ZTE Axon 7 Mini officially announced: 5.2-inch display, Snapdragon 617, 16MP camera

ZTE came to market this year with a truly stellar flagship smartphone. The Axon 7, one of the best Android phones on the market right now, sports top-of-the-line specs, a high-end design, and a fantastic audio experience. There’s only one problem – many folks out there still aren’t keen on big smartphones. What if you need something that fits in one hand? ZTE’s got you covered.

Here at IFA 2016, ZTE has just officially announced the Axon 7 Mini. With a more compact screen, slightly lesser specs and just about the same design as its bigger brother, the Axon 7 Mini is taking aim at the sea of other mid-rangers on the market. Here’s everything you need to know about the ZTE Axon 7 Mini.

ZTE Axon 7 Mini design

• Required reading: ZTE Axon 7 vs HONOR 8

Around back sits the rear-facing camera module towards the top, and under that sits the camera flash and recessed fingerprint sensor. There are two antennae bands present on the back of the device – one towards the top and one towards the bottom – but other than that, there’s not much else to point out. The back of the Axon 7 Mini is pretty unassuming, which was definitely a positive aspect of the Axon 7’s design.

Around the sides you’ll find all the buttons and ports to be right where they should be. The power/standby button is on the right side below the volume rocker, and the 3.5mm headphone jack is on the top-right of the device. Nothing but the SIM/microSD card slot is on the left side, and on the bottom sits the USB Type-C port.

ZTE Axon 7 Mini specifications, software and features

Unlike Sony’s Compact line of Xperia devices, ZTE decided to knock pretty much all aspects of this device one notch down. So while the Mini name suggests the handset will simply be a smaller version of the standard model, the Axon 7 Mini is also mini on the spec sheet. It has a 5.2-inch Full HD AMOLED display, resulting in a pixel density of 424ppi. Now don’t get us wrong – a 1080p screen is just fine (especially because it’s an AMOLED panel) – but I’m sure most fans looking for a mid-ranger wouldn’t mind a Quad HD screen instead. Still, as is the case with most mid-rangers nowadays, most people won’t notice the difference.

Under the hood, the Axon 7 Mini is powered by the octa-core Snapdragon 617 processor, backed by the Adreno 405 GPU and 3GB of RAM. You’ll get one internal storage option here – 32GB – and up to 128GB of expandable memory. These under-the-hood specs seem par for the course for many other mid-range handsets, so we have no doubts that the Axon 7 Mini will be able to provide a solid user experience when handling everyday tasks.

It also packs a non-removable 2705mAh battery, which should be enough to get you through a full day on a single charge. If not, the Axon 7 Mini is compatible with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0, which ZTE says will allow the device to achieve a 46% charge in about 30 minutes.

And on the software side of things, the device runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with a few of ZTE’s software customizations on top. We’re expecting the Mini’s software experience to be very similar to that of the Axon 7’s, so if you liked the software on the higher-end model, you’ll be right at home with the smaller version.

ZTE Axon 7 Mini pricing and availability

Like what you’ve seen so far? The ZTE Axon 7 Mini will be available in the U.S., Russia, Germany, Spain, Poland, Japan, Australia, India and Saudi Arabia. The device will retail in Europe at the recommended price of €299. We’re still waiting on pricing and availability information for the U.S., but we’ll be sure to let you know the details once they trickle in.

So, what are your thoughts on the Axon 7 Mini? Will this be your next smartphone? If you’re not impressed, tell us what you’d change about it in the comment section below!

Android Authority, VR Source, and TabTimes are reporting live from IFA 2016. Head here to check out all our IFA coverage!

[press]ZTE’s New AXON 7 mini Combines World-Class Design with an Exhilarating Audio Experience

Latest device in flagship AXON series launches at IFA 2016

Berlin, 1 September 2016 – ZTE, a leading global consumer mobile device maker, today unveiled the latest addition to its flagship AXON series, the AXON 7 mini. The new device, which ZTE introduced during this year’s IFA trade show in Berlin, incorporates many of the award-winning features consumers’ value from the AXON 7, all within a 5.2-inch screen size.

Adam Zeng, CEO of ZTE Mobile Devices remarked, “Consumer around the world have gravitated to our AXON 7 device as it offers flagship level specs and experience at a price that is simply unbeatable. By extending the AXON 7 series with today’s launch of the AXON 7 mini we are giving consumers more options in device size, but with the same premium performance they seek in flagship devices.”

Unprecedented theatre-like sound quality, now pocket-sized

The AXON 7 mini delivers arguably the highest quality audio experience available in smartphones today thanks to a concerted collaboration led by ZTE with different audio associations, including professors at the prestigious Golden Ears Conservatory of Music. Achieving unparalleled audio perfection was paramount, and with the inclusion of a dedicated audio processor from sound chip specialists Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) the AXON 7 mini offers unmatched Hi-Fi sound performance.

Say goodbye to portable speakers – the AXON 7 mini’s dual front-facing stereo speakers play crisp, clear sound, powerful enough on their own to play music at parties or entertain outdoors. The speaker performance combined with Dolby Atmos® sound gives users a movie theatre 7.1 surround sound-like experience no matter where they are.

World-class design based on automotive technologies

Developed to thrill even the most design-conscious consumer, ZTE’s latest device has the same great design as the AXON 7. Created in collaboration with Designworks, a BMW subsidiary, the AXON 7 mini’s G3 curvature design, inspired by racecars, perfectly mesh a 2.5D curved-edge glass touchscreen with an all-metal unibody. This smartphone offers consumers a stunning design, and more importantly, an unbelievable feel that comfortably fits in their hand, or pocket. 

Additional key features

Incorporating a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 617 octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM with dual-SIM/expandable MicroSD combination SIM tray and runs the latest Android 6.0 operating system the AXON 7 mini shows that power, performance and premium experience does not have to lack in a smaller form factor. With a 2705mAh battery, the AXON 7 mini can last an entire day of usage and with Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ technology; it can quickly recharge the battery from 0 to 50% in about 30 minutes. The smartphone also features a rear fingerprint sensor and is equipped with a 16-megapixel rear camera along with 8-megapixel front camera for high quality images.

The AXON 7 mini will be available in Russia, Germany, Spain, Poland, Japan, Australia, India, Saudi Arabia and USA. In markets outside the U.S. it will be available for sale at the end of September at a recommended retail price of € 299 UVP (incl. VAT). 

ZTE at IFA

ZTE has a packed schedule of activity at IFA 2016. Daily entertainment, product demonstrations and much more will be taking place at ZTE’s stand (105) in Hall 25.

About ZTE Mobile Devices

ZTE Mobile Devices is a division of ZTE Corporation, a global telecommunications equipment, networks and mobile devices company headquartered in Shenzhen, China. ZTE is a publicly traded company listed on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges.

ZTE is one of the global leaders in the mobile handset manufacturing industry in the world, offering a complete range of mobile devices, including mobile phones, tablets, mobile broadband modems and hotspots and family desktop integration terminals.

ZTE has partnered with over 230 major carriers, including the world’s top 50 carriers, and distributers in more than 160 countries and regions around the globe. ZTE is also the only company globally that has been ranked inside the Top-3 by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) for the past 6 years (2010-2015) for patent filings. For more information, please visit: www.ztedevice.com [/press]