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Where is the meizu phone made. All Meizu phones - Full list and feature comparison

The modern buyer makes quite serious demands on the quality of the products that he is offered to buy. And it is quite difficult for newcomers to find their niche among a large number of manufacturers. In addition, Russian users are quite biased towards goods from China, initially attributing them to poor quality.

As you know, Meizu smartphones are often difficult to find in regular hardware stores (although there may be exceptions), but they can be easily ordered online. However, is it necessary? How can you buy a mobile phone without checking it yourself? In addition, the Meizu brand itself cannot be called too popular and advertised, and it is quite logical that potential buyers begin to doubt the quality of the products of this manufacturer.

A couple of years ago, few people knew who Meizu was, but now the products of this manufacturer fill the Russian market quite quickly - more than 70 million smartphones have already been produced and sold in Russia. Many buyers have already managed to evaluate all the advantages of Meizu mobile phones and with full confidence recommend them to their friends and acquaintances.

As you know, Meizu is a company that always sticks to the golden mean. The founder of the company believes that qualitative progress is more important than rapid advancement. As a result, by 2013, this manufacturer entered the top 10 the best manufacturers mobile devices in China.

In this article, we will find out what country Meizu is manufacturing, find out the history of the company, and learn many interesting Meizu facts about the company.

Meizu is traditionally associated with the name of Jack Wong - this is the chairman, founder and current CEO. He is the main inspirer and soul of the company, although most often he remains in the background, not speaking anywhere and not giving interviews. However, Jack Wong is not a real name, but a pseudonym that he signs on the Meizu official website, expressing his opinion on a particular issue. His real name is Huang Zhang, and he always closely monitors every process in the company, while not interfering with the process itself.

The vice president of Meizu speaks of the founder of the brand as a person with a special love for the world of electronics, who is able to spend weeks and months testing a new device right at home, and then make a proposal for some kind of cardinal change in appearance Meizu phone. He even redid the walls and ceiling in his house to improve the acoustics in the room. Most leaders of large enterprises most often think only about income, but Wong has a passion for the details of the production of each Meizu smartphone.

Founding history

The history of Meizu is very interesting. The first product of the company was by no means a smartphone, but an Mp3 player called Meizu MX. The product got a pretty good start and sold well, but in fact it was a copy of the then-famous iAudio CW300 player from Cowon. As a result, the owner of Meizu prudently changes the strategy of work, designates a new vector of work and runs the risk of betting on the originality of products, as a result, he creates a novelty - an Mp4 player Meizu Mini Player, which is unique with its cute design and thoughtful interface.

In addition to playing music, you can also read e-books, play videos, watch pictures and even record sounds on a voice recorder. With all this, Meizu regularly released firmware updates and eliminated all errors in the software in time. As a result, it was thanks to this player that the world started talking about the company.

However, the rapidly and actively developing market for mobile devices gave the company an impetus to change its line of business. They understood that they needed to quickly respond to market changes, which meant that it was time to start making smartphones. As a result, in mid-April 2007 Meizu company released its first smartphone, the M8. He hooked the consumer, first of all, with a very affordable price, a large display size and pretty good performance. The gadget had a touch screen with a diagonal of 3.4", 256 MB of RAM and worked on the basis of operating system MyMobile (from Windows).

Outwardly, the gadget was very reminiscent of the iPhone, and at some point Apple even managed to suspend sales of the M8, but the story of Meizu did not end there and the company's phones have already received their loyal admirers. And so began the formation of Meizu in the smartphone market.

Peculiarities

Meizu has managed to successfully combine the latest advanced developments in the world of technology with great design in its gadgets in a short period of time, while offering it all to the consumer at a relatively low price. Meizu phones combine three factors at once:

Build quality;
Multifunctionality;
Performance.

But due to the fact that competition in this market is growing, the Meizu company is simply obliged to introduce new chips and solutions in each new device, and I would like to note that they cope with this task with a bang. Almost all phone models are different in characteristics and allow the user to choose a gadget for every taste and color. In addition, often the main factor when buying is its affordable price, which Meizu also succeeded in. The main features of the phones are:

A good steel bearing frame in the body of the device, as a result of which its impact resistance is greatly increased.
A touch button that has many functions and even a fingerprint scanner, which minimizes the number of additional buttons.
Flyme branded graphical shell, combining the most lucky features the main current operating systems for smartphones, which appeared back in 2012 based on the Android OS.

As soon as the function of protecting data with a graphic, digital password or pin code appeared on smartphones, many gadget owners began to actively use it. This is enough reliable way keep personal information to yourself, as there is always a chance that someone curious will get into the phone, or it will be stolen, and data will fall into the hands of attackers bank cards and other important information.

