Magazine Mobile World: Current Issue No.6

62015 No.6 Bimonthly
HANDS-ON
MOBILE MASTERY
VIP VOICE
Growing and Winning Together
Street Photography
with Your Smart-
phone
ZTE Blade A452：Lasting Longer
ZTE Blade S7：Elegant and Smart
FOCUS
Cover Product

2
In January 2014, ZTE launched a
smartphone project called
Apollo. It is the start of big
things for ZTE.
p16 p23p6
Growing and Winning Together
VIP VOICE6
The Craftsmanship Behind AXON
Mini
DESIGN & ART9
10 HANDS-ON
10 ZTE Blade A452: Lasting Longer
12 ZTE Blade S7: Elegant and Smart
4 INFORMATION ROUNDUP
p4
p9

Chairman: Zeng Xuezhong
Vice Chairman: Sun Zhenge
Consultants: Dai Wenhong, Guo Qing, Ji Zhongwei,
Mao Qian, Sun Zhenge, Zhang Lei, Zhao Wei
Members: Chen Duolei, Gao Dakun, Gao Feng,
Huang Xinming, Ji Qin, Jiang Tao, Li Bo, Lv Qianhao,
Qian Peng, Tu Yaming, Zhang Tai, Zhang Zhenyu
Sponsor: ZTE Corporation
Edited by Shenzhen Editorial Office, Strategy
Planning Department
Editor-in-Chief: Huang Xinming
Executive Editor: Liu Yang
Editor: He Xi
Circulation Manager: Wang Pingping
Address: NO. 55, Hi-tech Road South,
Shenzhen, P.R.China
Postcode: 518057
Tel: +86-755-26776663
Fax: +86-755-26775217
Email: he.xi50@zte.com.cn
Publishing Date: December 31, 2015
Volume 8 No. 6 (Issue 40)
First Issue Published in 2008
Mobile World Editorial Board
All rights reserved. The content of this magazine may not be
reproduced either in whole or in part without the written consent
of ZTE. Every effort has been made to ensure the information
included is both accurate and complete; however, ZTE cannot
accept misuse or misinterpretation of the information published
or implied from the content. In the case of ZTE mobile devices,
the reviews are based on the products we could find at the time
of printing. The product availability and descriptions may vary in
different countries. Please take the actual product as the standard.
3
p30
p15 p34
NO.6 2015
http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/en/about/publications
30 MOBILE MASTERY
Street Photography with Your Smartphone
16 FOCUS
ZTE AXON: Ushering a You-Focused Revolu-
tion
32 SMART GADGETS
32 Will Solar Become the Dominant Energy
Source in Your Home?
34 Self-Driving Cars are Coming
14 SHOWCASE
· Perfect Size: ZTE Blade L5
· Simply Outstanding: ZTE Blade A570
· Ultra-Fast Speed: ZTE MF286
· Nubia Z9 3rd Anniversary Edition
· ZTELink
· ZTE Alighting
Mobile World for Android

INFORMATION ROUNDUP
4
ZTE Gives Back to Locals with New York Knicks
ZTE Adds Bulls, Cavaliers to NBA Sponsorship Roster
On October 28, ZTE announced two new part-
nerships with popular basketball teams. ZTE has
become the “Official Smartphone brand of the
Chicago Bulls” and a “Smartphone Partner of the
Cleveland Cavaliers”.
The deals come in addition to ZTE’s existing deals
with fellow NBA outfits the New York Knicks,
Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors,
as ZTE expands its localized approach to build its
presence in the US.
As part of the three-year agreement, ZTE will
be the presenting partner of “Bulls-Eye View”, a
series of exclusive, behind-the-scenes items of
Bulls content that will appear on Bulls.com.
People can expect to see a lot more of ZTE’s logo
around the Bulls and Cavs, too. ZTE will present
the Cavaliers first ever Chinese New Year event,
which will take place on February 8, around the
team’s game vs the Sacramento Kings.
ZTE will also support upcoming community
events organized by the teams.
On December 4, ZTE had its title night with the
New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden,
New York, as the Knicks took on their rivals,
the Brooklyn Nets. ZTE presented the Sweet-
water Clifton “City Spirit” Award on court to
the Perez Family of Brooklyn, together with
Knicks legends Allan Houston and John Starks.
The award is named in honor of Nat “Sweet-
water” Clifton, the first African-American to
play for the Knicks, and recognizes individuals
who have made a significant difference in the
lives of others. Each month a winner is chosen
by members of the Knicks front office staff
and is honored at center court during a Knicks
game with a $2,000 donation in his or her
name made out to a charity of their choice.
The Perez Family won the award for volunteer-
ing their services to nonprofit organizations
that benefit children facing life-threatening ob-
stacles. ZTE also donated a Spro 2 to the family
as well as an additional $2,000 to a charity of
their choice.
Before the game, as one stop of the ZTE
Experience Tour, ZTE Road Show Truck show-
cased at the 7th Avenue, outside the Madison
Square Garden, allowing customers to check
out latest ZTE products.
Beginning on November 13 at the home of the
Chicago Bulls and running into next year, ZTE
Experience Tour’s major stops include New
York, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas and many
others.
Michael Reinsdorf (L), Chicago Bulls president and COO, and Lixin Cheng,
chairman and CEO of ZTE USA

INFORMATION ROUNDUP
5
ZTE Launches Three New Devices
in Japan
ZTE Introduces Blade S7
ZTE Delivers Wi-Fi Only Spro 2
On November 4, ZTE opened a new R&D
center in Tokyo to focus on the develop-
ment of 5G and other next-generation
network technologies.
On October 27, ZTE announced that its
net profit rose by more than 42% in the
first nine months, driven by increased
sales of optical network products and 4G
LTE solutions to carriers.
On October 27, ZTE teamed up with
Rogers Communications in launching
AXON, its first premium device released
in Canada. (Soure: Xinhua)
Raj Doshi (R), Executive VP of Wireless Consumer Services
of Rogers Communications, and Lixin Cheng, chairman
and CEO of ZTE USA, display new smartphones during the
official launch ceremony of AXON in Toronto, Canada.
At a Glance
On November 12, ZTE unveiled
the company’s most powerful
selfie smartphone to date: Blade
S7. With a host of features for
selfie lovers, the stylish Blade S7
is the latest device in ZTE’s afford-
able premium Blade series and
will initially be available in several
markets across Asia Pacific.
“We are delighted to confirm
the availability of ZTE Blade S7,
a device packed with a range of
fun and innovative features,”
said Jacky Zhang, CEO of Asia
Pacific, ZTE Mobile Devices. “ZTE
is constantly listening to its cus-
tomers and we wanted to deliver
a device that takes the selfie
experience to a new level.”
On November 11, ZTE launched three new mobile devices in Japan, making major
push in this key strategic market.
At the launch in Tokyo, ZTE’s AXON mini and Blade V6, both of which will be available
through electronics retailers and MVNOs, were presented. ZTE also launched the
localized version of Spro 2 that is customized for users of SoftBank.
On November 9, ZTE USA announced that the award-winning smart projector Spro
2 is now available in a Wi-Fi only version for people who want the same flexibility in
accessing and projecting content at
work or at home but do not need
mobile hotspot functionality. The
Spro 2 Wi-Fi device will provide ad-
ditional enhancements for the con-
sumer by incorporating pre-loaded
apps and technology from Sling
TV, Zoom and JBL. It is available for
$549.98 online at www.zteusa.com.
On October 21, ZTE USA announced two
new additions to the unlocked AXON
phone lineup: AXON Pro 64GB and AXON
with lower-end configuration.

● By Liu Yang and Yang Yang
VIP VOICE
6
Choi Cheol was one of the first Samsung
employees sent to China under Samsung’s
“Regional Specialist” program. Now he is the
CEO of Samsung Electronics (Device Solutions)
Greater China, which is headquartered in
Shenzhen. He has a glittering business record
and is fluent in Chinese language and culture.
In an interview with Mobile World, Choi Cheol
discussed his secret to success, how he sees the
global smartphone market, and what he thinks
about the strategic partnership with ZTE.
Samsung Electronics manufactures semicon-
ductors, cell phones, TVs and LCD panels and
now supplies ZTE with displays, memory and
camera products. In the interview, Choi Cheol
emphasized the tight cooperation between
Samsung and its customers.
Q: Could you briefly introduce yourself?
When did you get into the industry?
What has been your biggest achievement
so far?
A: After I graduated from university in 1987, I
joined Samsung Electronics. I could not speak
Chinese then, even though I was responsible
for the business in China. I was sent to Beijing
in 1992 under Samsung’s “Regional Specialist”
program. At that time, China and South Korea
had just renewed diplomatic ties. The program
was a unique talent-nurturing program in which
certain employees were selected to immerse
themselves in local cultures. It took me one year
to learn Mandarin and visit different places in
China.
At the end of the program I worked in Shanghai
for five years, when China’s IT industry was
just taking off. In 2001, I was sent to pursue a
two-year full-time MBA program in Tsinghua
University, Beijing. After working for three years
in our Taiwan branch, in 2009 I went to work in
Shenzhen, first as CEO for Samsung Southeast
China and then as CEO for Greater China.
My personal sales have increased almost 30,000
percent since 1995, when I achieved a sales
volume of tens of millions of US dollars while
working in our Shanghai branch. Over the course
Choi Cheol, CEO of
Samsung Electronics
(Device Solutions)
Greater China

