ZTE was showing its latest line up of smartphones and introduced the Spro 2 microprojector (shown at CES) to Europe.
The ZTE Star 2 is an upgraded 5″ FHD model running on Android 4.4. The new phone upgrades the low level voice control by accepting Chinese and English commands, while Spanish input will be added later.
The company also presented the Blade S6 LTE smartphone with 5.5″ FHD display. Both phones are not new but will be launched in Europe soon.
ZTE showed the Grand S3, a 5.5″ FHD dual SIM smartphone which offers what is claimed to be the first eye scanning technology implemented in a smartphone. According to ZTE, the device scans the eye with the front facing camera and detects the blood vessel structure in the white part of both eyes. This is different from other technologies that scan the iris itself. I tried the technology and can report that it does not work on me, while others trying it had no problems. This may have to do with my reading glasses, even though ZTE insists that glasses do not interfere with the technology.
The other product that was shown as a new product to Europe was the Spro 2 microprojector. The new version comes with a brightness of 200 lumens and autofocus. Based on a new chipset from TI the device also adds auto-keystone function to the projector. The auto-keystone only works in the vertical direction, not in the horizontal.
ZTE also launched three smartwatches at MWC. The Venus G1 is made for runners with its GPS chip and map function in case you get lost. Then there is the Venus S2 which works as a fitness watch by keeping track of the wearer’s activities, while the Business Intelligence Watch works with the respective smartphone app. All claim higher battery life based on not using a touch display interface. There is no word on pricing, but the devices should be available in China in the second quarter of 2015.