However, there are also disadvantages - for example, a smartphone can fall into the hands of a child and be blocked, or the owner will simply forget his password. Some people start to panic right away, run to service centers and pay crazy money for the simplest procedure that they can do on their own without any difficulties, and after all, any average user can reset the password on a Meizu phone.

We all know that Meizu smartphones are really good devices, having their own characteristics and chips, thanks to which they gained such popularity. Do you want to know a few interesting facts from the history of the company?

The name Meizu itself consists of 2 words: Mei, which means "to be in trend", and "Zu", which translates as "company, group of people." If translated literally, the name "Meizu" can be deciphered as "people in the trend."
The first smartphone from Meizu (M8) initially worked on the basis of the operating system Windows systems CE, however, at that time the interface was weak, and the OS itself was too difficult and illogical for the average user. Then the developers decided to use only the OS base, and develop programs and a graphical shell on their own. Over time, the Android OS began to gain immense popularity, and therefore the Meizu phone company made a choice in its favor - and the Flyme operating system appeared.

Back in 2014, Meizu made a sensational statement: any developer who released an application for Meizu will receive 100% of the profit from it! A very good and reasonable scheme, the purpose of which was to maximize the list of programs that are released specifically for these smartphones.
From the beginning of the foundation and until now, the main criterion for hiring in the company is to be a dreamer. Huang Zhang selects for cooperation only those people who are able to get carried away with their work and create not just a good, but a great product.
Two years ago, more precisely in 2015, Alibaba Group invested almost 6 hundred million dollars in Meizu in order to promote its own cloud called Aliyun. MediaTek also invested in this smartphone manufacturer, which thus decided to respond to Xiomi, who decided to switch to chips from Qualcomm. Thanks to these, 4 new smartphones have seen the light and more are being released.

Product line

Consider the most popular smartphone models that Meizu has introduced to date.

Meizu MX. This is a moderately balanced in terms of functions, a fairly simple, reliable and maximally well-thought-out smartphone, which quickly gained popularity and eventually became a flagship. Many additional built-in features allow the user not to think about searching desired programs in the Internet. It is also the first smartphone from Meizu, in which the capabilities of the touch key have been significantly expanded.

As for the technical characteristics - the device is assembled at the highest level. Large screen, nice and sophisticated design, smart camera and decent sound, coupled with good autonomy. Yes, and the price can not but please.

Meizu MX4 / MX4 Pro. These are two smartphones that are completely different from each other. The Pro version has a better display resolution and runs on a different chipset. In addition, a key with a fingerprint scanner appeared here, which gained immense popularity. Both smartphones have a sufficient amount of RAM, and the resolution of the front camera has become higher.

Meizu M5X/M6X. These smartphones have received new features and have been improved in terms of technical characteristics. 6th model got the most a large number of rave reviews from users in Russia and eventually became best model from Meizu for the previous year.

Meizu M3. This gadget received the title of the best-selling smartphone in the world from the Meizu catalog for 16-17 years, and in Russia it even entered the Top 3 of the best. This model is based on Android1, has a display of 5.5 ”(1920 × 1080 pixels) with bulk glass and an oleophobic layer. The main camera has a resolution of 13 megapixels, front - 5 megapixels, built-in memory - 32 GB, RAM - 3 GB.

Development prospects

Meizu is preparing a more active expansion in the world. If you look at the progress of the company in recent years, then the numbers cannot but surprise: in 2015, almost 20 million smartphones were sold, which is 350% more than in the previous year! Meise did not manage with smartphones alone - the release of VR glasses, PowerBank portable batteries and a headset started. In addition, the company is developing new models of fitness trackers and smartwatches.

Wong's ambitions are real and justified - he previously reported that in 2017 he plans to increase sales of Meizu smartphones to 25 million copies.

Although Meizu is relatively young, it already has great growth potential. Their products stand out not only for their impeccable design and high quality of components, but also for a very favorable price. This will invariably lead the company to a leading position in the global market.

Surely you have heard of Meizu phones. They massively conquer the hearts and wallets of buyers. But how many models of this company do you know? We have collected everything in one article.

Story

Meizu phones from the very beginning of the company did not exist as a product for the market. Meizu was originally founded in China in 1998 only because of the creator's dissatisfaction with the existing player models that he himself used to listen to music.

This man sincerely desired to hear clear sound even when high volume. Therefore, in 2003, the first product was already presented to the world - a player, in fact, not different from one of the well-known gadgets of that time, so there was no particular triumph.

