More new phones coming out of Mobile World Congress this afternoon, with ZTE getting in on the action this time around. The Chinese hardware manufacturer has outed 3 new handsets named Amigo, Blade and Skate with all three offering a variety of features.
Amigo (Right)
ZTE"s Amigo is the handset with the lowest specifications of the bunch, with its diminutive 3.2 inch screen. Tripple band GSM 1900/2100 HSPA is the order of the day, with the handset also sporting a side-sliding QWERTY keyboard for those who still prefer that tactile feel of putting finger to plastic. According to reports from the testing booths, the Amigo has a slight budget-feel to it and will presumably be the cheaper of the three phones.
Skate (Middle)
Clearly ZTE"s premium handset, the Skate will come powered by Google"s latest and greatest version of Android, 2.3 Gingerbread. It"s displayed via a 4.3 inch WVGA display that by all accounts looks gorgeous, which is no mean feat considering ZTE isn"t exactly known for their quality. A 5 megapixel camera is hidden around the back.
Blade (Left)
The Blade is the middle handset out of the three, with a smaller screen than the Skate (3.5 inches) and a 3 megapixel camera. Android 2.2 Froyo is the OS of choice here.
According to Engadget"s Sean Hollister, both the Blade and Skate "have great build quality". After looking at the photos of the new Blade, we can"t help but think this is a re-badged Orange San Francisco, a budget handset (£99.99) in the UK. Has ZTE improved the build quality and slapped a new badge on it? We"d need to see one to be sure.
No matter the origins of the Blade, all three handsets prove that Mobile World Congress and indeed the smartphone business as a whole still has room for some of the smaller companies. It"s great to see that the dominance of Apple, HTC and possibly Nokia in the future isn"t squeezing the little guy out of business.