So there’s a lot to say about this story. The first bit is that the follow up to my current phone, which is a ZTE Axon 7, will be launching later this year. It will be called the ZTE Axon 9, and a bunch of rumored leaks have just dropped on it.
Image Credit: ZTE Weibo via GSM Arena
GSMArena cites claims that the device will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. High-end SKUs will have 6GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of internal storage. Low-end SKUs will have 4GB of RAM. Personally, I haven’t come close to filling up the 64GB of the original ZTE Axon 7, although that’s just me. This is the first time I checked pretty much since I got the phone, and I still have about 33 GB remaining. That said, you are not me, and you probably know how much space you’ll use.
The choice of SoC is interesting. ZTE seems to go straight for the top of Qualcomm’s product stack with their flagship device, which puts it against the performance of, for instance, Samsung’s latest-and-greatest at the time. The ZTE Axon 7 came out a few months after the Samsung Galaxy S7, had the same processor, and was hundreds of dollars cheaper. ZTE wanted market share, but it looks like they might be continuing the trend.
The new device is said to have a 6-inch screen, which makes it slightly larger than the Axon 7, which has a 5.5-inch screen. Both cameras have also been upgraded. The rear camera will be 20 megapixels, while the front-facing one will be 13 megapixels. This doesn't say much about how it will perform, such as how much light is required to get a good image, but we will find out eventually.
At around the same time, US intelligence agencies are warning against purchasing ZTE and Huawei devices because the two companies have ties with the Chinese government. ZTE and Huawei both rebuke the assertions, of course. Personally, I use the ZTE Axon 7 as my only cellphone.
It doesn’t bother me.
I’m stoked. I _must_ have
I’m stoked. I _must_ have the dual front speakers tho … I hope they don’t drop them like HTC did. I love my Axon 7 SE (the 6gb version).
If they drop the front facing
If they drop the front facing speakers they’re just going to vanish from the western sphere entirely. Those speakers and the headphone jack are literally the only reasons anyone even cares about the Axon 7 at all. If the 9 loses those then they shot themselves in the foot two years in a row.
Yeah the speakers on the Axon
Yeah the speakers on the Axon 7 are amazing. Use them all the time, too.
You got that right.
You got that right.
Agreed.
Agreed.
Exactly what I want. Really
Exactly what I want. Really the 7 with a Pixel quality camera would be perfect.
Exactly what I want. Really
Exactly what I want. Really the 7 with a Pixel quality camera would be perfect.
I love my Axon 7. They even
I love my Axon 7. They even update Android (now 7.1.1) and the security patch level is December 2017. Not many phones get updated. The front speakers are amazing. The camera is good enough for me and I have 64 gig additional storage in the phone for music and photos. So I have a 128 gig phone.
The rumor is that AXON 9 will not have the front speakers. In that case I may not update. But if it has, it is my next phone.
If it doesn’t have the
If it doesn’t have the speakers, then I guess I’ll have to go with the Pixel 2XL, or the HTC U11. Either would be a disappointment, though, next to the Axon 7. The Pixel 2XL, while great, is grossly overpriced, and lacks a headphone jack. The U11 can probably be had very cheaply, since HTC will be coming out with a follow-up this year, but it ALSO lacks a headphone jack. The Axon 7 is a tough act to follow, but I hope ZTE has the sense to maintain its core identifying/differentiating features. They’re the reasons many of us bought the 7 in the first place. They’d be alienating their base to do otherwise.
It is highly likely that that
It is highly likely that that image is not of the Axon 9, ZTE does not do rear mounted speakers for their higher end devices.
With that in mind, I currently use an Axon 7, and would be looking forward to the Axon 9, especially since it is clear that ZTE will be supporting the Axon line of devices for a long time (already longer than many smartphones that cost twice as much).
I am just not up for spending $800 on a phone, especially when we have seen MSRP for smartphones increase significantly over the past few years, all while the BOM cost has remained largely the same.
If you have too much free
If you have too much free space on your phone you can give that to me. I’ll gladly take it!
My 200gb MicroSD card is Full… it has about 3gb free space.
For me, the key selling
For me, the key selling points of Axon 7 is its audiophile dac + amazing dual front speakers, equiped with hi-end SoC ship and oled display. Without these key feature, Axon 9 won’t be a phone worth upgrade from Axon 7 imho.
Hope they come with dual
Hope they come with dual front facing speakers as the Axon 7 did. If they remove the front speakers then I will not purchase. The only reason Axon 7 was so popular was the front speakers. Our family owns 5 Axon 7’s as we love how great watching videos and music sounds on them. ZTE better not screw us on the Axon 9 or my family and I will look elsewhere.
Dual speakers is the number
Dual speakers is the number one selling point of the axon 7. One of the only OLED phones with dual front speakers. They set the axon 7 apart from other Chinese androids by making the best media consumption phone with an OLED and dual front speakers. No front speakers would be a step backwards. Literally make an Axon 7 with a 6″ screen, WATERPROOF,plastic backed with QI charge and slightly upgraded speakers(Razer phone level)and you’ll have a killer phone.
Front facing stereo speakers
Front facing stereo speakers are extremely important to me and what originally led me to the Axon 7 (which I love!). If the Axon 9 doesn’t have similar front facing stereo speakers then it won’t be all that different from all the other flagships out there.
At least for me, no front facing speakers, no instant purchase! I would just hold on to my Axon 7 (which is still going strong) and wait for another phone to provide those speakers with a great screen and processor.
Please ZTE, just give us a better version of the Axon 7. Good processor, good screen (for daydream) and good front facing speakers.
I waited til US SE 6GB/128GB
I waited til US SE 6GB/128GB AXON 7 before joining the axon revolution. Front speakers are awesome, biggest reason for me, AND IT WORKS ON VZW! along with the storage, I added a dual sim adapter to actually use 2nd SIM slot and the SD to put 200GB Sandisk card from my V10 in it!! The lThe low light camera