, let me remind you that this is just a prototype device and don’t expect a retail launch at least in the next one year. Its not going to be easy to manufacture transparent phones on a mass scale, at least right now. So, it may take a while until the market starts seeing transparent screen smartphones.

Still, it good to see there is a working prototype. And from what we can see in the images, the phone definitely looks advanced.

So, what do you think? Are transparent screen phones the future?

The post Don’t Like bezels? Take A Look at the Transparent Screen Phone From ZUK appeared first on Gizmochina.

ZUK just announced its first smartphone in the market, the ZUK Z1. The phone comes with impressive specs and a beautiful design, making it a great competitor to the OnePlus 2. However, one area where you might be a bit concerned is the processor under the hood, which is the year old Snapdragon 801. So, lets take a look at the ZUK Z1 Antutu score to get some idea if its still capable.

The company said that the phone managed to score about 46,000 on AnTuTu easily. This is not a bad score and considering that the Snap 801 doesn’t suffer from any heating issues as the 810, this could be a good move. Moreover, the company was also able to limit the retail price tag to just $285 by using an year old chip.

Now that the device is official, you must be wondering about the performance of the phone in real life. And within a few hours of launch, we have the first AnTuTu benchmark results of the ZUK Z1 flagship.

The flagship managed to post a decent score of 47,463 on AnTuTu. Although this isn’t as high as other flagships in the market like the Mi Note Pro or the Meizu MX5, but its still good enough to handle any tasks.

Feel free to share what you feel about ZUK using an year old Snapdragon 801 chip inside its first flagship smartphone. Was it a smart move to use 801 instead of the overheating 810?

The post ZUK Z1 AnTuTu Benchmark Results Revealed appeared first on Gizmochina.

After months of rumors and leaks, ZUK finally unveiled its ZUK Z1 flagship at Beijing today. We already knew a lot about this device, thanks to the TENAA listing and recent leaks, but now everything has become official.

The ZUK Z1 comes with top-end hardware, and a customized UI, to give you the perfect flagship experience. The company had said earlier that it would focus on the UI, and this is the first time, we get a glimpse of the ROM.

But before we take a look at the ROM, lets check out the specifications. The ZUK Z1 comes with a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution display. Under the hood is the Snapdragon 801 32-bit chip clocked at 2.5GHz. While this is an old chipset, it still quite capable. The company claims that on an average, the chip managed to score about 46,000 on AnTuTu.

Further, there’s 3GB of RAM on board, with 64GB of internal storage. It was important to have a large internal storage since there’s no option to expand it externally. At the back, there’s a 13MP camera with OIS and a front facing 8MP shooter.

One of the highlights of the ZUK Z1 is its large 4100mAh battery. This coupled with 2.5A fast charge, thanks to the USB 3.0 Type-C port will make sure that you don’t have to worry about battery life. It will easily give you more than a day’s usage. Further, even with the large battery, the body is just 8.9mm thick and weighs only about 175 grams. 

Another highlight of the Z1 is the special multi-function U-Touch button. The user can perform five different kinds of function, like fingerprint, return/ back, switching back and forth between open apps, returning to home button and finally, opening up the multi-task management tool. All these functions can be used by slightly different gestures on the button.

As mentioned above, the ZUI is going to be a major attraction of the ZUK Z1. The company has incorporated a special security center in the background which automatically cleans up the device. The ICON designs are unique and the overall UI looks quite refined and beautiful. The lock screen color changes with the wallpaper. The company also adds that it has paid special attention in designing apps for the device. It took around 10 month to completely design the Calender app on the ZUI. In case you are wondering, the ZUI is based on the new Android 5.1 Lollipop version. You can even expect the Android M based ZUI version on the device later.

Overall, the ZUK Z1 turns out to be a great package. It looks good, has enough firepower underneath to handle any tasks thrown at it and finally, retails for a pretty decent price tag. You just have to shell out 1799 Yuan ($285) to get this 64GB version, which I personally feel is quite good.

Of course, we still have to see the device in action, and check out its 13MP camera at the back with OIS. There are other aspects to review like the new U-Touch button, but for now, the overall package looks quite good.

So, what do you think about the ZUK Z1? Worthy enough to be your next smartphone? Also, let us know whether you feel the company made a risky decision by using the year old Snapdragon 801 chipset inside.

