Last week, I spotted the ZTE Grand X Plus on the Fido website in a bit of a secret compartment. It wasn’t listed on the main page for Android smartphones at the time. Now, ZTE and Fido have made the launch a little more official with a press release outlining more information about this smartphone designed in Canada.
You could say that the dog let the cat out of the bag a little early. (Sorry.)
The official announcement confirms many of the details we first discovered, including the 5.0″ 720p display, 8MP main camera, 4G LTE support and Android 4.4 KitKat. As mentioned, several of these features are incremental though much appreciated upgrades over the ZTE Grand X that was released earlier this year exclusively to Bell Mobility. Other notable highlights include the 2GB of RAM (which is rare in a budget-oriented smartphone), 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 2300mAh battery, 8GB internal storage, microSDHC slot for up to 32GB more, and Dolby audio chipset.
The other thing that we didn’t know at the time was that the ZTE Grand X Plus was designed right here in Canada. ZTE opened its first Canadian R&D Centre in Ottawa this past June and this represents the first fruit of that labour. ZTE has 18 other such centres around the globe.
Fido is now selling the ZTE Grand X Plus for $200 outright, $50 on a two-year Standard plan or $0 on a two-year Smart plan. Full details below.
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ZTE Launches First Smartphone Designed in Canada
ZTE Grand X Plus now available – Designed at new ZTE Research & Development Centre in Ottawa
Toronto December 11, 2014 The ZTE Grand X Plus, a new smartphone offering advanced performance for a great price, is the first handset designed in Canada at the companys recently opened Ottawa-based R&D Centre and is now available with Fido.
The Grand X Plus represents a big achievement for ZTE, our first smartphone designed by Canadians for Canadians, said Denson Xu, CEO of ZTE Canada. Were very proud of its performance and exceptional value. Customers can enjoy all the benefits of a high-end smartphone at a fraction of the price.
Opened in June, the ZTE Canadian R&D Centre is the companys 19th worldwide and their first in Canada. The team in Ottawa will focus on innovation, certification, mobile security, and hardware and IC design.
Fido has always delivered value to their customers, offering the latest devices and wireless services at a great price, said Denson Xu. The ZTE Grand X Plus takes these values to heart, blending exceptional performance and great value. It is a perfect addition to Fidos smartphone lineup.
The ZTE Grand X Plus features:
- 5.0 HD display and Dolby® sound Enjoy an extraordinary watching and listening experience. Photos and videos will look sharp and vivid in crisp 720p HD, and the Dolby audio chipset will make sure your music, movies and gaming sound crystal clear.
- 8MP main camera Take photos like a pro and record videos in 1080p HD with the 8MP rear camera and LED flash. Group Mode lets you choose each persons best expression and combine them in one photo. And enjoy high quality selfies and video calls with a 2MP front camera.
- Android 4.4 KitKat Enjoy all the great features of Android and over a million apps, games, movies and more available on the Google Play store.
- 4G LTE and 1.2 GHz Quad-Core Processor The speedy Qualcomm® quad-core processor and LTE network provide lightning-fast device response and browsing capability, and Qualcomms Quick Charge 1.0 lets you charge at lightning speeds too
- 2300mAh battery Power up the ZTE Grand X Plus with the quick-charge capabilities of the 2,300mAh battery that provides up to 8 hours of talk time and 300 hours of standby time.
- More memory 2 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage and microSDHC support for up to 32 GB
Availability
The ZTE Grand X Plus is available now in stores and online with Fido for $0 on a two-year Smart plan, $50 on a two-year Standard plan or $200 with no contract.
About ZTE
ZTE is a leading global provider of handsets and telecommunications equipment. In North America, they are among the top four smartphones and handset vendors and are the second-biggest smartphone vendor in the pre-paid market. ZTE is one of the top rated high-tech enterprises in the world, developing and producing 2G, 3G and 4G handsets and mobile devices in over 150 countries. ZTE connects customers around the world via voice, data, multimedia and WLAN. Founded in 1985, ZTE is listed on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges and is Chinas largest listed telecom equipment company.
Visit us on the web at ztedevices.ca, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Photo cutline:
Toronto Maple Leafs star and ZTE brand ambassador Joffrey Lupul helps ZTE Canada CEO Denson Xu unveil the Grand X Plus smartphone, which was designed in Canada at the recently opened ZTE Research and Design Centre. The phone is now available on Fido.
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