For whatever reason, Chinese phone makers have opted for April to be their big launch month and release new hardware. Here are details of 10 of the most exciting launches we will see this April!
April is a very exciting month for Chinese tech fans, and tech fans in general. Big players Xiaomi, LeTV and Huawei all have launch events lined up for the month, and even smaller brands Mlais, Elephone and Ulefone are mixing it up this month with launches of their own too.
LeTV Phone Launches 14th April
LeTV will kick off the big launch events for the month with the release of their new Android smartphone line tomorrow. So far it appears that at least 2 new handsets will make an appearance at the event, but 3 phones were originally rumored for release.
Of the phones we are sure will come to be are the LeTV X600 and X900, although their marketing names might be different. The X600 is a plastic bodied phone with Mediatek chip, 13 mega-pixel sensor and 5.5-inch FHD display, while the X900 has a more up market alloy body, Snapdragon 810 and 2K display.
Huawei P8 Launches 15th April
After LeTV, Huawei will take to the stage in London where they will release the Huawei P8. It sounds likely that the Huawei P8 phone will be a flagship device powered by a Kirin processor. The 6.6mm phone will have an alloy body with dual speakers in the base and fingerprint scanner on the rear. The P8 could also be joined by the P8 Lite made from plastic (or glass) with no fingerprint scanner and a 1.2Ghz pocessor.
Xiaomi Launches Something 15th April
Also on the 15th April is a Xiaomi launch. Very little is known about what Xiaomi have for their mid April event, but it does appear that they will be releasing their very own E-vehicle. Teasers show that Ninebot will attend the event, a well known maker of ride on E-Vehicles. Whatever Xiaomi announce it is sure to be a low-cost alternative to the norm.
Meizu releasing headphone on 15th April
It looks like Huawei are being double teamed by Xiaomi and Meizu, who will both have events on the same day. Meizu’s is possibly the least anticipated and will simply be the release of a pair of headphones made in cooperation with AKG.
Bluboo releasing C100 and X550 mid April
Gizchina News of the week
Bluboo will attend the Hong Kong sourcing fair mid April where they have said they will announce two new phones. The model we are most eager to see is the $99 C100 with MT6735 processor, LTE, 5-inch and 720p display. The X550 will also launch, a 5300mAh battery offering up to 30 days of stand-by time.
UMi Releasing the UMi Hammer on 20th April
We posted our first hands on impressions of the UMi Hammer early today, and after a little extra time with the phone it does seem to be a nice little entry-level device with strong construction. To recap the Hammer features a MT6732 quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 13 mega-pixel rear camera, Dual LED flash and alloy body.
Xiaomi launch in India on 23rd April
Xiaomi are again launching something, this time in India, and again we are not entirely sure what it could be. From certifications posted in Singapore, it looks as though the launch will include the unveiling of the Xiaomi Mi4i. The Mi4i is a budget version of the Mi4, with Snapdragon 615 SoC and 2GB RAM, at least that’s the rumour anyway. GizChina roving reporter Yash, will be at the event to see the events unfold.
Mlais M7 launch late April
New kid on the block Mlais will release the Mlais M7 at a date later this month. We don’t know all the details, but the M7 will have 3GB RAM, MT6752 processor and apparently can score over 50,000 on Antutu. Mlais will also have 2 other products to launch later this month, but details are still thin on the ground.
Elephone P7000 launch late April
Elephone have already started their Elephone P7000 pre-sale, but customers should expect the phone to ship later in the month. There are no secrets about the P7000 as every detail has been announced over on the official Elephone website. The flagship phone packs 3GB RAM, rear fingerprint scanner, MT6752 chipset and 13 mega-pixel Sony IMX214 rear camera. Android 5.0 will ship on the phone, but CyanogenMod has also been promised too.
Ulefone Dare N1 launch late April
This is the second time that Ulefone should launch the Dare N1, but hopefully this time around we will finally see the phone. So far we know that the phone has 3GB RAM, finger print scanner and alloy/plastic body similar to the Meizu MX4. Full details will be released this month.