However, further products became more and more advanced, zest appeared in their design and management in the form of intricate, but easy-to-use joysticks, highlights not of the entire screen, but around the perimeter, etc.

With the introduction of the FM function in the player, which in its abilities did not differ from a conventional radio (single-function), the company began to expand the boundaries of the consumer base.

In other words, they decided to offer goods outside of China.

Approximately in 2007, the understanding came to the developers that the players are outliving their time and it's time to move on, in step with the times.

Mobile phones with operating systems were just becoming popular.

Hard work began on their development, since this is a novelty in the technical market.

The first release became ambiguously loud, because, despite the complete internal reorganization of the device, the external design was recognized as plagiarism and production was closed.

Since then, their uniqueness and novelties have become a feature of the company, the company has been developing and delighting users.

Let's look at meizu smartphone models in more detail.

Meizu Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus

On July 26, Meizu officially unveiled its two new flagship smartphones in China. They with two cameras and displays.

The case of smartphones is completely made of metal, which is good because it is a strong material compared to glass. In the hand lies well, no complaints.

The second display is located a little strange - behind and on the side, some users would like a different solution. Smartphone options are presented in silver and golden hues.

In games, everything is not so simple, it’s hard to start, slow down in the process.

In general, there is no need for explicit performance from this device, it is a budget solution, does not claim to be a gaming platform, although it is quite possible to play if you wish.

It is worth noting a pleasant thing in this device - the sound quality. He is on high level, such a sound, as a rule, can be observed in very expensive branded phones.

Photos are also good, the video fails a little in the evening.

music sound quality;
quality of photos and videos (in the daytime);
number of cores (as for the budget option);
body materials and glass.

small operating system;
interference in the video at night;
weak processor;
The battery drains quickly when in use.

Price

Experienced users also call this phone too similar to the M3s version.

Body made of glass, which did not give strength and reliability to the apparatus. In general, this is another element of the budget line.

There is an adjustment of the brightness and temperature of the screen, which is very convenient for night reading, a good touch, it recognizes up to ten touches, nothing slows down.

If we talk about the filling, then the processor, as usual with meizu, is MediaTek. It is believed that for an inexpensive device, this option is very well worth it.

The sound quality from the speaker is not very satisfactory, quiet, shallow, and it is better in headphones. As for the battery, it quickly discharges, with inactive work during the day, it may not last a day.

The camera is not up to 13 megapixels, the quality of photos can be given 8 megapixels, nothing more. That is, with good lighting, the quality of text and other objects is good, and with a little worse, everything is smeared.

weak processor;
not enough memory;
quickly discharged;
the camera does not meet the manufacturer's claims for image quality.

Price

The device received a one-piece metal case, there are no plastic inserts, only seams made of this material. The front panel is made of glass using 2.5D technology.

At the bottom, as always, there is a mechanical MTouch button, it has a built-in fingerprint scanner.

In the upper part: a speaker, an event indicator, a standard set of sensors. On the back panel we see a camera eye with a dual two-tone LED flash.

On the right side of the smartphone, the manufacturer has placed two mechanical buttons: power and volume control, on the left side there is a metal tray with two slots, in one of which you can put a nano SIM card, in the other - also a SIM card or microSD.

At the bottom, we see a micro USB with support for the function fast charging A charger is included with the device.

The thickness of the body of the fixture is 7.9mm. Weight 189 gr. The release is made in 4 shades: dark gray, silver, pink and gold.

The design is unusual for meizu and pleases with external properties, which cannot be said about its internal content.

Functions are almost the same as previous versions smartphone, and the processor can be called irrelevant already.

nice design;
normal body assembly;
responds to the touch;
eight cores;
battery charge 4100.

this version can be called an unsuccessful analogue of the previous ones;
weak processor;
average camera, sound too;
low performance.

Price

Meizu M3S

There are two versions of this phone, one of them is for the Chinese market, that is, for the Chinese.

This is the corresponding firmware, keyboard, lack of PlayMarket, because they have similar applications. By the way, white and black colors differ here in price.

The difference is in the plastic parts on the back of the machine, they designed to improve signal transmission networks, since the metal passes them worse. There is also a dual flash near the camera.

The glass is 2.5D, so there are difficulties with glued glass, because the rounded corners will not allow you to fully use it.

In the presence of a fingerprint scanner function, despite the budget version of the device, the result occurs in a matter of milliseconds.

The speaker is on the bottom, like on iPhones, there is a headphone jack, but there is no infrared port.