ZUK Z1 SPECS SUMMARY
• Screen: 5.5 inches 1920 × 1080 resolution, full-bonded IPS screen
• CPU: 2.5GHz frequency of 32 Qualcomm Xiaolong 801 quad-core processor 46Kon AnTuTu
• RAM: 3GB
• ROM: 64GB (does not support MicroSD expansion)
• Front Camera: 8 megapixel
rear camera •: 13 million pixels (Optical Image Stabilizer)
• Battery: 4100mAh 2.5A fast charge
• body size: 155.7 × 77.3 × 8.9mm, 175 g
• Network mode: Mobile / Unicom / Telecom 4G / 3G / 2G ( Dual SIM)
• Operating system: Android 5.1 with ZUI
• Highlights: U-Touch, high-capacity battery, fingerprint recognition
• Price: 1799 yuan ($285)

The post ZUK Z1 Is Official With A Beautiful Body, 5.5-inch FHD Display & 4100mAh battery appeared first on Gizmochina.

We are just a few hours away from the official unveiling of the awaited ZUK Z1 smartphone, but it looks like someone couldn’t wait for that long. Additional pictures, specs and pricing of the ZUK Z1 flagship have been revealed, showing that the phone will be a pretty interesting package.

The ZUK Z1 flagship is said to come with a 5.5-inch full HD 1080p display with last year’s Snapdragon 801 processor. There will be 3GB of RAM on board along with 64GB of internal storage. At the back, the phone will have a 13MP camera while up front, there will be an 8MP shooter.

The company had already confirmed that the ZUK Z1 will feature the new U-Touch home button that integrates fingerprint recognition. However, apart from that, the touch button will also support multiple functions, making it a bit unique. As for network connectivity, the phone will come with dual SIM dual standby with 4G LTE support. Another highlight will be its USB Type-C 3.0 port with theoretical transfer speeds up to 5Gbps. The battery will be larger than 4000mAh (4100mAh?) and the phone will run on Android 5.1.1 with the company’s own ZUI on top.

The pricing also has been leaked. The ZUK Z1 was spotted on JD.com for a price tag of 1799 for the 64GB version. Its actually pretty decent price ( comes out to $285) for the specs and the features that you get. Of course, we would have liked if the phone was a bit cheaper than this, but we will have to wait for official confirmation later today.

What do you think, is 1799 Yuan a decent price for ZUK Z1? Or do you expect a cheaper price than this?

The post ZUK Z1 Specs & Price Leaked Just A Few Hours Before Launch! appeared first on Gizmochina.

ZUK Z1 is all set to debut on August 11, next month. And since the past couple of weeks, we have got a number of new renders as well as specs info about the upcoming device. In fact, the Z1 recently hit TENAA revealing the overall design of the phone.

Now, two new pictures of the ZUK Z1 have surfaced online, giving us a closer look at the lower back region. These pictures are super clear and much better than the renders that were released by the CEO a few days back.

In the first image, you can clearly see the USB Type C 3.0 port at the bottom. Besides the port, there’s the speaker grill. And on the right, you can see the single microphone opening. Another important aspect revealed by this image is that beautiful metal frame that goes around the body. Finally, there’s the same ZUK branding on the lower back region as we saw in the previous images.

The second image shows us the SIM card tray that can be removed. It looks like the tray can hold two Micro SIMs. But doesn’t look like a MicroSD / SIM card combo tray.

Finally, the third image reveals the 4G LTE connectivity details of the device. So, the phone will support 4G LTE connectivity specifically the following bands: 1, 3, 7, 38, 39, 40 and 41 and both TD-LTE and FDD-LTE networks.

As for the specs, the company has confirmed 3GB of RAM, USB Type C 3.0 port, U-Touch Physical home button with fingerprint ID up front and 4000mAh + battery. What we are unsure about is the processor. ZUK could go with Snapdragon 808 like Motorola did with its recent Moto X Style. Also, we don’t know if there’s a MicroSD card slot on the device, but we sure hope so.

Well, the device is turning out to be a true flagship smartphone in terms of specs as well as design. This makes us all the more excited to see the handset in real, which should be sometime after the launch on August 11.

The post Two New ZUK Z1 Images Leak, Along With Some Specs appeared first on Gizmochina.