So they you have it, 9 launches for April some big some small, but which one are you interested in the most?
Ulephone Dare N1 and Elephone P7000. Those two have given me sleepless night.
Good call! Right here waiting with you to see the P7000 and Dare N1 reviews!
Vivo xplay 5s is all the world needs right now. If vivo follows through with higher standards than the great xplay 3s of course. I have not found a phone yet that can replace the 3s from my hands. Hoping vivo hoping.
what about the 3gb app linited partition in the vivo,a massive let down for such a great device…the oppo find 7 also had this issue till i started such a big thread about it over on their forum that a developer eventually made a fix,in fact there are two types of unified storage available now for the find 7
did they find a fix for the vivo
Need a hand buddy? I may have the solution to your troubles!
It’s called Mlais m7.
😀
A yeti hand 😀
rofl
That’s my name now 😀
Lol, I’m gonna follow you now!
Elephone told me they are shipping our P7000 review phone on the 14th. If we are lucky could have a hands on up by the weekend 😀
Thanks Andi. IMX214? I really would like to know. A 16mp omnivision sensor? Hmm. Build quality top notch or messed up? And finally, how many hours does the reported 3200+mah battery lasts? Waiting for you my man. Thanks in advance.
According to their website the P7000 features the IMX214, if that is the case remains to be seen. If it is a 16mp Omnivison its either OV16825 or OV16880. The 16825 was the camera used in the Gionee E7 and Micromax Canvas Knight and was one of the best camera’s available last year.
I think I will go with LeTV one. It’s amazingly good.
in curious to see you’re review of p7000 when you finally get the phone Andi, the specs are interesting, I am wondering though how much truth can there be in they’re specific statement that the Mediatek processor 64 bit, can or will stand with the SD 810 I can’t wait to see your review
LeTV might come with a sub for services, the Huawei has a SoC that’s not exciting and a very high price tag,Xiaomi unlikely to hit a reasonable price tag or do relevant work with central and local govs to push the Segway like thingy and the rumored M4i will likely be priced badly (1500CNY not 900 where it should be to be somewhat competitive).Meizu’s headphones are just headphones so not much to get excited about. The other devices have few secrets so not much left to the imagination.
Maybe ZTE could have a launch too but the Z9 will be priced poorly.
May might be more interesting with Vivo, Oppo , i am curious about Lenovo Vibe x3 (in case it arrives) with it’s SD808 and interesting design. With some luck maybe we see some tabs with MT8173 sooner than expected, perf will be exciting.
Realistic assessment…☺
So you didn’t find interesting those above due to poor pricing and then you are waiting for oppo and vivo?
O_o
That doesn’t mean that nothing else but the price can be exciting, just that those phones are boring and nothing but the right price could make them exciting.
The P8 is boring ,the P line always is (that’s a given) and the price just makes it way worse.The Mate 7 was exciting even if not priced well.
Xiaomi was only interesting because of pricing, without that ….. you get a Qualcomm SoC, average design , quality parts and build but nothing interesting or exciting.
The ZTE Z9 line is very disappointing and the Z9 can’t really offer anything besides a poor SoC, a rumored comical design and a likely high price. If it at least had a good price it would be less irrelevant.
Oppo and Vivo might not have good prices but they try harder to stand out and we know very little about those products for now. Not knowing is interesting in itself.
Then I don’t understand why you just didn’t say since the beginning that they don’t catch your attention regardless the price.
From your statement it sounded like it was all about price (and soc of huawei).
That’s why I didn’t understand why you brought up vivo and oppo that they make awesome phones but there’s nothing awesome about their prices which most of the times are higher than Korean competitors.
LeTV X900 reported at $599 on oppomart 🙁
http://www.oppomart.com/letv-x900.html
Usual trick by this reseller. Post a phone that hasn’t launched yet to get SEO and news links back. They’ve done it for a while now, clever really 😀
Hard…but realistic and factual 🙁
The only one I’m looking for (sort of) is LeTV with Snap810…
The ZTE Z9 pricing looks pretty aggressive to me or am I wrong ?