The screen brightness at the maximum level is satisfactory, however, when viewed from different angles, one can notice some changes, although they cannot be considered significant and are quite excusable for such an adaptation.

Pleasant color reproduction, does not deviate to the side, the image is of high quality, the pixels are not visible. You can adjust the color temperature of the screen, the font, its size.

The touch supports ten touches at the same time, which can be especially important during the game.

It is worth noting the absence of standard mechanical buttons at the bottom of the screen, except for "home", with the help of it it is possible to unlock the screen, this is also done in the usual way - by pressing a button on the side panel.

touch responds quickly;
good image;
pleasant sound;
popular design;
very few cons, as a budget version, this device is on the level;
sufficient brightness.

the rounded edges of the glass make it difficult to fully use the additional coating.

Price

Together with phone goes: 2Ap power supply, USB cable, paperclip.

The phone itself has a beautiful and high-quality design, good assembly, clear, nothing wobbles.

Two microphones, recessed camera, double flash, headphone jack is strong, tight, they do not pop out.

Speaker and microphone on the bottom side panel, it is convenient if you put the device on the table, sound will not be muffled.

The screen image is clear, the brightness is strong, even at medium adjustment, the touch responds to the slightest touch. The sound is slightly above average, but he's perfect with headphones..

Image video and photo on such price category good, you should not expect something particularly unique, but you can use and enjoy.

Separately, I would like to note the processor, it is declared average, so gamers notice the heating of the device when launching tanks, it simply does not pull such things.

There is no need to download a junk cleaner app here, this feature is right in the phone's capabilities.

the battery lasts a very long time, corresponds to what is indicated in the description, charges in three hours every two days, even with strenuous use;
8 cores;
keeps a good connection, it does not break;
high quality screen, brightness, adjustment, pleasant palette;
the touch screen responds quickly;
nice design;
performs the main telephone parameters qualitatively.

does not pull serious games - a weak video system;
the sensation of sound spoils the external speaker.

Price

Meizu MX6

This device is rightly called one of the best releases of the manufacturer. Although not very different from its predecessors. Better screen and camera.

Charging is given in the kit, after half an hour from 5 to 100% it will be charged, a cable, and an adapter from a Chinese plug can be.

Fingerprint sensor is good, unlocking with a button in the middle, microphones, sensors, the design is quite familiar.

The screen has become one of the features of the phone. IPS matrix, high brightness, detail, no vibrant colors, deep blacks. Regular battery, 3-4 hours of screen glow at maximum brightness.

There are two SIM cards in nano format, a headphone jack, the sound in them is of high quality, there are enough low and high frequencies, good average sound.

The camera is much better than its previous versions, quality, color reproduction, sharpness, correct temperature and exposure detection. The 4K camera, although this is no longer a novelty, you will not surprise anyone with this, but everything is taken into account here.

During daylight hours, all cameras shoot well, but this option does not degrade the quality of video or photos, everything is at a high level.

The front camera takes amazing pictures. dynamic range good. Various settings allow you to bring different shooting ideas to life.

As for games, the graphics are high, the image is smooth, it pulls any game perfectly, there is no frame slowdown, so this device is suitable for gamers.

excellent image and video quality;
high level of display creation, color rendering, etc.;
good sound;
good processor;
10 cores;
Fast battery charging function;
Reasonable price for such a device.

not enough built-in memory;
the battery does not last long.

Price

Meizu M5 Note

Many users praise this device, although the video core does not pull games, which disappointed some users who love to use gaming applications.

A 13 megapixel camera should produce high quality photos, but in reality the declared megapixels give worse results.

You can fix this by not taking pictures in bad light or download applications that will correct and apply filters.

Often music lovers are very complain about the emphasized poor-quality sound from the external speaker, it turns out to be somewhat metallic and squeaky, but in headphones, sound defects can occur only with individual malfunctions of the device.

A thin black bezel completes the overall design. There is also the possibility of fast charging, as well as its power allows you not to resort to using the outlet for longer.

Applications do not crash, like many Chinese phones, do not reboot without the user's desire.

affordable price;
good design;
display brightness and colors;
applications work well;
powerful battery.

without a cover, the metal on the case is quickly scratched;
not good enough sound
the game does not pull;
the quality of the photos is low, despite the claimed 13 megapixels.

Price

Meizu M5s

This is another device from the company, in which all meizu, one way or another, intersect with each other.

The company is easy to recognize appearance, and it can also be said that they are lovers of inserting new fillings, even if the device works well without it.

It is often said that the case design looks very much like an iPhone, but only developers know about the true roots.

