ZTE unleashes massive Grand Memo II LTE

MANILA, Philippines — It’s not only Nokia, Samsung, and Sony that has devices to show off at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. ZTE, the world’s sixth largest smartphone manufacturer, enters the fray as it announced its 6-inch smartphone called the Grand Memo II LTE.

Described by ZTE as “ultra slim”, the Grand Memo II LTE measures at only 7.1 mm, thinner than Sony’s new Xperia Z2 (8.2 mm) and Apple’s iPhone 5S (7.6 mm) but not as thin as the Starmobile Diamond X1 (7.0mm).  

Unfortunately, even with the enormous screen size, the phone only has a 1280×720 resolution. It also sports specs standard to any mid-range smartphone, including a Snapdragon 400 processor, 2 GB of internal memory, a 13-megapixel back-end camera, and a 5-megapixel front facing camera. Its 3200 mAh battery is non-removable.

The device runs on the Android 4.4 Kitkat platform and full 4G LTE functionality.

Despite sporting run-of-the-mill hardware, ZTE’s successor to its mildly received Grand Memo phablet comes with MiFavor 2.3, the latest version of the company’s user interface built over Android.

As demonstrated by ZTE in Barcelona, the new and improved MiFavor allows display size reduction for easier one-handed use. It resembles Android in terms of aesthetics, but it comes with added features. According to the Chinese company, the newest version can memorize user habits to help with future use.

“The Grand Memo II LTE is designed to meet the increasing user demand for stylish design with an intuitive user experience,” said Zeng Xuezhong, CEO of ZTE. “High performance technology must be met with a simplistic user interface which allows users to customize their experience based on personal preferences,” he said.

The smartphone is set for release in China April this year. Other parts of Asia, Europe, and North America will follow after. — Rappler.com