The ZUK Z1 is creating a lot of buzz in the market with its high-end specs. The company has already confirmed that it will be the first smartphone in the market with a USB Type C port 3.0 specification. We have also seen a couple of renders of the device which show us that the phone is pretty premium looking too. Now, Chinese media has revealed a few details about the possible pricing of the ZUK Z1!

The report states that the ZUK Z1 will be priced at 2499 Yuan. This comes to just over $400, which is a great price considering the specs on the device. However, it is said that ZUK may be trying to lower the final price to around 2299 Yuan instead of 2499 Yuan when it launches on August 11. This brings the pricing down to just $370, which will make it one of the cheapest 4GB RAM devices in the market.

Unfortunately, the company hasn’t revealed anything about the phone’s pricing officially. So, we will have to wait till the launch day, i.e. August 11 to check whether this figure turns out to be accurate.

Meanwhile, a couple of new renders were released on Weibo a few hours back and you can check them out from down below.

The ZUK Z1 is turning out to be a pretty good device in terms of specs as well as design. Could the Z1 establish itself as a flagship killer like the OnePlus One? Well, we just have to wait and watch what happens. Also, do check out the possible specs of the new Z1 from this article.

The post The World’s First USB 3.0 Type-C Smartphone, ZUK Z1 Could Be Priced At 2299 Yuan ($370) appeared first on Gizmochina.

Just a few hours after CEO Chang Cheng revealed the first renders of the ZUK Z1, the device hit TENAA. This means, we have the full set of images of the flagship, and the design is similar to the renders shown earlier.

According to the images revealed by TENAA, the flagship will feature an iPhone 6 like design with a metal frame with smooth round edges going around the whole body. The front features a basic design, however you can see the rectangular physical home button just below the display. This will reportedly feature the company’s innovative UTouch tech.

ZUK Z1 TENAA Images

1 of 4

Coming to the back, there will be a round camera sensor on top with color temperature flash. Like we saw in the render, the ZUK logo will be located near the bottom. Today’s renders also revealed a slightly curved back, which is probably because of the 2.5D glass back. Further, there was the reversible USB Type-C 3.0 port at the bottom with speakers and microphones on its either side.

While TENAA didn’t reveal the full tech specs of the device, the Chinese website Anzho reports that the ZUK Z1 will feature Snapdragon 808 processor and a large 4100mAh battery. Its hard to judge the exact thickness of the device from these pictures, but they look quite normal. It would really be an achievement if the company managed to pack in such a large battery in a decently sized device.

Along with these specs, we know a lot about the upcoming device. It will come with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, dual SIM dual Standby, USB 3.0 Type-C port, and U-Touch fingerprint ID. What we don’t know is the camera size, but we hope to get those details too in the coming days.

The post ZUK Z1 Passes Through TENAA, Comes With A Physical Home Button appeared first on Gizmochina.

From what we have heard till now, Lenovo’s newly launched brand, ZUK is going to release a pretty high-end flagship, ZUK Z1 next month. The company has already confirmed a bunch of awesome features on the device like a 4000mAh+ battery and USB Type-C port. Now, just a few days before the release, ZUK CEO Chang Cheng has given us a glimpse of what the new ZUK flagship will look like.

He just released a new render of the ZUK Z1 on weibo which tells us a bit about the design of the device. We can see a metal frame that goes around the body as well as a slightly curved back. From the image, it looks like the back is 2.5D glass. At the bottom, there’s the USB Type-C reversible port as well as speakers on one side and microphone on the other.

One thing to note here is that, the Type-C port that you see in the picture, is not your regular port. It actually supports USB 3.0 specification which means faster data transfer speeds (up to 5Gbps theoretical) and faster charging speed.

The phone is also said to come with a physical home button, with U-Touch fingerprint ID integrated. However, we can’t see the button since the render just shows the back. Also, the battery life is said to be amazing, thanks to its large capacity. 

The company will announce the ZUK Z1 flagship on August 11, but we expect more details before the release.

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We all have been waiting patiently to see the upcoming ZUK Z1 flagship. This will be the first smartphone from the Lenovo subsidiary, which will reportedly focus a lot on the software and UI. However, that doesn’t mean the phone is going to be just average, as recent teasers have confirmed high-end specs for the Z1.

Earlier today, the company officially confirmed via Weibo that they will be keeping a press conference on August 8. The conference will be held to unveil the new ZUK Z1 flagship. From what we have heard, the phone has pretty good specs.