VIP VOICE
7
of my seven years in Shenzhen, my sales volume
has increased four hundred percent. I attribute a
lot of my success to our partners in the handset
industry, including ZTE.
Q: Could you share with us your manage-
ment philosophy?
A: From 1994 to 1999, I always solved problems
on the spot because I was the only person in
charge of the entire China mainland market. I
feel deeply that without customers, there would
be no me. I always talked with my colleagues
about the importance of site management and
dedication to customers. Since we are in the
components business, we can only be a success
if the products that contain our components are
successful on the market.
Q: What is it about the culture at Sam-
sung that has made you stay there for
more than 20 years?
A: I have been in the semiconductor and display
businesses for 28 years. In 1993, Chairman Lee
announced new management, which was a
transformative initiative. We all have a strong
sense of crisis; we are worried about tomorrow
even if we are going well today. In our drive to
succeed, we prioritize quality and try to bring
premium products to customers. Our culture is
based on teamwork spirit, ethical management,
and emotional bonding.
We view the relationship with our custom-
ers as a strategic partnership. If our customer
has a problem, we discuss it with them and
try to understand their needs. Under the new
management initiative, we have developed a
strong customer focus. Customer growth results
in our growth.
Q: What breakthroughs have you made
in 2015?
A: We have been in the memory chip market for
22 years. This year we launched an industry-
leading image sensor that promises better
cameras. We have also increased our capacity
to manufacture AMOLED displays and see
increased AMOLED sales in China this year.
Q: How do you innovate?
A: We can’t innovate alone. We provide com-
ponents, but our customers provide the entire
smartphone solution. As far as we’re concerned,
we should provide products that are thinner and
more efficient in power consumption. We also
try to propose new concepts, such as flexible
displays.
The future development of smartphones relies
on components such as display and memory
chip. Smartphone cameras, which are replacing
standalone point-and-shoot cameras, also rely
on chip and semiconductor technology.
We need to innovate in sync with our customers.
We need to discuss UI, UX design and software
with our customers.
Q: What are the global smartphone
trends and how are you reacting to
them?
A: According to a survey, smartphone shipments
are expected to grow 13% in 2015 to 1.4 billion
units. This is a noticeable slowdown compared
to the average growth rate of 44% from 2010 to
2014. Smartphone sales will grow even slower at
a rate of 6% year-over-year by 2020.
Despite market saturation, it is very common to
see vast numbers of high-spec smartphones in
diverse regions. Demand for high-end phones
has increased significantly in China, while mid
to high-end smartphones continue to dominate
the US and European market. To meet today’s
market needs, handset makers are adjusting
their strategies. Some makers look to increase
sales in the high-end market by differentiating
their design and user experience; others are
targeting emerging markets with mid to low-end
smartphones.
We will make sure to offer competitive products
to help our customers grow. Here is an example.
There is a number of smartphones featuring
2K screens nowadays adopting our display and
probably a Quad HD in the future. Memory is
another example. Our mobile DRAM has evolved
from 1 to 1.5 GB to 2 to 4 GB and will move
towards 6 GB in 2016. Our flash memory has
evolved from 16 GB and 32 GB to 64 GB and
even 128 GB and has a read/write speed 12 to
18 times faster than that of external memory.
LPDDR4 is also two times faster than LPDDR3.
Q: Is smartphone hardware progressing
too quickly for consumers?
A: Some people say that smartphone hardware
development is not perceivable by customers.
With mobile memory, you feel the benefit of
faster speed when you use the phone. AMOLED
display has more visible advantages.
Q: What are the trends in smartphone
display?
A: Smartphones will have a higher resolution
display. We expect wider adoption of AMOLED
display in China because people prefer smart-
phones that are slim, have a high-resolution
display, and have a screen larger than 5 inches.
AMOLED display also has a strong competitive
edge in the wearable device market, where
competition is based on thickness, weight, and
power consumption. The most popular smart
watches all have an AMOLED display. AMOLED
displays will be also used in laptops, 2-in-1
computers, head mount displays, and even
automobiles.
At a time when smartphone differentiation is
becoming increasingly difficult, flexible displays
represent a great leap forward. Smartphones
will be more versatile if the display is bendable
As far as we’re concerned, we
should provide products that are
thinner and consume less power.
We also try to propose new con-
cepts, such as flexible displays.
We all have a strong sense of
crisis; we are worried about
tomorrow even if we are go-
ing well today.

and foldable. Bendable displays
have already been commercial-
ized and foldable displays will
follow.
Q: What’s your message to
the consumers?
A: The camera is very important
to a smartphone, especially as
selfies have become a big thing.
We will develop new camera
products that offer better
performance.
People are now installing
more and more apps on their
smartphones, which increases
the demand for capacity and
speed in the RAM. Extended
battery life has also become
increasingly important, which
is why our memory products
reduce power consumption
by 20 to 30 percent compared
with competitor products in the
same category.
A display is especially important
for viewing photos. An AMOLED
display has higher resolution,
higher contrast, and truer
blacks than an LCD.
When buying a smartphone,
consumers should take into
consideration the speed of the
memory, display effects, camera
effects, and overall power con-
sumption. We want consumers
to feel the convenience of digi-
tal life with ZTE smartphones
with Samsung technologies.
Q: What are your thoughts
on the strategic partnership
between ZTE and Samsung
Electronics?
A: When I went to Shenzhen in
2009, we cooperated with ZTE
on mobile memory. In 2014, we
began to cooperate with ZTE
on both display and memory.
In 2015, we entered into a
strategic partnership encom-
passing not only development
but also marketing. We are
now cooperating with ZTE to
popularize AMOLED displays.
Samsung Electronics and ZTE
will join forces to make more
breakthroughs in the market
and better satisfy consumer
demands.
Tips
AMOLED
Both ZTE AXON mini and AXON MAX
have vibrant AMOLED displays.
AMOLED and LCD are two popular
screen technologies. AMOLED has
three distinct features.
First is low power consumption. LCD
uses a backlight whereas AMOLED
is more energy efficient because it
only lights up the necessary pixels.
For example, a 5.5-inch AMOLED
FHD screen consumes 30% less
power than an LCD screen.
Second is rich colors and true blacks.
An AMOLED display covers 97%
of the Adobe RGB color space, 1.3
times that of an LCD screen. An
AMOLED display shines with its true
blacks and a contrast ratio as high as
13,000,000: 1. Photos taken by the
13-megapixel camera on ZTE AXON
mini are vivid on an AMOLED screen.
Third is ultra-slim structure. An
AMOLED display is thin and light
because it does not have a backlight
layer and have only two thin layers
of glass. ZTE AXON mini is very slim
thanks to its AMOLED display.
LPDDR4
ZTE extensively uses the memory
products developed by Samsung.
ZTE AXON is one of the small num-
ber of flagship smartphones that
employ Samsung’s 4 GB LPDDR4.
LPDDR4 has improved capacity and
performance. Fabricated using 20
nm process technology, LPDDR4
offers 1 GB on a single die. LPDDR4
transfers data at 3200 Mbps, which
is two times faster than LPDDR3. At
a low operating voltage, it consumes
40% less power than LPDDR3 while
enabling high performance.
ISOCELL
While there is a demand for superior
camera sensor even in an ultra-slim
smartphone, such design is limited
due to large camera module size.
Samsung’s ISOCELL, a pixel technol-
ogy that isolates pixels and reduces
color crosstalk, allows the adoption
of the smallest 1.0μm pixel sensor,
instead of current market standard
of 1.12μm, reducing the height of
camera module while sustaining
image quality.
The ISOCELL sensor delivers better
mobile photography with BRITECELL
technology for low-light perfor-
mance and phase detection auto
focus (PDAF) for quicker focus. ZTE
AXON mini and AXON MAX include
Samsung’s advanced image sensors.
When buying a smartphone, consumers should take
into consideration the speed of the memory, display
effects, camera effects, and overall power consumption .
We want consumers to feel the convenience of digital
life with ZTE smartphones with Samsung technologies.
Red
Yellow
AMOLED has great color reproduction.
Blue
Black&White
AMOLED is more power efficient than LCD.
VIP VOICE
8

● By Dang Yang
DESIGN & ART
9
AXON mini is a
5.2-inch smartphone
for young professionals.
We, as designers, want to
give users a warm, soothing
feeling in the tense work
atmosphere through the
phone’s special design
and features.
An Endless Pursuit of Perfection
Products should not be decorated for the sake
of it. A designer is expected to use the product
to communicate with users and express different
emotions using designs combining different
types of modeling, details and colors. AXON
mini presents good craftsmanship and embodies
the designers’ endless pursuit of perfection and
sincerity.
Dazzling metallic pink
As a smartphone for the young, AXON mini
needs to be decorated with brighter colors
than AXON. Samples in over 30 different shades
of pink were made. Even slightly different
metals result in widely different visual effects
in reaction with the same oxidizing agents. The
aluminum alloy, granular gravel, and soaking
time are all key factors affecting the final output.
We were strict and even nit-picking with every
sensitive and delicate change to seek for an
optimal color. The good news is that the final
choice of the rose gold color is well recognized
among users.
Not let go of even 0.05 mm
Smartphones that have a part-metal, part-plas-
tic design have problems with color deviation
Heritage and Breakthroughs
Despite being a successor to AXON, AXON
mini serves its target users in its own way.
AXON mini has the same graceful curve
as AXON but the screen size is reduced
to 5.2 inches to hit the sweet spot that
harmonizes real estate with one-handed
operability. The phone uses the innovative
pressure-sensitive touch technology. It
also uses the Super AMOLED screen that
presents bright colors, exquisite detail, and
a wide-viewing angle.
The pressure-sensitive touchscreen
The advent of the pressure-sensitive
touchscreen will fundamentally change
the way people use their phones, just like
multi-touch technology did eight years
ago. ZTE is the first company to include a
pressure-sensitive screen in its smartphone.
Although it has just been introduced, pres-
sure-sensitive touch technology has already
shown great potential in security, entertain-
ment, and interaction, providing users with
more enjoyable experience.
Triangular grid pattern
The front-facing speaker of AXON mini, dec-
orated with elegant and unique triangular
grid pattern, follows the design language of
AXON but also makes some subtle changes
to the triangular elements to accommodate
the display. The triangular grid pattern,
together with the 0.85 mm ultra-narrow
bezel and 2.5D curved display, contributes
to a visually full and smooth body. Its metal
surface is also processed using a grinding
technique to keep the metallic texture but
feel good at the same time.
and seamless stitching. Varying visual effect is
inevitable no matter how small the manufactur-
ing tolerance is. However, we spent great efforts
solving the 0.05 mm disparity and color devia-
tion problems to provide better user experience
and product quality.
We developed two solutions: horizontal brushed
aluminum with spray coating on both ends and
aluminum anodic oxidation (AAO) with a differ-
ent texture on both ends. We conducted rounds
of tests and the second solution turned out to
be more satisfactory, controllable in production
yield, and technically mature. But there are too
many possibilities for the type and size of the
texture. Through computer graphics and verifi-
cation by the production line, we worked out the
diamond, leather, and stripe textures.
Laser engraving is used in mold texturing. Finally,
the diamond texture is used for the regular
version of AXON mini and the leather texture for
the pressure-sensitive touchscreen version. All
textures live up to our expectation by effectively
eliminating the disparity caused by different
materials.

