ZTE is set to host its Industry Terminal Summit and Spring product launch event on April 12, and the main highlight of the event will be the Axon 50 Ultra smartphone. The phone will initially be launched in China, with the keynote event scheduled for 13:30 CST.
While last year’s Axon 40 Ultra boasted ZTE’s under-display camera technology, the forthcoming Axon 50 Ultra will feature a conventional selfie camera positioned in a punch-hole cutout. However, it will make up for this with a trending feature that is causing a stir in the industry- Satellite Connectivity.
The Axon 50 Ultra is being touted as the world’s first secure 5G smartphone with SATCOM support. This means that users will be able to send messages and location information to others, even in areas where there is no ground network signal coverage. The phone will feature editable BeiDou satellite communication messages, providing users with a level of connectivity and reliability that is not available on other smartphones.
This feature is particularly useful for those who live or work in remote areas or those who are involved in outdoor activities, where traditional network coverage may be spotty or non-existent. With the Axon 50 Ultra, users can enjoy seamless and reliable communication, no matter where they are.
Satellite communication is a feature that has only recently been introduced in smartphones. The Huawei Mate 50 series was the first to have it in September of last year. Apple followed suit with its iPhone 14 Pro series, and recently released Huawei P60 series phones also followed the same. There were speculations that Samsung would also introduce the feature, but the company decided to hold off, citing the need for the technology to mature further. With ZTE now introducing the feature in the Axon 50 Ultra, it is becoming clear that satellite connectivity is a feature that is gaining popularity in the smartphone industry. It will be interesting to see how other manufacturers respond to this trend.
Returning to the topic of the upcoming ZTE smartphone, the device is anticipated to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. In terms of design, the smartphone will reportedly feature a center punch hole cutout for the selfie camera, which is a departure from its predecessor, the Axon 40 Ultra, that boasted an under-display camera technology.
From the teaser images, it can be inferred that the smartphone will have a curved display with sharp corners. Additionally, the volume and power buttons are shown to be located on the right edge of the device, while the left edge appears to be empty.
While the smartphone’s satellite communication feature is creating a buzz in the industry, it remains to be seen how well it will be received by consumers. Nevertheless, the introduction of such technology is a sign of progress and innovation in the smartphone industry, and it will be interesting to see how it evolves in the coming years.