ZTE’s just announced the Axon 7 smartphone, and so far it looks like a flagship-killer — but the company is also jumping on the virtual reality bandwagon.
The Axon 7 will have a companion accessory called the ZTE VR. The Axon 7 attaches to the front of this VR headset, which sports gold tones to match the color of the smartphone. We don’t know much else about the VR headset, other than that it will be available in China today along with the Axon 7. A global roll-out “soon after” will bring these devices to other markets.
What we do know that the Axon 7 is that it is one of the first “Daydream-ready” devices — that means it’s equipped to handle high-definition virtual reality content from Google’s upcoming platform. A ZTE representative has confirmed that the ZTE VR does not follow Google’s reference guide for a Daydream-ready headset.
ZTE is also launching a community forum called Z-Community to house its enthusiastic and growing user base. The company says Z-Community will be a place for ZTE customers to “beta test” services and products, be a part of product giveaways, and have insight into product development.
Z-Community will have forums dedicated to acting as support, should its consumers have questions about devices.
“As the fourth largest mobile phone supplier in the U.S., it makes sense to have world-class support for our fan base so feel free to submit a question, search for answers, or simply converse with fans and ZTE staff,” the company writes in a news release.
It will also house a section called Labs, where ZTE will foster discussion about new features, functionalities, research, and what its customers want to see in the next Axon device. It will also be where the company will offer the chance to beta test services. Z-Community’s Blog will share guest posts from thought leaders within ZTE and elsewhere, and provide insights into industry trends.
To kick-start the Community, ZTE is offering the five most “consistently active and value-driving members” the new Axon 7. The promotion ends on June 5, and the company is also giving away 50 Bluetooth speakers at random. The site’s moderators will periodically draw winners from a pool of the most active members.