HANDS-ON
10
Lasting
Longer
ZTE Blade A452
1
5
Smartphones are stuck in a
so-called hardware war as
higher-end configurations
are available. For example,
some smartphones have a
screen larger than 6 inches.
Improved hardware can offer
great benefits. However, users
are coming to realize that,
despite all the good things a
high configuration can bring,
there are battery life and heat
dissipation problems that affect
user experience. Thus, users
are now back to rationality and
ask for smartphones with easy
one-handed operation and long
enough battery life.
ZTE Blade A452 smartphone addresses
such needs. It does not have the biggest
of screens but comfortable one-handed
operation. It does not pursue unpracti-
cal high configurations but smooth
operation experience. Let’s take a close
look at this pragmatism behind its
design.
3
HANDS-ON
10

HANDS-ON
11
Specifications
Special Experience
Street Photography
A smartphone user may take random pictures at any
time. Despite only being 8 megapixels, the camera
excels in focusing speed and photography effects. It
allows you to capture up to 40 images per second. The
built-in image stabilization function helps prevent blurry
photos caused by camera shake to a certain degree. It
also allows you to create a video clip when you take a
photo so that you can view the dynamic scene when
the photo is taken.
Standby Test
Blade A452 has a 4000 mAh battery, which takes more
than 3 hours for a 5V 1A charger to complete the
charge, or much shorter with a 5V 2A charger. Such a
large capacity battery provides much longer life. Heavy
usage would make it last one day while light usage
makes it last 2-3 days.
OS: Android 5.1
Screen: 5-inch HD
CPU: MT6735P Quad Core
Memory: 1 GB RAM + 8 GB ROM
Camera: 8-megapixel (rear) + 2-megapixel (front)
Battery: 4000 mAh
ZTE Blade A452
24-Hour Experience Test
Mobile World Says:
Blade A452 is a phone produced with
pragmatism. Its comfortable one-handed
operation, balanced configurations and 4000
mAh battery make it satisfactory in most
users’ eyes.
1. Look and Feel
Blade A452 is based on the simple and
practical philosophy. Its body has a
relatively traditional design: all the side
and edges have rounded profiles and
you could hardly find any hard angles,
which, when paired with a 5-inch screen,
guarantees that the phone can fit and
work nicely in one hand. It has a remov-
able back, covering a SIM card slot and
an expansion card slot. Fewer openings
on the phone body ensure high structural
integrity.
2. Battery Endurance
One of the highlights of Blade A452 is its
super-large battery capacity. Although
the back cover is removable, the battery
is non-removable. Removing the battery
is unnecessary anyway because the 4000
mAh battery is long-lasting. This, together
with the optimal screen size of 5 inches
and the low power-consuming MTK
processor, promises a battery life longer
than one day even if the phone is under
heavy use.
3. Display Performance
The 5-inch wide-view display has a
resolution of 1208 × 720, which means
a high enough pixel density. The screen
consumes less power than a full HD 1080p
screen due to a lower resolution. The
display effects of Blade A452 are above
the average standard in terms of color
saturation and viewing angle.
4. Camera Features
Blade A452 comes with an 8-megapixel
autofocus rear camera with a flash. The
8-megapxiel camera can be interpolated
to 13-megapixel. The hardware may not
seem outstanding; however, the camera
software is optimized to give a great expe-
rience. The viewfinder frames up the shot
quickly and there is no jello effect or jitter.
The focusing speed is also fast. A wealth
of options are available as well, including
continuous shooting of up to 40 pictures
per second and auto face beautification.
5. Configuration and Performance
The phone uses a 1.0 GHz quad-core
MTK6735P processor. When working with
1 GB RAM, 8 GB ROM, and 64-bit compat-
ible Android 5.1 system, the processor
guarantees smooth operation for com-
mon applications and extends the battery
life with low power consumption. The
processor scores 19,506 in the AnTuTu
test and can handle well mainstream 3D
games.
2
4
1 min Blade A452 looks shiny with the
golden color.
5 mins The camera and sensor are placed
on either side of the receiver.
8 mins The back cover hunches a little
because of the large-capacity battery.
9 mins The side edges have a rounded
shape.
10 mins It has no bezels when the screen
is turned off.
30 mins The Android 5.1 OS looks simple
and is silky smooth.
60 mins The built-in apps like WPS Office
are practical.
2 hrs The 5-inch screen shows sharp texts
and images.
3 hrs The camera supports fast focusing
and shutter speeds.
4 hrs You can create a short video while
taking pictures.
6 hrs Apps can be opened quickly thanks
to the quad-core processor.
10 hrs There is no issue when running
mainstream 3D games.
13 hrs 62% battery remains after half a
day of constant usage.
24 hrs 4% battery runs out after one night
of Wi-Fi standby.
HANDS-ON
11

HANDS-ON
12
Elegantand
Smart
ZTE Blade S7
1
2
4
5
While large-screen mobile
phones prevail nowadays,
some users are more
concerned with portabil-
ity, one-handed operation,
and ergonomic comfort.
ZTE Blade S7 is just what
you are looking for: a
5-inch screen which bal-
ances visual impact and
hand-held comfort.
Blade S7 does a great job in
terms of screen-to-body ratio.
The phone’s body is as wide as
that of iPhone 6, but the latter
has a screen of only 4.7 inches.
The key point lies in that Blade
S6 has managed to reduce the
size of the bezel to just 2.25 mm.
Blade S7 allows you to maneuver
your thumb to the upper-left or
upper-right corner of the 5-inch
display. You no longer need to
change the screen reachability or
use both hands for easier one-
handed mobile phone navigation.
HANDS-ON
12

HANDS-ON
13
Specifications
Special Experience
Selfie Taking
Blade S7’s 13-megapixel wide-angle front camera is
good for selfies. You can select from five grades of
beautification to make you look better. The PDAF fea-
ture will surprise you with its 0.1-second focus time. Its
front flash is also very useful for taking selfies at night.
Laser Focus
The rear camera of Blade S7 uses the laser auto focus
system known for accurate and fast focus even with
little light. It performs very well when capturing mo-
tion, such as when people are taking part in sports or
children are playing.
OS: Android 5.1.1
Screen: 5-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Qualcomm 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 615
Memory: 3 GB RAM + 32 GB ROM
Camera: 13-megapixel (rear) + 13-megapixel (front)
Battery: 2500 mAh
ZTE Blade S7
24-Hour Experience Test
Mobile World Says:
Blade S7 has an exquisite design and great
one-handed operation. Its front camera with
PDFA is a perfect choice for selfie lovers. Its
sophisticated motion and gesture sensing
and fingerprint recognition technology are
added advantages.
1. Exquisite Design
Blade S7 boasts an aluminum alloy frame
sandwiched between two panels of
2.5D glass. This eliminates the stiff feel
of edges and corners. The frame has a
polished border and looks softer with a
matt coating. The seamless integration of
2.5D curved glass together with the frame
gives Blade S7 an ergonomic design and
a smooth feel. The phone also looks and
feels better at just 7.2 mm thickness.
2. An Impressive Display
Blade S7 comes with a SHARP FHD display.
The display has in-cell technology that
fuses the capacitive touch layer and LCD,
which makes images appear closer and
improves image quality. A very narrow
bezel and the LTPS-based display with
a high contrast ratio create an excellent
visual experience. The display features a
wide viewing angle and rich colors, and
there is almost no light leakage. The dis-
play of Blade S7 is indeed outstanding.
3. Powerful Shooting
Blade S7 has a 13-megapixel front camera.
It is a powerful selfie-taking smartphone,
supporting panorama selfie, gender and
age detection and five-grade auto beauti-
fication. A flash can be used to compen-
sate for low light in selfies. The phone
also supports phase detection autofocus
(PDAF) that offers a focus time of just 0.1
second. The 13-megapixel rear camera
is also powerful. Its laser auto focus pro-
vides precise and speedy measurement
and helps the camera focus on the subject
in less than 0.1 second. You can get an ac-
curate focus even in dark conditions.
4. Rich Motion Sensing Features
The motion sensing technology on Blade
S7 is an enhanced version of Smart Sense
on Blade S6. Blade S7 is more responsive
and requires less precision of your move-
ments. It comes with a wide variety of
gesture and motion controls. Take music
for example. You can play music by draw-
ing a V, shaking it to switch to the next
song, or drawing an O to stop the music.
Other motion features include shining
the flash light by shaking the phone, flip
mute, cover mute, auto call, auto answer,
and double-tap to wake.
5. Fingerprint Recognition
Blade S7 has practical and convenient
fingerprint recognition to protect and
manage your privacy. It has a fingerprint
sensor in its home button. It takes less
than one second to unlock the phone.
The sensor can provide fast and accurate
readings from any angle. Moreover, you
can set different functions for different
fingers, such as activating the internet
with your forefinger, or messages with
your middle finger.
1 min You can feel its fine craft.
3 mins Skin texture in the frame elimi-
nates the cold metallic feeling.
6 mins The metal frame is stuck in be-
tween two glass panels.
60 mins The 5-inch screen provides great
one-handed experience.
2 hrs It has a rectangular home button
and a front-facing flash.
3 hrs Its fingerprint unlock function is
cool.
5 hrs You are able to see the screen even
in the sunshine.
6 hrs Its beautification function makes
impeccable selfies.
8 hrs The front camera has a very fast
focus with PDAF.
9 hrs Its front-facing flash provides
enough light for selfies even at night.
20 hrs Its laser auto focus performs well
under minimal lighting conditions.
24 hrs Its motion sensing features make
music enjoyment convenient.
3
HANDS-ON
13