It is made of metal and also has plastic inserts, since they are made to the level of the main part.

The screen cannot be called compact, because it has a large black frame, but this does not spoil the overall impression.

It is quite comfortable to operate with one hand., although you still have to intercept the device.

On top of the frontalka, sensors and a speaker located along the perimeter along.

As usual, you can use two nano sims at the same time or one with a memory card.

Good contrast and color reproduction, at high brightness settings it even hurts the eyes. But processor is weak, despite 8 cores, because it's a bit old.

With medium graphics settings, the game runs more or less smoothly, but without a lot of acting heroes, you need to set the lower parameters to use them.

good GPS locator;
two sims;
it is possible to Russify the Chinese version;
good battery.

does not pull games very well;
The camera works normally only in good lighting.

Price

Meizu was founded in 2003. The company's founder had a passion for electronics and a passion for technology from an early age. Meizu is the fruit of combining modern electronics into a win-win concept. Every milestone we have reached since the founding of the company has not only been the result of the enthusiasm and aspirations of Meizu employees, but also the realization of our dreams.

In a sense, humans are like computers with a similar configuration. Working at full capacity of their computing load, they perform tasks that go beyond a single action and become part of the multitasking that leads to the desired result. Only when a person is truly passionate can he overcome outside interference and strive towards his goal, creating the best product. Passion is constant devotion to your dream!

Trademark Meizu was created to make dreams come true. Passion, perfectionism, concentration and long-term consistency in ideas are embodied in the end in exceptional commercial products. Meizu overcomes conventions in everything and surpasses the wildest imagination!

Meizu products are distributed in Europe, as well as in the USA, Japan and Korea, which clearly confirms the popularity and reliability of this brand. Until recently, the company released a smartphone a year, but now manufacturers are trying to speed up the pace, while offering more interesting, original and attractive models. The expansion of the range only benefited the company, allowing it to increase sales and cover new markets.

Meizu appliances are a combination of impeccable design, high quality and wide possibilities. Due to the high competition, developers are forced to invent more and more new solutions, and so far they have successfully coped with this task. different models different technical specifications allowing you to choose your own solution. An important factor is affordable and quite justified cost.

Characteristic latest smartphones- the use of a steel carrier frame, due to which the strength of the device increases significantly. Another good solution is the use of a multifunctional central touch button, due to which you can do without additional keys and controls. When creating Meizu smartphones, Flyme's proprietary shell is used. It differs significantly from other common solutions, but clearly not for the worse. The shell is a successful combination of all the best android features, IOS and MIUI.

Meizu became known to a wide range of domestic consumers only a few years ago, after their first Android smartphones appeared on the Russian market. However, the history of this Chinese electronics manufacturer began much earlier with the production of completely different devices.

Story

Meizu was founded over a decade ago, in 2003, in the city of Zhuhai, located in the Chinese province of Guangdong. There are several versions regarding the translation of the company's name, but the official one says that "meizu" consists of two words: "mei", which means "a person in a trend", and "zu" - "a group of people". That is, in the literal translation "meizu" - "a group of people who keep their finger on the pulse of innovation."

The first devices of the brand were not Meizu phones at all, but MP3 players, which were in vogue in the early 2000s. In 2003, the company entered the market with the Meizu MX player, which had a standard rectangular shape, was equipped with a small blue-backlit LCD screen and 512 megabytes of flash memory. It is worth noting that this player was actually a 100% copy of the iAudio CW300 model from the Korean brand Cowon. Numerous accusations of plagiarism forced the company to reconsider its policy, and in the future, under the name Meizu, they began to produce exclusively original devices.

A landmark year for the company was 2006, when one of the first Chinese MP4 players, the Meizu MiniPlayer, was released to the market. The device was intended for playing music, viewing photos and videos, games. In addition, the player could be used as an e-book, radio, voice recorder and disk drive, which turned it into a universal multimedia center. At the same time, MiniPlayer had an undeniable advantage over the classic media centers of its time - it was compact and lightweight. It was thanks to this device that fans of modern electronics learned about Meizu both throughout China and beyond.

However, the period of popularity of MP3 players was short-lived, in the early second half of the 2000s they were gradually replaced by modern phones, which incorporated the functions of several devices, including audio players. The company's management quickly reacted to the changing market conditions and realized that to start producing Cell Phones Meizu is the only way to survive in the new environment.

Repurposing

The decision to reorganize the business was made in 2006, but before the time when everyone had the opportunity to buy a Meizu phone, two long years had to pass. Keeping in mind the bad experience with the first MP3 player, the management did not want to follow the path beaten by many Chinese manufacturers and engage in cloning gadgets of leading companies, and chose a more difficult path to success - to start developing their own smartphone.