I don’t know people … but it seems to me that Lenovo K3 Note is, by far, the best buy for now.
It was not marketed as a flagship phone but it certainly is a remarkable product.
Huawei, Xiaomi and Meizu are far more expensive and these cheaper manufacturers like Ulefone and Elephoneare are just … unreliable …
K3 certainly looks sweet, and being 100cny cheaper than the Jiayu S3 and 400cny cheaper than the Meizu M1 Note makes you wonder what corners were cut.
Hmmm … That comes to my mind also.
But seeming by both video and written reviews – K3 Note is awesome and is worth every cent paid …
And certainly better choice than Ulefone, iOcean, Elephone and Zopo … Only worthy opponent, by my standards, is Jiayu S3 (advanced version) …
It’s not cheaper than the Jiayu S3 or Orgtec Wa , those start at 899CNY too. The 3GB RAM Jiayu S3 is 100CNY more.
For me the best buy goes far beyond just price. Huawei, Xiaomi and Meizu are all brands that I know offer quality products and a good UI with regular updates. I have only used one Lenovo and it was loaded with bloatware and the UI was horrible.
Elephone are off my list now due to repeated delays and service issues. Same could be said for Ulefone, but I am holding out hope for the N1 which might just be a winner. Mlais hold the most interest for me right now and I think the M7 could be good. If not the M7 then maybe their next device after that.
Yeah, I agree! Here are two examples:
1.) They were telling us that the have had installed a Sony camera sensor in the P3000s but in reality it was just a OmniVision sensor instead: http://www.elephone.hk/readnews/2119.html
2.) They promised NFC and now it will be missing in the first banch of 100.000 mobiles: http://www.elephone.hk/readNews/3129.html
Personally I prefer some Omnivision sensors to Sony’s and NFC I have never used.
Ulefone cant make a good device, the buttons wobble around, the camera is terrible. Hardware is one of the most important things, and they cant seem to do it right.
Danm, you just Brooke my heart. I tried to a Mlais M52 and end up changing my order to Ulefone Be Pro. Fingers crossed my phone lasts!
Got my M52 from TinyDeal, 8 days delivery to UK! Very happy 😀
They still have stock…
Danm, is Ulefone Be Pro that bad? I tried to buy a Mlais M52 and I couldn’t get it from anywhere, then I order a Ulefone Be Pro. This will be my first China phone.
Will there be released phones that not only a yeti can use with one hand?
So I’m an yeti now???
Ok
if you can use a 5.5 with one hand, maybe you really are 😀
LMAO I can, but I’m no yeti!! lol
xiaomi red mi note (MIUI 6 based on KitKat) has the one-hand feature that is very easy to use (it should be on other KK phones, but i did not check it out): you choose the size of the screen and that’s it (3.5” or 4”).
miui is fast and smooth, by the way
One-hand use is not a “feature”. 65-66 mm is the max width that can be used with one hand comfortably.
Size and ease are obviously subjective, but anyway the only way to perform one-hand actions is with the thumb:
What I do now with just one thumb, exploiting the one-hand feature (of the OS), is exactly what I would do with a smaller screen (that I find frustrating during almost every phone activity, except talking).
Have a try on the one-hand feature
Really all depends on one’s hand size. I can use most phones under 6 inches comfortably with one hand.
So, no iOcean X9 in this month! 🙁
Not really heard much from them. If it is coming they aren’t telling anyone about it
mlais m7 for president!!
I would be interested in Xiaomi Yi drone 🙂
I would also, fingers crossed for that one 😀
what is your opinion on Oneplus one drone?xiaomi will do something like OPO?
What about the 6.3″ LeTV MX1? No news about this??? I like big …. phones! 🙂 Specs lokked really amazing! Will they launch this device as well?
Thats not a phone, thats tablet.
