An amazing smartphone that doesn't cost a fortune!

What features do you care about most on a smartphone? Speed? Great battery life? Amazing camera? How about price? A great smartphone doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Interested? Read on! 

Remember when Apple’s internal presentation leaked back in April? One of the slides was titled “Consumers want what we don’t have,” which is bigger phones for less than $300. We forgot about it too until ZTE launched the large, 5.7 inch ZMAX for $252, off-contract no less. The phone went on sale with T-Mobile and MetroPCS, and,  – according to Apple’s presentation – it will probably sell quite well.

ZTE manufacturers its smartphones in China, as does Apple. While Apple hopes you forget they are “made in China,” ZTE is transparent in communicating that its cultural value of efficiency is what produces affordable technology. Apple isn’t the only one OEM that manufacturers their devices in China, so too does Samsung, Motorola, Lenovo, and virtually every leading company that produces technology for consumers.

For those excited by the $252 price of the ZMAX, or paying only $10 per month with a two year contract, they’re probably willing to make some sacrifices, right? Well, the ZMAX doesn’t skimp on the features consumers want according to the company’s recent phablet survey. Much like Apple, ZTE found screen size and price are trending rapidly. However, least to be ignored, is that 80 percent of respondents said the most important feature in their next phone is longer battery life.

ZTE decided to not only make the ZMAX big, beautiful and affordable but also include one of the biggest batteries on the market. Its 3400 mAh battery lasts about two days. Devices like the iPhone 6 Plus feature a 2,915 mAh battery that last about less than one day according to recent reports. Considering the $252 price tag, the camera quality and Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon chipset are bonuses.

Most important, it doesn’t feel like a $252 phone. All those features together, relative to the price is its distinction and ZTE’s greatest strength in the US. ZTE seems to be leading the pack with its cost-per-spec equation and could have consumers questioning the higher prices of other smartphone brands that are also, made in China.