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Zuk it and see: China’s stealth seduction of Western phone buyers

Lenovo has a plan

It sounds like a Facebook tribute, but “Zuk” is one of the more significant smartphone ventures to launch this year. It's another sign that Chinese manufacturers are threatening to leave high-priced big-brand flagships stranded.

Given that the mighty Lenovo is behind Zuk, it’s one should probably be on your radar.

What the company is flogging is a “Shenzhen Generic”, a high quality but not-quite-leading smartphone, at a bargain price. Zuk is another “arms length” Chinese phone brand, similar to Huawei’s Honor, ZTE’s Nubia, and (arguably) OnePlus. (OnePlus insists it’s a startup not a subsidiary, but admits it’s 100 per cent owned by a single Chinese consumer electronics giant, the same one that owns OPO).

Arguably, Google paid the Shenzen Generics the highest compliment this year, by pivoting away from premium to value, and even enlisting Huawei to make its latest high end Nexus, the 6P.

Zuk’s first device, the Z1, trickled onto the market last month, through the usual grey channels and Amazon UK. (Most of the Generics flingers eschew expensive advertising for viral marketing and retail via the web wherever they can, keeping margins thin, and the price down close to the BoM cost).

The Z1 was noteworthy for two features: a fingerprint scanner and a whacking (for its size) 4100mAh battery – and all for £259.99 ($365.99). Huawei’s Honor 7 boasts a clever multifunction scanner too, for a similar price.

With 3GB of RAM, 64GB of storage (but no expansion slot), dual SIMs (one can be in 4G mode, the other GSM as a standby), and a USB Type-C connector, the Z1 is intended to tickle the tech savvy consumer (or BYOB buyer) happy to take a plunge on an unknown quantity, often sight unseen.

It has a a 5.5" (1080 x 1920 pixel) touchscreen, 13Mp camera, and a quad-core 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 system-on-chip from Qualcomm. It weighs 175g (6.17oz) and measures 155.7 x 77.3 x 8.9mm (6.13 x 3.04 x 0.35in).

Oh, and it uses Cyanogen Mod, although not all regions will receive it. Reviews are scant, but here’s a typically thorough one by GSM Arena.

This year Lenovo gave up going toe-to-toe with HTC, Samsung and Sony in the premium (£550-plus SIM-free) segment. Instead, Lenovo aimed its newer Motorola-branded devices at value punters, differentiating itself with one or two key features, such as the Moto Maker customization store.

With the Moto X Play available on the street for around £270 and the Moto X Style for around £350, it’s hard to see much clear blue water between the two brands. But Chinese operations seem to have little fear of cannibalisation. Cannibalise yourself before you’re eaten, seems to be the plan

Today in Dubai, Zuk outlines the next steps in its global domination scheme, and more devices are expected. Keep an eye out. ®

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