Since the Meizu mobile phone was created from scratch, the company had to face a number of difficulties. One of them is the choice of an operating system and its adaptation to the needs of potential consumers. As a result, it was decided to use the Windows CE OS, the interface of which the developers completely redesigned. The opportunity to buy Meizu smartphones from consumers appeared in 2008, it was then that the first phone of this brand, the M8, was released. Despite a number of shortcomings, the device has become quite popular among Chinese users.

However, the real success came to the company after they began to produce Meizu smartphones running a proprietary operating system. flyme systems based on Android. At the very beginning of 2012, a smartphone entered the market, which received the same name as the company's first MP3 player - MX. With its appearance, the brand name became really widely known all over the world, and reviews of this model were published on the largest global resources, including Engadget, Phonearena, Slashgear and others.

But, most importantly, Meizu smartphones received extremely positive reviews from buyers. As the company's management has repeatedly stated, it is the focus on customer needs, and not the pursuit of outstanding performance, that is Meizu's top priority.

Employees

Key to the company's success is the man most people know as Jack Wong, although his real name is Huang Zhang. He is the founder, leader, inspirer and chief designer. And it was his ideas, dedication and desire to prove that the manufacturing country Meizu, China, can produce high-quality gadgets, which eventually made it possible to achieve recognition from buyers in many countries of the world.

Availability

To date Chinese phones Meizu is officially available in Hong Kong, Israel, Russia and Ukraine. The total number of employees of the company exceeds 1000 people, and the number of retail outlets is more than 600.

However, the company is not going to stop there. In an effort to keep up with the times, the management announced that fans of the brand will soon be able to purchase a Meizu tablet. Like smartphones from the current line of the brand, Meizu tablet will run the proprietary Flyme OS.

Over the past year, Meizu has turned for Russian users from a little-known Chinese manufacturer into a completely recognizable vendor that produces, to some extent, exotic smartphones that stand out against the background of everything that comes from China , in MegaFon and DNS).

We visited Meizu's headquarters and factory in Zhuhai, China, where we saw how the company is organized and how its phones are assembled. We also had the honor of having a roundtable discussion with Meizu CEO Bai Yongxiang and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Tin Mok. And they willingly told us about the future of the company and what the next generation of the Meizu MX smartphone will be like. I hope you enjoy this material and get to know the company better, feeling its ideas and spirit. The interview is just below, and first a photo with comments:

Meizu headquarters in Zhuhai, outside view

Adjacent dormitory for factory employees

Canteen for managers and executives

Behind the glass - Meizu's own factory, although the bulk of the devices are manufactured by Foxconn

Holy of holies - production and assembly lines!

Offices and meeting rooms

Meizu brand store, accessories and smartphones

Personally, all companies from China are divided into two groups - those that can compete on equal terms with recognized market leaders, and those that produce unremarkable phones, the main advantage of which is the price. And Meizu, as you might guess, I refer to the first. In fact, it was last year's MX 4-core (review) that turned my idea of Chinese smartphones and manufacturers - I used to consider them to be clone makers and scammers, from whose pen suitable and original devices cannot come out by definition. By the way, Meizu releases smartphones infrequently and therefore tries to implement in one device all the best that is in the minds of engineers and programmers of the company, as well as Jack Wong, its main ideologist. This year, Meizu is going to surprise everyone with a new generation of MX, designed to build on and multiply the success of the MX2 (review). So, let's start with the interview (F - journalists, TM - Tin Mok, BU - Bai Yongxiang):

J: Smartphones are becoming more powerful, getting larger screens with high resolution, and all this affects the time of work. At the same time, we all want phones to be fast and with impressive screens, but also to work for a long time. Are there any works in this direction?

TM: We will use a large Sharp screen with a diagonal of at least 5” in the next smartphone, and thanks to the increased size, we will build a powerful battery into the phone. Another thing that affects the operating time, in addition to increasing the size and, as a result, the ability to use a more capacious battery, is an energy-efficient chipset. We use a processor with the Cortex-A15 architecture.

TM: On this moment I can't pronounce the name of the processor, but it will be built on A7 and A15 cores. Thanks to the A15, the development is perfect for gaming and watching high-definition movies. And when high performance is not needed, then the A7 will take over.

J: Meizu MX2 is available in only one color scheme - black and white - does the company plan to prepare several colors for the MX3?

