ZTE Grand X IN features Intel Atom Z2460 (and more Intel phones on the way)

ZTE showed off the Grand X IN, an upcoming Android 4.0 smartphone with Intel's Atom Z2460 SoC. The device features a 4.3-inch screen with 960 x 540 pixels resolution, HSPA+ with speeds of up to 21Mbps, a 8MP digicam and a 1650mAh battery. You can expect it in European retail stores by the end of this month.

ZTE Corporation ("ZTE") (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment, network solutions and mobile devices, announced that it will launch its first Android Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone with Intel Inside®, the ZTE Grand X IN. This ZTE flagship handset is the latest product from the ZTE Grand series and will be launched in Europe in September.

The Grand X IN delivers fast and efficient performance via the low power Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, and support for HSPA+ 21Mbps network with the Intel® XMM™ 6260 Platform. Together, these Intel technologies help deliver end users with an energy efficient, high performance user experience enabling fast browsing and a responsive Internet experience.

The ZTE Grand X IN has a 4.3-inch, 16 million colour screen, a best-in-class 8MP camera, Blu-ray quality movie playback and long battery life with a 1650 mAh, Li-Ion battery. With a 127 x 65 x 9.9mm chassis the Grand X IN also features the latest communications capabilities including Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi & Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA and Mobile HD link (via micro-USB) short range connectivity. Its wide range of audio-visual features includes Dolby Sound, HD Video Capture

"The Grand X IN is ZTE's first flagship smartphone in Europe to feature Intel Inside, and we look forward to building our partnership with Intel," said Mr. Ao Wen, Vice President of Europe Operations for ZTE Handsets. "The handsets in the ZTE Grand portfolio are quality devices focused on providing a great level of service and, with the inclusion of Intel's technology in the Grand X IN, we have provided a handset with enhanced capabilities, reliability and ZTE has nearly 10 years experience of smartphone research and development and commits 10 per cent of its annual revenue to R&D. ZTE's focus is to provide the best handset for the best value so all consumers can enjoy the experience of using a very capable smartphone. We want to focus on things that matter, so we excel at providing superior battery life and fast feeds and speeds, resulting in a high level of customer satisfaction."

Grand X IN specifications:

• Intel® Atom™ Processor Z2460
• HSPA+ 21Mbps support with Intel® XMM™ 6260 Platform
• EDGE 900/1800/1900
• HSDPA 900/2100
• DPA 21Mbps UPA 5.76Mbps
• Android* Ice Cream Sandwich
• RAM 1GB, ROM 16GB/4GB, Ext. microSD 32GB
• 4.3'', QHD (960x540), 16M, TFT, Capacitive
• 1650 mAh, Li-Ion
• 8Mpx AF/Flash + 0.3Mpx Front Camera
• GPS, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 2.1 + A2DP
• Accelerator, Gyro, Compass, Proximity, Light
• Dolby, FM Radio
• DLNA, 1080p Rec., 1080p Play
• NFC, FOTA, HD Voice, Dual Mic
• 127 x 65 x 9.9mm chassis, 140.8g weight (with battery)

Motorola Mobility is also working on an Intel Atom-based smartphone, but according to Taiwanese tech site DigiTimes, the market acceptance of these devices remains to be seen. The site heard sales of Atom-based phones have been flat, and that Intel is at a disadvantage with its single-core Atom versus the quad-core mobile processors from NVIDIA, Samsung and Qualcomm, and the dual-core chips from MediaTek, Texas Instruments, Marvell and ST-Ericsson.

DigiTimes heard the disadvantage in hardware specifications means Intel's handset CPU may have more opportunities in the sub-$US150 Atom smartphone segment rather than the mainstream or high-end market.