SHOWCASE
14
Perfect Size
ZTE Blade L5
If you prefer one-handed smartphone, Blade L5 is
your choice. It has a 5-inch screen that perfectly
balances one-handed operation with visual impact.
It is conformable to hold because the phone has
a curvature on the back that fits naturally into the
palm of your hand, and the texture also feels good.
Its UI includes flat icon design and presents a beauty
of simplicity and purity. The menu and back key
can be either on left or right as you wish. All these
features make Blade L5 a handy device.
· CPU: MT6572 dual-core 1.3 GHz
· Memory: 1 GB RAM + 8 GB ROM
· Display: 5-inch FWVGA
· Camera: 8-megapixel (rear) + 2-megapixel (front)
· Battery: 2150 mAh
Simply Outstanding
ZTE Blade A570
Blade A570 shines with dazzling features: a 5.5-inch screen
covered by 2.5D curved glass and 8.5 mm thickness. Both
the 13-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front camera
have a flash, which helps you take great selfies and shoot
better in low light. In terms of performance, it is equipped
with a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core 1.2 GHz processor,
2 GB RAM, 16 GB ROM, and two MicroSD card slots, which
guarantee a fast operating speed and more storage space.
· CPU: Snapdragon MSM8916 quad-core 1.2 GHz
· Memory: 2 GB RAM + 16 GB ROM
Display: 5.5-inch HD
· Camera: 13-megapixel (rear) + 8-megapixel (front)
· Battery: 3000 mAh

SHOWCASE
15
Ultra-Fast Speed
ZTE MF286
Current 4G LTE Cat 6 networks offer a downlink speed of up to 300 Mbps, and 4G
connectivity can be shared between multiple devices without affecting user experi-
ence. ZTE MF286 is a 4G LTE CPE router that allows you to access and share your
4G LTE Cat 6 connection. It supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac at both 2.4 GHz and 5
GHz bands and is capable of delivering speeds of up to 1300 Mbps. In addition, ZTE
MF286 has an embedded 3000 mAh battery that allows you to share network and
voice services when there is a power outage.
· Network: LTE-FDD/LTE-TDD
· Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n/ac, 2.4/5 GHz
· Voice Service: CSFB/VoLTE via RJ11, HD voice
· Battery: 3000 mAh ZTE Alighting
ZTE Alighting smart home solution is a
residential platform that integrates various
technologies. It consists of a smart gateway
(like ZTE MF283+), Zigbee devices and
control units to improve home security,
convenience, and comfort and to achieve an
eco-friendly living environment. With ZTE
Alighting, you can manage your home with
your smartphone, such as locking/unlocking
the door, turning on/off lights, controlling
indoor temperature and monitoring water
or gas leak. It could send a warning to your
smartphone if an elderly family member falls
off and needs help.
Nubia Z9
3rd Anniversary Edition
Since its debut, nubia Z9 has attracted widespread attention with its unique bezel-
free design, superior performance, Frame interactive Technology (FiT), and two
panels of 2.5D glass. To celebrate the third anniversary of the nubia brand, a special
edition of nubia Z9 was released. Inheriting all the good qualities of nubia Z9, this
model has replaced the rear 2.5D glass with the first layer cowhide leather that has
optimum gloss and color. In addition, it comes with the iris recognition technology
and gold finish.
ZTELink
Few mobile broadband devices have a built-
in screen. This holds users back from viewing
device operating information. The ZTELink
app can solve this problem. After you install
ZTELink on your smartphone, connect it to
the mobile router, and enter the password.
You can view and manage information on
your smartphone.
MF283+

FOCUS
16
In January 2014, ZTE launched a
smartphone project called
Apollo. It is the start of big things
for ZTE. From then until July
2015, when the AXON phone
debuted, ZTE has made a
number of significant
breakthroughs. The device
includes “dual track”-- high
fidelity sound recording and
playback as well as dual-lens
camera. It is the world’s first
smartphone that can be
unlocked with three different
biometric authentication
options.
As ZTE’s new flagship, AXON has
been given as a gift to Serbian
President Tomislav Nikolić;
president of Tajikistan Emomalii
Rahmon; chairman of Bosnia
and Herzegovina’s tripartite
presidency, Dragan Covic; and
Ethiopian Prime Minister
Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe.
That AXON has been given as a
state gift is recognition of ZTE as
one of China’s top smartphone
manufacturers, as the gift must
meet the highest standards in
terms of quality and innovation
in order to be presented.
Mobile World will tell you
something about the phone in
terms of design, camera and
Hi-Fi with interviews on the
engineers that have worked on
the project.
On October 11, ZTE held a
conference for its AXON flagship
device series, during which the
company talked about its
flagship device strategy. For the
first time, ZTE discussed its
AXON flagship device series,
which consists of AXON, AXON
mini and AXON MAX.
AXON
AXON/AXON Pro
ZTE AXON and AXON Pro were
launched in the US. AXON has a
5.5-inch display with 1920 x
1080 resolution and is powered
by a 2.3 GHz quad-core
Snapdragon 801 processor. It
has 2 GB RAM and 32 GB of
internal memory. AXON Pro has
a 64-bit 2 GHz octa-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810
processor and 4 GB RAM. It has
a 5.5-inch display with
2560 x 1440 pixels of
resolution. It has either 32
GB or 64 GB of storage.
AXON Elite
The international version of
AXON, called AXON Elite, was
launched at IFA 2015 in
September. It is available in a
number of markets across
Europe and elsewhere (excluding
the US and Canada). AXON Elite
can be unlocked with three
different biometric
authentication options –
fingerprint, voice control and
eye-scan. It uses a Qualcomm
Snapdragon 810 processor.
AXON mini
First unveiled in July 2015, ZTE’s
AXON mini became the world’s
first smartphone to come with a
pressure-sensitive touchscreen
that recognizes different levels
of touch pressure for enhanced
functions and experience, such
as interactive gaming, passwords
and more. AXON mini boasts a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 616
octa-core processor and Adreno
405 GPU, a 2800 mAh battery, 3
GB RAM and 32 GB ROM. It
sports a 13-megapixel camera at
the back with phase detection
autofocus (PDAF) that has a
focus time of just 0.1s.
AXON Max
AXON Max is a larger-screen
smartphone device with a bigger
battery. It targets heavy users
and has longer battery life and
higher playability.
AXON Line-Up

FOCUS
17
Beautiful Design
AXON mini is a smartphone
designed with beautiful look,
balancing brand image and user
experience at the same time.
Its triangular grill pattern
combined with stylish line and
texture make it recognizably
attractive to customers
worldwide. Its 5.2-inch screen,
slim body and metallic finish
together provide great one-
handed operation.

FOCUS
18
Impressive Touchscreen
AXON mini supports a pressure-
sensitive touchscreen. Its
screen senses your touch and
responds as your motion
varies—a light tap and a deep
press. The development of
Force Touch-enabled apps will
improve the experience of the
touchscreen and revolutionize
smartphone interaction.

FOCUS
19
AXON is a radical swerve for ZTE. Mobile World
interviewed Zhu Lian, product manager for AXON.
He is responsible for the end-to-end definition,
planning, and business operation of AXON.
Could you brief us on the AXON project team?
ZTE’s mobile phone business started from a B2B
model, while the AXON project was quite
different. The product was developed entirely
with customers in mind and was intended to
reflect what consumers want, value and use. Our
team is an end-to-end team that includes experts
on user experience, design, R&D, and marketing.
What is the routine work of the project team?
We have had a morning meeting every day for
almost two years. After arriving at work each day,
core personnel from UE, ID, UI, R&D and
marketing meet and discuss their progress and
problems. We also have seminars on specific
topics such as the user experience we want to
achieve.
How was AXON conceived?
We wanted to enhance the ZTE brand in both the
US and China while taking into consideration the
forward-looking strategy in other markets. AXON
was intended to help ZTE gain a firm foothold in
the US market, where we are currently the fourth
largest smartphone manufacturer. In the Chinese
market, domestic mobile phone manufacturers
have launched their flagship models, and
smartphone competition is now fiercer.
How was the early-stage UE research was
carried out?
ZTE has a consumer lab in the US, and we also
worked with a local survey company. AXON was
designed based on feedback from thousands of
surveys and focus groups. In addition, our PR
team in the US also deals with consumers. In
China, we have obtained feedback from
consumers through various sources including our
online forum.
How were the survey results applied to the final
product?
One example is color. We conducted large-scale
surveys of target consumers in both the US and
China. Consumers helped us decide which colors
or materials to adopt for the final products. The
North American version has the Z-Tray interface
designed for sports and fitness enthusiasts
because sports are an important part of the
country’s culture. We will seek more common
ground between the two countries and build
products that appeal to both cultures.
Why do we need to converge to a single model?
This is the result of our continuous improvement
of B2C operations. Different countries have
different aesthetic values, but they also have
some things in common. We will take advantage
of ZTE’s large global platform to find common
ground.
Could you introduce to us ZTE’s Apollo project?
When US President John F. Kennedy delivered his
speech on the nation’s space initiative in 1962, he
said, “We choose to go to the moon in this
decade and do the other things, not because they
are easy, but because they are hard.” The Apollo
program had great strategic significance for the
US back then, and likewise ZTE’s Apollo project
holds great strategic significance for ZTE right
now.
ZTE’s Apollo project is a systematic project that
spans different departments. It means
transforming our way of thinking and operation. I
envision that the success of the Apollo project will
change ZTE’s entire business model. The
transformation has taken place gradually. ZTE now
has allocated more resources to branding,
distribution, and marketing. To truly transform
the business model from B2B to B2C, the
company must build its brand, which can only be
supported by a high-quality product.
We are still far from completing our Apollo
project, but we are moving towards that strategic
goal step by step.
What are the major differences between this
project and previous projects that you have
participated in?
I have been working in the North American
business group. I have participated in many
terminal projects, including those with big sales.
Those were customized handsets for operators,
and the competition is not as cruel as that in the
B2C market. With B2B projects, the operators are
responsible for distribution and sales. However,
B2C projects are more demanding on a company’s
comprehensive capability. With ZTE’s Apollo
project, we faced the challenge of transforming to
a B2C business model and developing high-end
flagships.
What difficulties have you encountered during
product R&D?
There are many difficulties, e.g., how to control
quality in the B2C market. We are capable of
manufacturing products with advanced quality as
the North American market has very high
standards on that. In the absence of strict test
procedures provided by operators, we have to
define the quality standard for the B2C products
by ourselves in a scientific way. Quality is cost.
In addition, fierce competition in the B2C market
puts challenges on our R&D cycles. Some
smartphone manufacturers would launch new
features that are gimmicky rather than useful. ZTE
has a great technical background but we need to
make it more flexible and easier to control.
AXON has many innovative features. How did
you innovate in your work?
The project team tries to have an innovation
mindset. I required each team member to
complete their own tasks on the premise that
they could achieve the world’s best three. This
applies to any new feature, experience, or app. If
not, they should stop.
Starting Our Own Apollo ProjectThe Concept
Zhu Lian, product manager for AXON

