Market expansion
ZTE is looking to extend the reach of its smartphone sales in a collaborative effort with Brightpoint, which will see ZTE handsets sold in the UK, under the ZTE brand. Brightpoint will be using its retail connections to put ZTE phones in a number of retail outlets.
ZTE has seen some success for its handsets in the UK already. The ZTE Blade, for instance, which was rebranded here under the Orange San Francisco brand, received a favourable reception. In total ZTE shipped 60 million handsets last year and expects to sell 80 million this year, and believes that the UK specifically, and Europe more generally, will prove a key component in that growth.
"The success of the ZTE Blade, and the overwhelmingly positive reception at this year's Mobile World Congress of the forthcoming Skate device, demonstrate that ZTE is set to become a key player in the smartphone sector," said Wu Sa, director of mobile device operations, ZTE UK. "We are working closely with Brightpoint to launch smartphones into the UK market this year. We expect ZTE to become a household name synonymous with high quality smartphones and tablets."
While, it's unlikely that the launch of its own range of handsets will stop ZTE from supplying handsets to other manufacturers, it will be interesting to see if ZTE starts to keep its premium handsets for itself, dishing out less desirable devices to its partners, or if it simply offers its own brand alongside carrier-branded mobiles. Which option ZTE takes will likely depend on the success of its handsets once they go on sale.