We already know for sure that it will be the first smartphone to feature USB Type-C 3.0 port. This not only increases transfer speeds to a whole new level, but also makes fast charge possible at 3A. So, even though its not the first to boast of the reversible USB Type-C port, its going to be the first one to use the advanced USB 3.0 specification.

Other specs are also high-end. The phone will come with a special fingerprint sensor called as the U-Touch integrated directly into the home button. So, users can unlock the phone, just by pressing the button up front.

ZUK Z1 is expected to come with a 4000mAh+ battery, which will make it one of the few big battery flagship phones from an established manufacturer. Further, under the hood, we expect at least 3GB of RAM and Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset.

The company has already established a strategic partnership with JD.com, one of the biggest e-commerce sites in China. So, the phone will be sold via JD.com in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, we still have no clue about its pricing. However, since Lenovo is known to price its products aggressively, we hope the upcoming ZUK Z1 turns out to be affordable.

Stay tuned for more details.

Meanwhile, you can check out the first camera samples for the ZUK Z1 from here.

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A couple of days back, we reported that Lenovo’s sub brand, ZUK will be unveiling its ZUK Z1 smartphone with the new USB Type-C port. If you are an avid tech follower, you would know that the Z1 isn’t the first smartphone to come with this new port. We have already seen it in a couple of devices like the LeTV series. In fact, most upcoming flagships like the OnePlus Two will come with this port.

However, if you think that the USB Type-C on these devices and ZUK Z1 will be same, then you have been mistaken. Earlier today, ZUK CEO said that although in looks the USB port on LeTV phones and ZUK Z1 will be similar, internally, the specs are a bit different. The USB Type-C port inside the ZUK Z1 will be of USB 3.0 specification instead of the traditional and slower 2.0 specification. This would make it the first smartphone with a USB Type-C 3.0 port.
The new USB 3.0 specifications brings a lot of advantages. First of all, it increases the transfer speed to a great extent. Instead of the slow 280Mbps theoretical transfer rate, in the new USB 3.0, users can transfer at rates as fast as 5Gbps. Further, the port will support 3A current which means it will come with fast charging tech.
Other specs of the ZUK Z1 are also pretty impressive. The phone is said to come with 4G LTE network connectivity, with support for all the three major carriers in China. There will be a fingerprint sensor on board along with a large 4000mAh + battery. This will make it one of the few flagships who can boast of such a large battery.
Overall, it looks like ZUK Z1 will be a powerful device with the latest tech from the industry. We are still not sure about the launch period, but expect it before the end of this year.
Stay tuned for more details.

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Lenovo has been increasing its presence in the smartphone industry in the past couple of years. From the top PC maker, now its aiming to be one of the best smartphone makers too. In this regard, the company has unveiled a new brand in China, called as ZUK. The company claims that this will operate as an independent brand and will help them focus more on the domestic market and fight competition.

Unlike Lenovo’s smartphone division, which focuses a lot more on hardware to attract customers, ZUK will spend more time developing the software aspect of the device. Of course, this sub-brand plans to release a smartphone of its own in September this year, but as they gain popularity among users, the final aim is to make a mark in the software field.

ZUK will release its first smartphone, called as the ZUK Z1 in September later this year. The device will come with high-end specs as well as a new home grown software UI called as the ZUI. As mentioned above, this new brand aims to attract consumer attention with its innovative and fluid software rather than hardware. In fact, it is said that over the course of time, the company will lessen its focus on hardware.

You can expect to see at least one smartphone in an year from ZUK. So, it could be a new flagship every year. But due to increased competition in the domestic market, they do not rule out the possibility of a second phone launch in a year.

Now, you must be wondering what’s the difference between ZUK and Lenovo and why did they decide to form a brand new company. Well, Lenovo is a pretty large company and it takes time to take and implement decisions. On the other hand, ZUK, being a more focused group will be able to take faster decisions operating independently.

Another difference will be the focus of the company. ZUK will spend a lot of time developing the ZUI Custom ROM for its devices, taking feedback from the users. In fact, out of the 400 employees in the company, 350 will be working on the software. The company aims to engage the heavy users giving them the best hardware and software experience. It will distinguish itself with new and innovative software features.

Unfortunately, the company is yet to reveal more details about its first smartphone, the ZUK Z1. So, we have no idea about the possible specs or even the pricing. Also, the company plans to focus on the domestic market at the moment, so don’t expect it to expand out of China anytime soon.

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