TM: Actually, the MX2 isn't available in just one color. V next month a white colorway will be released (and we were convinced of this when Bai Yongxiang personally demonstrated the novelty, which left the factory just yesterday, a few minutes later - we were the first people who were not related to the company to see the white MX2). We hope to release the next MX in three colorways. And by the way, it's not a fact that there will be MX3 :)

J: What can you say about the budget model M035 Charm Blue, which appeared on the Internet?

TM: I have no idea what kind of phone it is. The web is full of pictures.

J: We also saw supposed photos of the MX3 on the Internet, was the real design of the next MX leaked to the Web, or is it all fake?

TM: I've seen those photos, but it's not the same.

J: Why are Meizu phones sold in Russia at a much higher price than in China?

TM: Ask your government. I don’t know why, when you buy a product here, your price goes up a lot. This applies not only to our devices, but in general to any Chinese product.

J: Then why does Huawei allow itself to reduce the price of phones by 30 percent after a few months?

TM: Huawei has a wide and frequently updated the lineup and they can afford to discount the price of devices that get successors. And we only have one model.

J: Are you planning a budget version of the next MX?

TM: If you are given two phones - cheap and expensive with the corresponding quality and functionality, which one will you choose? We believe that good things cannot be worth a penny. There will be only one flagship - all efforts are directed at it. We are going to update the line every 8-9 months.

Zh: Will the old models become cheaper, for example, MX2, or will they simply disappear from production?

TM: If after the release of the next generation, the prices of the components of existing devices will decrease, then yes. In parallel, the MX2 will be sold and the next MX, which will receive a large screen.

J: The MX and MX2 do not have a very easy-to-remove cover (you need a special paperclip that comes with the kit), are you going to change the design?

TM: Thanks to our design, the case looks neat, it has a minimum of connectors and keys on the case, few fasteners. Just look at the iPhone - it has a lot of buttons, there are dashes for antennas, a slot for the SIM tray - our design is more perfect. If we consider the cover and its quality, then the back cover samsung galaxy S4 costs 10 yuan (about 55 rubles), and ours costs 60 yuan (about 325 rubles). Our solution allows you to firmly and securely fasten a quality cover. But even the iPhone cannot be replaced with a SIM without a paperclip, is that a problem?

J: iOS 7 was announced recently. Did it somehow affect the development of the next version of Flyme?

TM: We started development of Flyme OS 3.0 in March. And when Apple introduced iOS 7, we saw a lot of things in common. Our boss Jack Wong has already posted a screenshot new version Flyme, and you can figure out how the shell will look like - it will become flatter, it will be like in 2D without the volume inherent in the current version of Flyme and, for example, iOS 6. And as for similarity to iOS 7, you probably noticed that it has several nuances that, on the contrary, are inherent in the existing Flyme interface. That is something we have implemented before.

J: Will Flyme OS 3.0 be ported to Meizu MX2?

TM: First it will appear on the next MX, and then the update will come to MX2.

J: Whom does Meizu see as its main competitors in China?

TM: Our smartphones are presented in the top price range and we see world leaders as the main opponents. The goal is not to compete with Chinese brands, and with the largest players – Samsung, HTC…

J: Do you have plans for tablet computers?

J: Samsung, HTC are releasing the Galaxy S4 and One as part of the Nexus project with bare Android. Have you considered releasing a Meizu phone without Flyme, or firmware for MX2 without Flyme?

TM: Have you used LG Nexus 4, for example? Were there any difficulties? When you use our Flyme OS at least a little, you will understand how convenient it is. All functions are where they should be. You can easily use your smartphone with Flyme with one hand. As for the third version of Flyme, it will also be adapted for comfortable use with one hand, despite the diagonal of the new MX. Now in China, a huge number of companies produce smartphones, but Meizu stands out against their background due to the well-thought-out Flyme - this is our know-how. Iron currently plays a secondary role, and in the first place is software. The Flyme interface is also preferable to the shells used in Samsung and HTC, whose big smartphones using one hand is not very convenient. Ease of use for the end user is our philosophy and logic.

Zh: Do you plan to be able to control the screen with gloves?

TM: We tested such a development. But the extra layer in the display affects brightness and color reproduction. Much better without it.

J: Did Meizu think about removing the buttons below the screen altogether, making them part of the interface? Remove the circle under the screen, in other words?

TM: Our circle is multifunctional - it can be used to activate the screen, close applications and more.

J: What about wireless charging, as in Nokia Lumia 920?

TM: We tried it. But it will not be widely used, only a few will buy the appropriate accessories (cases and docking stations). And look at the use cases. Let's say you have a dock at home, but you came to work, to Starbucks, or decided to recharge your phone in the car. You will still take the usual cable.