There’s news. You will love it. Sd810, 4gb ram, 64 or 128gb rom, imx230 with ois, 6.33inch QHD display. All metal build.
im between elephone p7000 and zte z9max..great dilemma there…
I love the look and specs of the P7000, but being from Canada without 850 3G band it’s almost uselsss to me. I was so upset to find out they didn’t include this band.
According to their official website they support 850.
http://www.elephone.hk/P7000.html
This says nothing without the international prices. Then things might get interesting
I hope Xiaomi/Ninebot’s self-balancing unicycle has Loud!speakers! and programmable with a smartphone/bluetooth-activated honk/blare/scream/curse-word(?) as a pedestrian warning noise… And later maybe they can partner with a quad-copter maker to create a Xiaomi smartphone-following personal drone for those long-distance airborne selfies and those stunt-filled unicycle zoom-bys across crowded Asian streets!
xiaomi mi4i will be 4.9inch with 1080p screen and the most highlight is runs Android 5.0.2.
any news about the price ?
xiaomi will release 4.9 inch 1080p with android 5.0 OS new product in India ,i hope the price will make us amazing as xiaomi always done!
Letv phone revelaed:
http://www.gizmochina.com/2015/04/13/three-new-letv-one-smartphones-leaked-a-few-minutes-before-launch/
very top noch Hardware,,,hope in practical performance,they could beat out of samsung and Apple too…We really need another big name beside xioami/huawei to do/fight the rest of competition going on
UMI hammer best
Yoyoyo. This just came in. The LeTV one comes with 1080p 5.5inch display, Mt6795 @ 2.2ghz, 64gb rom, 3g ram and sony imx214 with ois for $270. After all the usual additions I guess that should sum up at about $325 or so.
Is elephone.cc the official website? Or an authorized reseller? I ask since the site claims the phone will have 3G/WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 and the other sites i saw claim only 900/1900/2100 for 3G/WCDMA In Canada the phone would be almost useless without the 850 this is why i am asking. Andi, do you have any official specs? Also the P8000 for same info.
Thanks in advance.
Elephone.hk is the official website here is what they list for frequencies:
Wifi frequency:2.4G/5G
FDD-LTE:band 1/3/7/20 (800/1800/2100/2600)
WCDMA:band 1/2/5/8 (850/900/1900/2100)
GSM:band 2/3/5/8 (850/900/1800/1900)
Thank you so much! Can you tell me why they do not have the P8000? elephone.cc does!
It hasn’t been released yet by Elephone. All it has been was rumored and speculation. Kind of like the P4000 which was supposed to be their Mi4 clone, but was never released. It was listed on various resellers for months but never on the Elephone website.
Hmm, the p4000 is showing up on elephone.hk in upcoming phones for may.http://www.elephone.hk/newproduct.html
Yea its a different phone now. The original P4000 was a clone of the Mi4, it was the same phone as the Doogee Hitman. The one of the website is a new model which hasn’t been announced yet.
This is what it was supposed to be:
http://www.1949deal.com/elephone-p4000-mtk6592-octa-core-1-7ghz-android-4-4-smartphone-2gb-ram-16gb-rom-5-0-inch-hd-ips-screen-3g-black.html
Thanks again.
Coolicool have a quick hands on of a Umi Zero 2 apparently with 5inch FHD screen and MTK6752. Looks really good. Any news on that Andi?
It’s probably fake cause its so unlike umi with plasticky body and 5.2 inch screen
where are tablets?
Three products in this list look interesting to me :
– Ulefone Be Touch. I have a Be Pro, it is an excellent product apart from the relatively poor camera (in low light), and the Be Touch could be a nice upgrade with a Sony sensor.
– ZTE Z9. The bezel less screen could be nice.
– Elephone P7000, Looks very promising on paper. And the price is aggressive.
I would also consider the Oppo R7 and wait for OnePlus to announce the Two.
i don’t know people … but it seems to me that be pro is, by far, the best buy for now. Ulefone be touch it will choose for my sister , good design