We also have dedicated UE personnel involved in
every link, such as design, R&D and even branding, to
ensure that the product features meet customer
expectations. Product highlights should be consistent
throughout the entire process. Therefore, our
branding sub-team was involved from the very
beginning.
What changes have you experienced during the
project?
From a personal perspective, I feel that my sense of
responsibility has grown stronger gradually. When the
project started, we did not have a broad ambition or
receive as much attention as we do now. The team
members were just passionate to do something that
they love. However, as we carry forward the project,
the goal of the entire team, including me, has
gradually become higher and more specific. But we
are very confident because we do make progress every
day.
What is your next step?
The second generation of AXON. On the basis of the
first generation, the second-generation version will
definitely make a leap forward.
What do you plan to do to ensure a better user
experience of the second-generation AXON?
We will put more effort into UE surveys. The first
round of consumer surveys has been completed in
core Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai,
Chengdu, Xi’an, and Shenzhen. For the overseas
market, we also will conduct a larger-scale survey for
the second generation version. We have just finished
CMF-related surveys in the US.
What do you think of the future of the mobile phone
industry?
First, future products will increase focus on user
experience. As the future unfolds, previously
unimaginable functions will be integrated into the
mobile products.
Second, more smartphone-related innovations will
occur. Future competition will be more about
innovation.
Third, future competition will also focus more heavily
on the ecosystem and industry chain. An innovative
new technology may revolutionize the entire
ecosystem. For example, we have launched AXON mini
with Force Touch. We will collaborate with big players
in the industry and build a nationwide or even
worldwide developer alliance based on our innovative
technology. We will open the underlying API so that
global fans can develop creative apps or games based
on our open platform. For those who have great
creativity but don’t have the ability to put their ideas
into practice, we can find or arrange development
resources to help implement their creative ideas.
FOCUS
20
Integrating Global
Design Resources
AXON has great design personality and
will catch the eyes of many people.
Mobile World interviewed Song Yuqi, the
designer of AXON. He told us how the
design came to fruition.
Could you briefly introduce the AXON
design team?
The AXON design team takes care of the
requirements of different markets. It
includes our team in Shanghai, Germany,
and North America. The North American
design team is the Teague Company, who
has also worked for Boeing. The German
team is Designaffairs, who have
cooperated with ZTE for a long time. The
three teams worked together and at last
Teague’s solution was selected from all
the proposals.
Were the three teams cooperating with
each other from the beginning?
The Shanghai team got involved a little
earlier than the other two teams because
we are close to the R&D and planning
teams. So it’s more convenient for us to
communicate with them. When the entire
design requirements are finalized, we
know clearly what kind of product we
want. Then the German and US teams
joined us.
Are you involved in the entire design
process?
I take charge of cooperation among the
three design teams. I collected demands
at the earlier stage and participated in
model selection and modification, and the
final mass production.
How long has this project been going?
It has been a year and a half since the
first-generation AXON was developed.
What is particular about the design of
AXON?
The design of a project is related to its
selling points. Initially, we defined features
like dual-speaker, dual-camera, and a
metal body. So the design revolved
around how to best represent AXON’s
selling points. Take the grid of triangles for
example. We wanted to give users a hint
The Design
Song Yuqi, the designer of AXON

FOCUS
21
Tips Teague
Teague is a global design consultancy
headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It
is particularly recognized for its work in
aviation and consumer goods and has
clients such as Boeing, Microsoft,
Hewlett-Packard, Samsung and Panasonic.
Teague’s early role in consumer culture is
most popularly associated with designs
such as the first Polaroid camera, the UPS
truck, Texaco service stations, and the
Pringles Chips canister. Xbox and the
Boeing 787 Dreamliner are examples of
Teague’s post-2000 design work.
Tips AXON’s Design Featuresof the great audio function on AXON, and
referred to the design of sound equipment.
Is the triangular grid pattern a Chinese
design element?
AXON was initially designed with the US
market in mind. That’s why we needed to
cooperate with the US team. It is similar to
ZTE’s Blade series, which was initially
designed for the European market and
then introduced into the Chinese market
after the series achieved great success.
Are there any differences in the designs
for different markets?
The earliest North American version does
not use fingerprint recognition, but the
Chinese version has. Second, since the
Chinese version is more business oriented,
top and bottom areas on the back have a
leatherette finish. Third, for the Chinese
market, AXON is available in ion gold and
chromium silver. The North American
version also comes in phthalo blue and the
blue version has copper-colored accents in
some places. The main differences lie in
fingerprint recognition, color scheme, and
texture. There are minor differences in the
configuration.
Do you have any anecdotes to share with
us during the design process?
Because our teams were spread across
different timezones, there were always
some people who wore pajamas at video
conferences.
Triangular Pattern
The signature on AXON was created after
repeated research and sketch modification. It
shows up in the top and bottom bezels. The
design continues on the back of the device near
the camera lenses. At first, only one row of
triangles was incorporated into the design. The
triangle size was reduced and another row of
triangles was added to add texture to the phone.
World Firsts
The back of the phone – the world’s first metal/
leatherette combo on a handset – is slightly
curved, making it more comfortable to hold. The
floating screen on the front uses Gorilla Glass for
toughness and scratch-resistance, which isn’t
unusual, but it’s the first screen on the market to
use antimicrobial Gorilla Glass, which kills 99% of
bacteria. In the quest for a phone that will
survive all kinds of handling, AXON uses aircraft-
grade materials such as magnesium alloy for a
phone that not only feels top-class, but is 80%
stronger and 30% lighter than lesser phones.
The Camera Plate
The camera plate initially had a hollowed out
metal plate. To improve user experience, an NFC
antenna was added to this area. To enable this,
the metallic component was removed and
triangular craftsmanship was retained. Finally,
the glass on the camera lenses went through 11
manufacturing processes. The design strikes a
balance between user-friendliness and
functionality.
Building Perfection
AXON suffers more than 260 individual steps of
machining, including being sandblasted and
polished five times to ensure a suitably refined
look and feel. Every single handset is fine-
processed for over an hour and a half from 360
degrees to make certain the end result is worthy
of AXON’s flagship status.
Interior
AXON has a gently curved back that is
comfortable to hold. If a square battery was
used, the capacity could only be 2600 mAh.
Thanks to the arc design that makes full use of
the battery compartment, AXON’s battery
capacity is 3000 mAh.

Fast Shooting
AXON mini uses phase
detection autofocus that has a
focus time of just 0.1s, making
it a DSLR-like smartphone. Its
fast shooting produces good
outcomes when tracking
moving objects. The manual
controls, which include refocus
and independent metering,
enable more room for
creativity. Its Super AMOLED
display with vivid color
representation and wide
viewing angle makes a solid
basis for image display and
processing.
FOCUS
22

FOCUS
23
A Careful Attitude to Sound Quality
AXON can record and play hi-fi audio. The phone
offers a unique voice recording solution that is
comparable to top voice recorder. Mobile World
interviewed Chen Qi, who designed the audio
system of AXON. He has been collecting various
types of sounds to increase his sensitivity to
everyday sounds. When a car pulls into a parking
lot, he rushes forward to record the sound with
his specialized recording device.
As an audio system engineer, what are your
major job responsibilities?
We mainly design audio system solutions, contact
suppliers, and solve system-level problems. This
year, I began to take the lead in designing audio
system for the North American market.
Have you encountered any difficulties
integrating Hi-Fi audio into AXON? How did you
overcome them?
The main challenge was to create the proper
environment for sound tuning and perform the
tuning. Because there was no good recording
environment, we borrowed a Sony D100 high-
performance digital recorder and calibrated the
reverberation chamber environment. Calibration
requires careful adjustment of the frequency
response and recording the compensation curve.
We worked hard but fell short due to a few data
errors. The following week, we built a
reverberation environment for calibration again,
Hi-Fi Sound
The AKM Audio Chip
The cassette player, CD player and MP3 player all
used to be so popular, but they have made way
for the smartphone, which is now a tool for
entertainment. Audio and video effects are two of
the most important features of a smartphone.
The AXON smartphone is equipped with an AKM
4961 Hi-Fi audio chip. The AKM 4961 audio chip is
an advanced DSP codec especially developed by
AKM for smartphones and tablets. It allows
playback of 32-bit 192KHz audio files as well as
state-of-the-art Hi-Fi recording.
double checked each step, and eventually made
it, paving the way for tuning up the recording
effects.
Debugging Hi-Fi and recording puts great
requirements on noise reduction. During the
process, there was minor noise across the full
spectrum. In order to correctly measure the
noise, our colleagues in the mute chamber
overcame many difficulties to fix the capacitor
squealing bug.
What is the difference between ZTE’s audio
solution and similar solutions from other
manufacturers?
ZTE’s audio solution has a high price-
performance ratio and exceeds mainstream
brands in terms of both audio perception and
KPIs. In addition, we offer a unique voice
recording solution that is comparable to top
voice recorders. AXON is the first Hi-Fi audio
phone in the US.
In addition to the independent music chip,
what other measures have been taken to
enhance AXON’s audio effects?
Music quality is determined by our attitude.
Audio engineers should check each step very
carefully. System design and architecture,
components, and production are also very
important.
Tips
A Stellar Audio Experience
The AXON audio solution has been evaluated with
extreme care to keep the noise to a minimum. We
have dedicated persons for tuning, and purchased
the best audio measurement tool to achieve a
good sound quality.
What do you think of the Hi-Fi trend on a
smartphone?
Hi-Fi feature on a smartphone cannot develop
independently from the form of a smartphone. It
has to improve the sound quality rather than the
KPIs.
Chen Qi, audio engineer for AXON

FOCUS
24
Playback
ZTE conducted a professional Hi-Fi listening test
where ten music fans were invited to evaluate the
sound quality of AXON. The test tracks included
“Berlin Lovers” and “Radetzky March”. If you
listen carefully, you have a sense of the
atmosphere and depth of sound. The treble is
crisp, and the midband is clean and open. The
bass feels solid.
Noise Reduction
In normal cases, the recording function of a
smartphone is more effective in a quiet
environment. AXON employs a variety of noise
reduction solutions to enhance the primary voice
and suppress ambient noise during recording. The
phone is comparable to a professional pen voice
recorder.
Hi-Fi Sound Recording
AXON has a 24-bit analog-to-digital converter
(ADC) with dual microphones for omni-directional
recording. It can achieve an SNR of up to 108 dB,
which ensures high-quality audio recording.
Long Distance Voice Pickup
AXON can pick up sound from up to 5 meters
away. Long-distance recording, which often
occurs in conferences and interviews, is a key
indicator of the performance of a recorder. AXON
can clearly record the voice at a normal speaking
volume regardless of where the speaker is in the
room.
Speech-to-Text
AXON provides the speech-to-text function. Enter
the recorder interface, tap the T button next to
the microphone and speak. Then, your speeches
are converted into a text in real time. The speed
and accuracy are amazing.
Never Stop Refining
AXON has a 13-megapixel camera on the
back and a secondary 2-megapixel camera
that sits above it to help capture 3D depth
for a refocusable photo. To get a better idea
of the story behind the challenging work,
Mobile World talked with two engineers
from ZTE’s camera lab.
Interviewee: Zhu Yufei, responsible for the
North American camera team and camera
solution planning
What factors determine the quality of
photos taken?
A shooting system, including hardware and
software, decides the photo quality, and
efforts should go to every component of the
system including lens design, camera
algorithms, and upper application layer.
Why did you decide to introduce a dual-
lens camera into AXON? How will the
smartphone camera develop in the future?
Dual-Lens Camera
The picture of Arches National Park in the US taken by ZTE AXON
Dual-lens camera technology is
prospective. Photos taken by a single-lens
camera are some kind of object
simulation, while photos taken by a dual-
lens camera are more vivid because dual-
lens cameras capture more information.
A camera, as one of the most important
features of a mobile phone, puts high
requirements on intelligence and usability,
which are the development trends of the
mobile phone industry. In terms of
intelligence, we improve image
stabilization and low-light photography
through better algorithms and relevant
technologies on AXON.
Are there any differences between ZTE’s
dual-lens camera and other similar
products?
The distance between the two lenses of
AXON is wider. AXON outperforms other
dual-lens smartphones in the large
aperture effect, depth calculation
accuracy, and distance of objects from the
camera.
What are the trends for future
smartphone cameras?
Both single-lens cameras and dual-lens
cameras will coexist. Single-lens cameras
will dominate in the near future, and dual-
lens cameras will continue to improve.

FOCUS
25
Interviewee: Xiao Longan, responsible for the
camera software development
What are the tough nuts to crack in introducing
the dual-lens camera to AXON? How did you
overcome these difficulties?
This technology is quite challenging, and we
encountered all sorts of problems, such as
hardware restriction, photo effects, performance,
power consumption, and user experience. Thanks
to every team member’s love for the product, we
finally ironed out these problems. No smartphone
project at ZTE has required so many human
resources on the R&D of the camera app, and no
camera app has received so much attention.
We also used a more effective way in product
R&D. We have set up an agile product R&D
process covering planning, requirement analysis,
R&D, testing, and user experience. Every time a
new or improvement idea came up, product
development would begin after discussions.
Testing and user survey was completed after the
product was developed. The entire process was
very efficient.
How do you optimize the camera software?
Many improvements were made where users are
concerned about the most. Optimizations
centered on higher image quality, faster
processing, and more extensive and professional
features. We took full consideration of three
types of users. Professional and amateur
shutterbugs can enjoy the same features as
DSLRs, such as the wide aperture effect and
parameter settings in manual mode. Ordinary
users who use a camera app as a tool to record
their daily lives can make use of intelligent low
light photography and better night mode. For
those users in pursuit of innovative styles, the
panorama mode, filters, and the panning feature
are provided.
We never stop upgrading the camera features of
AXON, and to support this we have set up a user
communication and feedback mechanism.
Which camera feature do you like most?
Background blur and refocus. I also like manual
mode, filters, 4K HD video recording, and adding
filters to videos. I photographed a lot using my
AXON and shared them with my friends from time
to time. Users also think highly of the playability
of the camera.
It is not necessary to include many features in a
camera app. Our team reviewed and evaluated
various camera functions on existing
smartphones, removing those that are not
frequently used by most users and introducing
the functions that are really popular with users.
Can you explain more about how the refocus
feature works?
The dual-lens camera captures and adds depth
data to each object in the image. These data
allows you to refocus a picture and add a blur
effect to select parts of the image.
Is there anything that impressed you during the
18-month period?
I myself have taken hundreds of gigabytes of
pictures using AXON ever since the camera app
was created.
The company also organized outdoor
photography activities in China and the US during
the R&D of this app. Engineers went out of their
labs and offices with AXON and captured nature
photos together with professional photographers
and ordinary users. We were able to spot and fix
problems, update the app, and finally present to
users a camera app that surprises them.
ZTE AXON allows you to take high-quality pictures
but also shoot 4K videos. The 4K resolution
standard is defined as 4096 x 2160 pixels. In this
resolution, the audiences are able to see every
detail, every close-up of the frames in 4K movies.
In front of the screen, regardless of the position
you’re in, 4K video will show you the pictures with
wonderful sharpness and bright colors.
Tips 4K Video
A PC needs an Intel i5 2500K processor to play 4K
videos while a smartphone needs a Snapdragon
800 series or the higher-end chip. AXON powered
by the Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor
supports 4K videos.
The Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor features
four Cortex-A57 and four Cortex-A53 processor
A macro image of a flower taken by AXON

Powerful Functions
AXON mini is powerful in many
respects. Three biometric
authentications—fingerprint,
voiceprint and eye
identification—protect your
privacy and make it much more
convenient. ZTE’s smart voice
services, including real-time
translation and assistance in
driving, free your hands and
allow you to live safer and
smarter. Its Hi-Fi audio provides
great music enjoyment, be it
playback or recording.
FOCUS
26

FOCUS
27
AXON has a 2K screen with 2560 × 1440
resolution. The display which is coated with
Gorilla Glass 3 looks bright and clear.
Local HD videos are the best choices for
entertainment on a smartphone. We used several
1080P and 4K videos to test the video playback
capability of the phone. AXON allows easy
playback of 1080 videos, delivering satisfying
effects.
Easy playback of 1080P videos
We also chose a roast duck video with a
resolution of 3840 x 2160 (4k), and the playback
was smooth. Playing, dragging, or fast forwarding
or backwarding the video does not affect the
playback process. Images are very clear and
exquisite, and colors are bright and beautiful.
Delicious food seems to be at hand.
Smooth playback when the 4k video is dragged
With the rapid increase of HD video playback
requirements, the Snapdragon 810 processor that
promises video capturing and playback plays an
important role in high-end smartphones. At the
same time, AXON provides a 5.5-inch 2K HD
screens to support the 4K video playback.
cores, a 20 nm manufacturing process, the
Adreno 430 GPU, Cat 9 LTE support and the ARM
v7 instruction set. AXON with Snapdragon 810
processor can capture, rewind, and play 4K videos
or output 4K videos to peripherals.
AXON comes with a fingerprint sensor on
the rear, eye-scanning technology, and
voice unlocking system onboard. The
application of diverse biometric
technologies has dramatically improved the
security of the phone.
Fingerprint Recognition
A fingerprint remains the same throughout
a person’s life and has become synonymous
with biometric identification. Fingerprint
recognition has been added to various
flagship models as a key feature of mobile
phone security.
Advanced fingerprint sensor
Swipe type fingerprint sensors are prevalent
in Android phones. Users have to swipe
their finger across the sensor surface to
acquire a fingerprint image and the
experience is not so satisfying. AXON uses
an advanced area fingerprint sensor that
offers significant improvements in
fingerprint imaging, sensitivity, and working
with wet or damp fingers. The phone
provides fast and accurate fingerprint
recognition.
There’s a fingerprint sensor on the back of
the device, and you can use the sensor
comfortably with your right or left index
finger. Setting up the fingerprint is easy.
Just head over to the settings and find the
fingerprint option. You can store up to five
fingerprints.
Increased Security
Place your finger on the fingerprint reader.
Lift and rest your finger on the reader six
times and you will see that the fingerprint
animation on the display fills up with red
color as you progress. The sensor can read
a fingerprint in 360 degrees, which makes
it fairly robust.
Phone unlocking
Using the fingerprint to unlock AXON
proved to be quite good. Without the need
to turn on the screen, the phone will be
unlocked instantly when you hold up the
phone while touching the rear fingerprint
reader with your index finger. The
procedure is smooth and the success rate
is 100 percent during trial.
Eyeprint
AXON also supports eye pattern
recognition to give users an additional
layer of mobile phone security. It is
suggested to unlock the phone with the
naked eye. However, even when a user
wears a pair of glass, they can still unlock
the phone with their eyes. The recognition
rate was almost 100 percent.
Compared with the unlock speed of 3 to 8
seconds with other mobile phones, the
speed of scanning and verifying eyes on

of pressure sensitivity to suit your style of
operation.
Pressure sensitivity setting
System Shortcuts
AXON mini provides two types of Force
Touch shortcuts.
1. Deep press shortcuts
Each preinstalled app has certain shortcuts.
You can access particular functions by
pressing an app on the home screen that
brings up a special option menu. You no
longer need to start the app and select one
menu after another. An API will be open to
third-party developers so that they can put
the key features of their own applications
in the special options menu.
For example, you can press the music icon
to access the function that allows you to
quickly find the source of a new song. You
can also press the dial icon to directly call
the person you contact most often.
A deep press on the icon on the home
screen brings up a special option menu.
AXON mini features smart voice control.
You can press down hard on the voice
assistant or driving assistant to activate the
voice service.
AXON is less than 1 second. Such excellent
performance can be attributed to the Snapdragon
810 processor and 8-megapixel front camera.
AXON has also greatly optimized its eye image
input and recognition algorithms.
Eye vein verification can be divided into iris
recognition (the iris is the colored part of the eye)
and sclera recognition (the sclera is the white of
the eye). AXON uses sclera recognition.
Eyeprint recognition currently available works on
the basis of sclera recognition. EyePrint ID
authentication technology was developed by
EyeVerify, a
biometric security
technology startup
launched in 2012.
With any existing
2-megapixel
camera, EyePrint
ID can image and
pattern-match the
unique blood vessels in the whites of the eye and
other micro features in and around the eye.
Although human eyes may become bloodshot
due to allergies, ophthalmias or staying up late,
these conditions do not affect the blood vessels in
the sclera. An eyeprint is relatively stable and
cannot be replicated. Moreover, it contains much
more biometric data than a fingerprint, making it
very suitable for biometric recognition.
Tips Eyeprint Recognition
Tapping touchscreens has always been a
smartphone user’s most instinctive
movement. What new interactive
experience will Force Touch, a pressure-
sensitive multi-touch technology, bring to
smartphone users? As the first Android
smartphone to use Force Touch technology
in its touchscreen, AXON mini smartphone
incorporates the following Force Touch
functions.
Secure Password
AXON mini with Force Touch allows you to
set a two-dimensional password that
combines digits with pressure. The
smartphone can tell the difference between
a digit that you tap lightly and the same
digit that you tap heavily. Using Force Touch
to enter a four-digit password results in a
password that is 16 times more secure than
it would be without Force Touch. Even the
simplest password becomes largely
uncrackable.
Setting a pressure-based password
Determining the Force
How much pressure does AXON mini
determine to be light or heavy? Unlike
iPhone, which defines three levels of
pressure, the phone allows you to define
your own level of pressure. You can test
how much strength is required for your own
deep press, and then set the critical point
Force Touch
FOCUS
28

You can browse a video with a long press.
A hard press on a video enables fast-forwarding or
rewinding.
Force Touch Stylus
In ZTE notepad, how the words are displayed can
be adjusted based on how much pressure is
applied to the screen.
Force Touch stylus enables you to show your
extraordinary calligraphy skill.
Third-Party Apps
In addition to the default Force Touch-enabled
apps, there are also third-party Force Touch-
enabled apps that provide you with a richer
entertainment experience. In the perfect piano
2. Deep press on the notification bar
While pressing down allows you to control
internal functions of an app directly from the
home screen, pressing down on the notification
bar allows you to return to the home screen from
any screen. With the back arrow on the title bar,
you can navigate even without the virtual
navigation bar.
A deep press on the notification bar allows you to
return to the home screen.
Multimedia Management
How do you switch one picture to another if you
have numerous pictures? Swipe them
continuously one by one? With AXON mini, you
can press the right edge of a picture to preview
the next picture or press the left edge of a picture
to preview the previous picture. Picture switching
speed depends on the amount of pressure you
exert on the screen.
You can browse the pictures by pressing the edge
of a picture.
The first long press on a picture allows you to
preview it, and the second allows you to open it.
This also applies to a video. To find a picture or
video, you no longer need to swipe numerous
pictures or videos back and forth.
There are two versions of AXON mini. Only the
premium version comes with a pressure-sensitive
screen. ZTE has not only developed apps for the
pressure-sensitive screen independently but also
collaborated with third parties for app
development. From a technical perspective, ZTE’s
pressure-sensitive screen is virtually the same as
those developed by other companies. The
differences lie in apps, user-friendliness, and
interaction.
app, you can give expression to the music played
by varying the force to the screen.
Tips
With ZTE’s Apollo project, ZTE is moving
towards a user-oriented development
process and product strategy that evolves
around flagships. Relying on its deep
technical accumulation, ZTE will continue to
innovate in order to revolutionize life.
Moreover, ZTE will build its own smartphone
ecosystem to give users more applications
and better experience.
AXON flagship device series is the initial
results of the Apollo project and is only the
start. There will be more acts worth waiting
for in the future.
Conclusion
FOCUS
29

Street or portraiture photography has long been
the domain of the DSLR camera. However, as
built-in smartphone cameras advance, you can
take such photos as long as you use the camera
properly.
Street photography features the chance
encounters and random accidents within public
places. A public environment usually contains
different people or objects. As such, lenses with
large apertures are required in street
photography to create a relatively shallow
depth of field (DOF), emphasizing the subject
while relegating the foreground and
background. This helps create a layered photo.
It is easy to understand that a larger aperture
causes more blurring of the background.
However, the effect varies with the lens used
and depends on the optical structure of the lens
and the number of aperture blades. Many
amateur photographers purchase expensive
prime lenses in order to give their photos a
dream-like feel.
It is difficult to create an appealing DOF effect
with a smartphone camera because it has
limited focal length, image format, flange focal
distance, and lens diameter. However, things
have changed with the advent of the dual-lens
smartphone camera. Two lenses contribute to
quicker focus and wider maximum aperture.
Some smartphones support apertures with
F-numbers smaller than 1.0, even wider than
those of many DSLR lenses. Although post-
processing algorithms are involved, the dual-
lens camera system can achieve DOF and bokeh.
In addition, some smartphones have powerful
algorithms that enable you to adjust the focus
or aperture after shooting, making it easier to
take snaps at a decisive moment.
MOBILE MASTERY
30
ZTE AXON comes with a dual-lens camera.
As smartphone makers race to release their flagship models, smartphone cameras
have become more powerful. Smartphone cameras support high-speed autofocus,
F/1.0 and even wider apertures, and can simulate a bokeh effect (blurring in out-of-
focus areas) that only fixed focal length DSLR lenses can provide. They also have
manual control and special effects to make smartphone photography more flexible.
Street Photography
with Your Smartphone

MOBILE MASTERY
31
Create a Blurry
Background
A key aspect to portraiture
photography is to artistically blur
the background and make the
subject stand out. The degree of
blur can be adjusted by setting
different apertures. The larger the
aperture, the more blurred the
background will be. How to make
the best of blurring effect requires
the skills of a photographer. If you
are not doing well now, practice
makes perfect. However, if you
have a smartphone with a dual-
lens camera, things will be much
easier. Take ZTE AXON for example.
It allows you to shoot with a
shallow DOF and adjust the
aperture after shooting a photo. If
you feel that the photo
background is too blurry, you can
reduce the aperture by a factor of
2 so that the background becomes
clearer. In this way, even if you are
not experienced, you can fix your
photos still.
Manual Metering is Key
A public environment usually has
diverse lighting, and the contrast
of brightness and darkness is often
utilized by shutterbugs in street
photography. When shooting a
scene with very bright and very
dark parts, you may get a photo
with little or no details in the
shadows or highlights. This
problem is more prominent in
black-and-white photos. Of the
smartphone settings, separating
metering from focus can help. You
can manually set your meter to
some mid tone in the scene to
balance the exposure between the
highlights and shadows of the
photo. What if the contrast is so
strong that it exceeds the exposure
latitude of a smartphone? That is
where HDR comes into play. HDR
images can represent a greater
range of luminance levels, which is
often achieved by capturing and
then combining several different
narrower range exposures of the
same subject matter.
Make Good Use of
Refocusing
Timing is very important in street
photography. DSLRs are suitable
for street photography mostly
because they focus and shoot fast,
which smartphones usually cannot
do. However, a smartphone with a
dual-lens camera is different. ZTE
AXON has fast auto focus and
refocusing. You can change what’s
in focus after you capture your
photo. This feature is very useful in
fast shooting. You do not have to
think about focus accuracy, and
directly take out your smartphone
and press the shutter button when
that decisive moment comes. You
can play with the focus after that,
which could be hardly imagined
before.
When shooting a scene with strong contrast, the HDR mode can be enabled
to reveal more of the shadow details.
A dual-lens smartphone can achieve an aperture of F/1.0 via software to
produce a bokeh output as good as a DSLR does.
You can rest assured if you are not sure about the aesthetic quality of
blurring when taking a photo. The dual-lens smartphone allows you to
manually set the aperture afterwards to present the background properly.
The refocusing function comes in handy for
portraiture photography. You can choose your focus
points after you take the photo and make any area
you want clear or blurry.
In this photo, the
focus is not on the
human figure. You
can open the
refocusing function
and adjust the
focus by touching
the corresponding
area on the display.
When the focus
is put on the
human figure,
the figure
becomes clear
and the plants in
the background
are blurred.

SMART GADGETS
32
Will Solar Become the Dominant
Energy Source in Your Home?
In 2015, Tesla released the Powerwall home battery,
which uses electricity generated from solar panels.
Tesla founder Elon Musk said 2 billion Powerwalls
could meet the energy needs of the entire world. Is it
feasible to use solar power as the sole power supply
for the household?
Except for the small gasoline generators for emergency use in
remote areas, almost all the electricity we use is purchased from the
power grid. Most of the electricity comes from thermal power plants
and hydropower plants. Although only a few centralized power
plants, they generate huge amounts of electricity for all residents in
a city. Coal-fired thermal power plants cause environmental pollution
and the electricity generated goes through long transmission lines
before being used by us, leading to substantial electricity loss. The
huge electricity consumption in peak hours also exerts a high load
on transmission lines and generator sets.
Solar energy is abundant, and solar power will not have
transportation problems because the sun is for everyone,
everywhere. In addition, compared with power plants, solar power is
a distributed energy source. Such distributed power supply is more
efficient and environmentally friendly. If solar power for household
supply becomes popular, people will be able to generate energy
in their houses or offices and share this energy via the "internet of
energy".
Tesla’s Powerwall is a home battery that
charges using electricity generated from
solar panels. It sounds a little bit like the
traditional uninterruptible power supply
(UPS). UPS provides emergency power to
a load when the input power source fails.
However, Powerwall not only fortifies
your home against power outages but
also recharges in a smart way. It powers
homes during peak evening hours when
rates are high and draws energy from the
electrical grid during off-peak hours when
rates are low and stores it for future use.
It solves the key challenge facing today’s
power grid utilities: electricity must be
consumed as soon as it’s generated, and
there might be insufficient electricity to
meet peak demand and wasted energy in
off-peak hours.
Before the emergence of Powerwall, solar
power also faced the same challenge
of reconciling power generation and
demand. The average home uses more
electricity in the morning and evening
than during the day, when solar energy
is plentiful. Without a home battery,
excess solar energy is often sold to the
power company and purchased back in
the evening. Powerwall bridges this gap
between renewable energy supply and
demand by making your home’s solar
energy available to you when you need it.
WhydoWeNeedSolarPower?
WhyTelsa’sPowerwallisaBigDeal?

SunJack Solar Charger
If it is not feasible to install a solar panel in your house, you can also
try SunJack, a powerful portable solar charger. The 14 W model holds
enough charge to power up four phones. The 20 W model holds
enough energy for up to eight phones. When completely opened, the
lightweight SunJack systems can be securely attached to a backpack and
fully replenish its batteries in about 5 hours of direct sunlight.
XD Design Port Solar Charger
Solar chargers are also needed by business travelers.
This trendy item is perfect to use at home, in the car
or on the train. The suction cup makes it very easy to
attach the solar charger to any window. For example,
while travelling by train just stick it on the train window
and let it collect solar energy. Then just plug your
phone charging cable in the USB output
and charge your phone. This port solar
charger comes with an integrated USB
charging cable that folds into the side of
the body. Harvested solar energy is stored in a 1000
mAh rechargeable lithium battery.
Although major technology companies are continuing their
efforts, solar power for household supply seems still a long
way to go. Solar is not a bad choice for business people and
backpackers to charge low power gadgets.
SMART GADGETS
33
In addition to Tesla, many other well-known
industry giants have invested in clean
energy projects. In recent years, Google,
Microsoft, and Amazon have all announced
wind power projects with the capacity of
more than a hundred megawatts, and even
home furnishings retailer IKEA has begun to
make a profit from investing in wind power.
In February, Apple announced a massive
new investment in solar energy: an $850
million installation in California, partnering
with First Solar, America’s biggest utility-
scale installer, which will produce enough
power to supply 60,000 Californian homes.
From this project, Apple will obtain 130
megawatts under a 25-year deal. In China,
Apple is partnering with SunPower to
build two solar power projects totaling 40
megawatts in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang
Autonomous Prefectures in northwest
Sichuan province. When completed, the
solar projects will provide an estimated
80 million kWh a year, equivalent to the
power consumption of 61,000 Chinese
households, and far more than needed to
power all of Apple’s offices and retail stores
in China.
Investment in the renewable energy sector
creates a win-win situation, since it enables
environmental sustainability and helps
companies reduce their utility bills.
Solar power has limitations for large
power requirements in households,
factories, and schools.
First, the energy payback time of
solar panels is still too long. Simply
put, a solar power system needs to
operate continuously for two to five
years to recover the energy for the
system itself. It seems to be a cost-
effective investment if the product
lifetime is 10 years. However,
considering associated generation
of pollution and CO2 that went into
making the system, whether the
investment is economic and truly
green is still debatable.
Second, a large roof space is
needed for installing solar panels.
Populous urban areas do not always
have such conditions. Solar energy
seems to be more suitable for rural
houses and villas. However, rural
residents use less energy overall.
Therefore, like Tesla Roadster,
Powerwall hits only a niche
market.
Third, even if the aforementioned
problems can be solved in the
future, centralized solar power
stations will certainly be much
more efficient than residential solar
power generation.
Smartflower POP Solar System
If you have a yard or a roof to install a solar system
the size of a radio telescope, smartflower POP is
the best choice for you. It is called the world's
first all-in-one solar system which boasts an
easy setup and up to 40% more energy
output than regular rooftop solar panels.
The secret lies in its shape and smart
tracking system. The astronomical
control system allows the solar modular
fan to track the sun in all weather
conditions like a sunflower, even when it’s
very cloudy outside, during the entire day. The
solar panels will fold up at night, and open in the
morning automatically.
WhoElseinAdditiontoTesla?
IsSolarPowerHomeRealistic?
RecommendedSolarPowerEquipment

Why do We Need Self-Driving Cars?
Hands-free and feet-free. With self-driving cars, we can nap rather than
stressing out behind the wheel.
1. Time-saving. Much time is wasted getting lost. This can be avoided with
a smart self-driving system.
2. Safety enhancement. Self-driving cars will strictly abide by traffic
regulations and help reduce crashes. Moreover, if most cars are equipped
with cameras and sensors, they can learn road conditions and even know
where to drive and how fast to drive through cloud orchestration.
3. Congestion-easing. When self-driving vehicles learn from each other or
are coordinated by the cloud, they maintain a safe following distance and
choose the optimal route.
4. Car-sharing made popular. After self-driving cars take passengers to
their destinations, they can go to the next destination to pick up other
passengers as scheduled, which improves vehicle utilization.
5. Cost-saving. Self-driving vehicles reduce fuel consumption and parking
fees. Fewer traffic accidents translate into lower insurance premiums. More
importantly, they save labor costs as the human drivers are eliminated.
SMART GADGETS
34
Self-Driving Cars
are ComingSelf-driving cars may seem futuristic. However, they are hitting the road. We are moving
towards self-driving cars because they are safer and save you money.
Self-driving is designed to provide much
safer and more enjoyable driving experience
for people.

In 2010 VisLab undertook a drive
from Parma, Italy to Shanghai
using four autonomous electric
vehicles and a caravan of support
vehicles. The team faced extreme
and unknown environments on
their 15,000 km trip. The electric
vehicles’ autonomous piloting
systems were powered by solar
cells.
In May 2014, Google unveiled
the design of its own self-driving
car, which forgoes the steering
wheel, mirrors and pedals. When a
passenger selects their destination
on a Google map screen, they
only need to press start for the
vehicle to take off. In the following
December, Google unveiled the
fully functional self-driving car
prototype. It began public tests of
its self-driving cars in June 2015.
At the CES 2014, Induct presented
Navia, the world’s first intelligent,
electric, driverless shuttle. The
vehicle can learn driving routes
automatically. It can also scan
barriers through a laser radar
sensor. However, it operates at
a maximum speed of 20 km per
hour, and is more appropriate for
diving in campuses.
A video from 1971 shows one of the first
ever driverless cars driving around a test
track. The car was created by the British
Road Research Lab and could drive on its
own through electronic impulses relayed
to the car through a special receiving unit
affixed to the front.
In 1998 VisLab, company of the University in
Parma, Italy, tested the ARGO autonomous
vehicle over more than 2000 km. Ninety-
four percent of the 2000+ km was driven
autonomously. The car was able to perceive the
environment through the use of micro cameras,
analyze the surroundings and plan a trajectory.
At the CES 2015, Mercedes-Benz
unveiled a new concept car—the
F015 Luxury in Motion. It features
a pod-like interior with swivel seats
and video screens in the doors,
making it a mobile entertainment
center.
How Safe is Self-Driving?
While self-driving cars are efficient and
comfortable, safety is a key issue. Is it really safe
to hand over your life to a computer?
Many studies reveal that computer-aided driving is
safer than manual driving. According to a statistics,
4.4 percent of accidents are caused by drivers
falling asleep and 2 percent sudden epilepsy
or heart attacks. A much larger proportion of
traffic accidents are caused by violation of traffic
regulations or un-concentrated drivers. All of
these can be avoided with self-driving cars; thus
self-driving cars drive better than you.
Obstacles Lay Ahead
There are many obstacles to overcome before self-
driving cars become popular. These obstacles are
mainly technical and legal. The technical issues
include sensor performance, laser radar costs,
and software adaptation, which, one can say, will
eventually be solved. The real challenges for self-
driving cars are legal and regulatory, especially
when they face the risk of being maliciously used
by terrorists or hackers.
Who are Making Efforts?
The first commercial self-driving vehicle is likely
to be launched between 2017 and 2020, when
there is rapid development of transportation
infrastructure. High-tech companies really
promote the R&D process of self-driving vehicles.
Google has already been testing self-driving
vehicle prototypes, and Apple may have already
joined the queue. Apple hired Tesla's senior
engineer Jamie Carlson and other professionals
for its closely guarded autonomous vehicle
project. Meanwhile, Uber has partnered with the
University of Arizona to develop optical systems
for its self-driving car. In early 2015 it opened its
own self-driving car lab in Pittsburgh. With the
joining of these tech companies, it is believed that
self-driving vehicles will come into our daily life.
Toyota Wants It to be a
Guardian-Angel
Unlike tech companies, traditional car
manufacturers bet on artificial intelligence. For
example, Toyota has been researching more
intelligent vehicles with $1 billion endeavor to
establish its foothold in Silicon Valley and function
under the new company Toyota Research Institute.
Gill Pratt, a former MIT professor and former
official at the Defense Advanced Projects Research
Agency (DARPA) and the CEO of the institute,
envisioned a car equipped with a “guardian
angel” in the form of sensors and software to
protect human drivers rather than remove them
from the picture altogether. These vehicles will
correct human errors during driving and even take
emergency measures to avoid accidents at critical
moments.
The Driver-Free Journey
SMART GADGETS
35

Magazine Mobile World: Current Issue No.6

Magazine Mobile World: Current Issue No.6

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Magazine Mobile World: Current Issue No.6