Strategy Analytics has made a review of the latest premium flagship smartphone from ZTE, the Nubia Z17, which comes with fashionable bezel-less design and high-end specifications for its hardware.
The Nubia has a 5.5″ FullHD IPS LCD display with Gorilla Glass (no version specified). The display goes to the edge of the display, so the fingerprint sensor is on the back. The processor is a Snapdragon 835, with Adreno 540 and has 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage. The main camera is a dual 12mp + 23mp unit while the secondary one is a 16mp device. Video can be recorded in UltraHD at 30fps. An unusual feature is Dolby Atmos support and connectivity is via USB Type-C.
Key report findings in the Strategy Analytics review include:
- The bezel-less screen design style, Snapdragon 835 processor, Quick Charge 4+, and impressive camera specs are standout design features not dissimilar to other high-end mobile brands; and these are especially appealing to Chinese consumers.
- However, the home button is likely to create some initial minor usability issues. Although visually eye-catching, it is not an activation key to wake up the device as might be expected. Consequently, this inconsistency in UX design compared to other devices, in addition to its eye-catching red circle, may visually mislead users to tap on it.
- Providing different gestures and shortcuts increases the sense of playfulness with this device. Nevertheless, consumers may have difficulty in remembering the total number of different gestures and shortcuts available. Consistency should be maintained throughout the model line to ensure users can draw from their past experiences in order to use these features properly.
Ji-Wei Wu, report author and analyst commented, “China is a unique market where users have a tendency to store large amounts of media data such as videos and music on their devices. Removing the microSD slot along with the 3.5mm headphone jack may provide more space and enhance certain design elements, but the lack of these two features may drive some potential buyers away.”