J: There are smartphones with optical stabilization. Will there be such technology in the next Meizu MX?

TM: We use the latest Sony camera without OIS. We have tried many cameras and this one is the best.

In this part of the conversation, Bai Yongxiang appeared with a white Meizu MX2 (more photos). The new frame is polished to a shine, has a transparent GPS insert, a modified speaker grille and white front panels. And on this occasion, we decided to elicit secrets from Bai regarding the upcoming smartphone.

J: Mr. Tin Mok has already told us a lot about the next MX. What can you tell us about him? For example, about materials. After all, smartphones are increasingly using metal and glass, what do you think about them?

BY: I met an iPhone designer three years ago and he said they were going to use ceramic, metal and glass. But in fact, part of the plans did not come true, but with iPhone case 4 had problems. Metal is not easy to use in phones, as it affects the operation of radio modules. Look at HTC One- its metal body is all streaked with plastic inserts. Plus metal has an effect on weight. We understand that people love the feel of metal, and that it affects the durability of the build, which is why we used metal in the MX2 frame. As for the use of glass, take a look at the HTC One again - it has plastic inserts everywhere, there are metal plates on the front, and the design does not look uniform. Or take the iPhone 4 - it's heavy because of the glass. However, we tried to use reliable Japanese glass in the construction, and it seemed to us very expensive - 300 yuan (~ 1600 rubles), and it turned out to be heavy. The risk of breaking a phone completely made of glass is much higher than, for example, Meizu MX2 (). We are trying to create best products by intelligently using materials. And if we talk about the future smartphone, how people use services and applications is of great importance. It's not about hardware, it's about ease of use. You can’t just stuff a smartphone with advanced features and a variety of software, forgetting about user experience. You can not succumb to a fleeting trend - you need to create products that will be "fashionable" not only today, but also tomorrow.

J: Will you follow in Apple's footsteps by building a nano-SIM into your phone? Will there be microSD card support?

BY: No, the difference compared to micro-SIM is small. There will be no microSD support, but we will offer customers modifications with different memory sizes: 16, 32 and 64 GB.

Zh: Are you going to support 4G LTE networks?

TM and BYu: First, you need to answer a few questions. How widespread are such networks in Russia? Did they cover the whole country or only in Moscow and a number of other cities? Is this the determining factor when choosing a smartphone in 2013? Do you no longer need 3G networks, or have they not yet fully revealed their potential by region and provide sufficient speed? How many operators have deployed 4G in your country? We will study the state Russian market 4G and make a decision.

J: Mr Bai, what do you think about eight-core processors?

BY: 8 cores is very good! That's what ARM says :)

J: Why Meizu applied Exynos processors, and not, for example, Qualcomm or NVIDIA? Why Exynos 5 Octa and not Snapdragon 800?

BY: The Snapdragon 800 chipset is very good, but we try to stay away from monopolists and Qualcomm in particular. Yes, and the price of their processor is slightly overpriced. As for NVIDIA, it lags behind other players.

J: Maybe MediaTek?

BY: No no no :) We love the A7 and A15 combo!

J: The MX2 is very good in terms of music. Do you expect anything interesting in terms of sound from the next MX? Maybe stereo speakers?

BY: The external speaker will get louder, but not stereo, as we try to make the phone light and compact with its screen. Instead, we are implementing a dedicated audio amplifier. Of course, it will cost us a pretty penny, but the result is worth it. We are ready to go to such expenses.

Meizu MX2

J: Generally speaking, what will make the next MX special?

BY: First, the user experience. Secondly, among all the large devices, our MX will be the most convenient to use. Thirdly, a lot of effort is put into differentiation through the operating system, interface. The new Flyme will be very different from everything that you have already seen in other smartphones. The shell will be accurate and detailed. And, of course, the screen. It will be more than you expect.

J: Really 7”? :)

BY: No, but the screen will definitely impress you with its contrast, brightness, color accuracy.

J: What about permission?

BY: I can't say right now, but you'll see for yourself soon. I've been using the engineering pattern for a while now and find it extremely handy and successful.

Q: Can we target the starting price of the next MX at the price of the MX2 at launch?

BY: We try to balance the final cost of the product, although it is much more advanced in hardware compared to the current generation.

J: And the last question! When will the MX3 be announced?

BYu: The novelty will debut very soon! After all, the MX2 has been on sale for almost half a year, so you will find out for yourself in the coming months. The main task is to prepare a phone with LTE for you. And don't call it MX3 :)

And for a snack, a few photos taken on Meizu MX2: