Meizu MX

Last updated
Meizu MX
Meizu MX logo.svg
Meizu MX.svg
Manufacturer Meizu
Compatible networks 2G GSM/GPRS/EDGE : 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz Class 12
3G UMTS/HSPA+/W-CDMA : 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz
HSDPA : 21.6 Mbps
HSUPA : 5.76 Mbps
First released China & Hong Kong only
February 1, 2012;12 years ago (2012-02-01)
(First Dual-core model)
June 30, 2012;12 years ago (2012-06-30)
(Quad-core model)
July 14, 2012;11 years ago (2012-07-14)
(New Dual-core model)
Predecessor Meizu M9
Successor Meizu MX2
Type Touchscreen smartphone
Dimensions121.3 mm (4.78 in) H
63.3 mm (2.49 in) W
10.3 mm (0.41 in) D
Mass139 g (4.9 oz)
Operating system Flyme OS, based on Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread upgradable to Android 4.1.2 Jellybean
System-on-chip Exynos 4 Dual 45 nm
(First dual core model)
Exynos 4 Quad 32 nm
(Quad core model)
Exynos 4 Dual 32 nm
(new dual core model) or ARM Logic11 in Dual 32 nm
(Texas Instruments in 4.1.2 jellybean mode)
CPU 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 or 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 + 400 MHz Logic11
GPU ARM Mali-400 MP (Quad-Core) or PowerVR SGX 540
Memory1 GB DDR SDRAM
Storage16 GB flash memory (Dual-core models)
32 or 64 GB flash memory (Quad-core model)
Removable storage Not supported
Battery1600 mAh Li-Ion rechargeable battery, not replaceable
(First dual core model)
1700 mAh Li-Ion rechargeable battery, not replaceable
(New dual core model and Quad-core model) or 1800 mAh Rechargeable but not replaceable battery
Display4.0 inch diagonal ASV
640x960 px (288 ppi)
16M colours
Rear camera8.0 MP, autofocus, LED flash, HD video recording
Front camera VGA resolution
Connectivity3.5 mm TRS connector, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR, WiFi/WAPI (802.11 b/g/n), microUSB On-The-Go with MHL
Data inputs Multi-touch capacitive touchscreen, A-GPS, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity sensor, Digital compass, Ambient light sensor
Other microSIM only (adapter provided), Gorilla Glass display panel, active noise cancellation, no FM radio
References [1]

The Meizu MX is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu Technology, which runs on a modified Android operating system, dubbed as Flyme OS. It is the company's second Android-based smartphone, after the Meizu M9. The MX is Meizu's first smartphone to be released outside mainland China, as its launch also happened in Hong Kong at the same time, on January 1, 2012. [2]

Contents

Since the development phase, Meizu announced that the MX would come in a dual-core and a quad-core model, the second being due to be released later than the first. This made Meizu the first company to announce a quad-core smartphone [3] and, later, the first to announce an Exynos 4-based smartphone, [4] beating the Samsung Galaxy S III in marketing time (even though the latter went on sale first).

The MX was the first Meizu phone to achieve extensive coverage on tech blogs and websites outside China because of its features comparable to the flagship phones of major mobile phone manufacturers. Thanks to the good reception, rumors stated the MX could arrive on Western markets. [5]

History

Design

The first rumors about a successor of the Meizu M9 leaked out in Q4 2010, even before M9's official launch itself, suggesting that a so-called M9II phone was in development, with a dual-core processor, 4-inch screen and 1 GB of RAM. [6] Initially, this phone was supposed to look almost identical the M9, [7] although with upgraded hardware, and some media thought it could have been a competitor in China to the iPhone 5, rumored to be in development, as happened with the Meizu M9. [8]

In mid-April 2011 Meizu officially confirmed [9] that the company was developing the phone, along with declaring that its name would be MX (M10, following the company's product name numeration). [10] In this period the MX was attributed a Retina-like display resolution (1280×854 or 1200×900 pixels), [6] which is not the one of the production models' display.

The device's final design [Note 1] , price and release date [Note 2] . were changed many times, as happened before with the M9.

Release

Pre-orders for the dual-core MX started on December 15, 2011, and granted a guarantee to receive the phone exactly on January 1, 2012, the day that official distribution started through the company's flagship stores (in China and Hong Kong). [17] On launch day many customers waited for their turn outside the stores, forming queues (not as long as the ones for the M9 though); some reports claim that Meizu wanted to avoid attracting big crowds (for a matter of public order), so the customers who pre-ordered the devices were invited to arrive at the store only after receiving a phone confirmation. Even so, people started arriving the night before January 1. [2] [18]
Meizu assured that production and supplies would be able to meet customers' demand by 2012 Chinese New Year's Day (January 23), advising people to order the MX as soon as possible to receive it by that date. [17] Meanwhile, the quad-core version was rumored to be going on sale around mid-2012 [19] and on April 16, 2012, it was officially announced that it would start selling in June. [20]

Meizu, in partnership with PCCW Mobile, held a launch party in Hong Kong on June 25, 2012, formalizing the release date of the MX 4-core: June 30. [21] On that day many customers went to pick up their new phone at Meizu stores, resulting some cities running out of stock the same day. [22]

On July 14 a new, improved dual-core model was released, replacing the old model in Meizu's product lineup. It features a 32 nm SoC, a bigger capacity battery and an improved Wi-Fi module. [23]

Features

Models

The Meizu MX is available in two variants, differing primarily for the system on a chip they use: one model uses an Exynos 4 Dual 32 nm with a dual-core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU, an ARM Mali 400 quad-core GPU and 1 GB of RAM, while the other model, named MX 4-core, uses the Exynos 4 Quad 32 nm with a quad-core 1.4 CPU (the other characteristics being equal). Meizu declares that the Exynos 4 Quad used by the MX 4-core model has a CPU 60% faster and a GPU 50% faster, compared to the previous model, while at the same time consuming 20% less battery. [20] The dual-core model is equipped with a 16 GB flash memory for internal storage, while the quad-core model is available with either a 32 GB or a 64 GB memory.
The current dual-core model was preceded by another one, currently discontinued, which used a battery 100 mAh less powerful than the one mounted on the quad-core model, had a display with lower contrast and a Wi-Fi module with poorer reception. The present dual-core model has been updated with the corresponding components from the 4-core variant. (See the Launch and sale section for further information)

Hardware and design

The Meizu MX has a plastic body with a Gorilla Glass display cover; it measures 121.3 mm (4.78 in) x 63.3 mm (2.49 in) x 10.3 mm (0.41 in) and weighs 139 g (4.9 oz). It has a classic candybar shape, being rectangular with rounded corners, and presents only one central physical button at the front, like many modern touchscreen smartphones. The MX features also two situation aware capacitive keys (which are also haptic enabled), a technology patented by Meizu; these soft keys have different functions based on the device's orientation and functions. [24]
The front of the phone, including the key and the metal border around it, is completely black, and so is the internal chassis, while the back cover is available in five different colors (pure white, ivory white, misty pink, lilac purple and milky lime). [25] These covers are made from double-layer plastics: the bottom one is colored and the top one is transparent, giving the back a glossy finish, similarly to other smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Huawei Honor.

The MX features a 4-inch diagonal, 960×640 pixel (DVGA resolution) ASV multi-touch capacitive touchscreen display, with an aspect ratio of 3:2, supporting up to 16 million colors and with a pixel density of 288 ppi.

In addition to the touchscreen input and the front keys, the device has a volume/zoom control on the right side and the power/lock button on the top. The MX doesn't have a camera shutter key, but it is possible to capture a photo using the volume key or by swiping a finger on the proximity sensor (via a software update). [26]

The Meizu MX has a VGA front-facing camera and an 8.0 MP camera on the back. The main camera has a backside illuminated CMOS sensor with autofocus; the optics have an aperture of f/2.2 and the macro focus is capable of clearly capturing objects as close as 5–10 cm. The software settings includes support for geotagging, smile detection, panorama mode and wide dynamic range. [24]

Reception

The MX4 received generally positive reviews.

Engadget gave the MX a score of 74 out of 100 possible points and praised the sharp display, great audio quality and good build quality. [27]

See also

Notes

  1. Initially, the MX design leaked from the Patent Office suggested a shape similar to that of the M9, but with a new back camera with and LED flash, a front camera and the SIM tray at the top. [11] Nearer to the final launch new photos unveiled a new, rounded home button and two touch buttons with LEDs that rotate according to the phone's orientation. [12]
  2. The first announced release date was a vague "September 2011", [13] then Meizu CEO delayed the date first to October 1 (Chinese National Day) [14] and later to December. [15] Most sources reported that both the dual-core and the quad-core models would be released at the same time, but the real announcement was referred only to the dual-core variant [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu</span> Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer

Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. is a Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer based in Zhuhai, Guangdong. Founded in 2003 by Jack Wong, Meizu began as a manufacturer of MP3 players and later MP4 players. In 2008, Meizu moved its focus to smartphones. Meizu is the 11th largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, and sold over 20 million units in 2015. In February 2015, Alibaba invested US$590 million in Meizu, acquiring an undisclosed minority stake.

Google Nexus is a discontinued line of consumer electronic mobile devices that ran a stock version of the Android operating system. Google managed the design, development, marketing, and support of these devices, but some development and all manufacturing were carried out by partnering with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Alongside the main smartphone products, the line also included tablet computers and streaming media players; the Nexus started out in January 2010 and reached its end in October 2016, replaced by Google Pixel family.

The Samsung Infuse 4G was an Android smartphone that was released by Samsung in May 2011. It has a 1.2 GHz Hummingbird processor with 8–16 GB internal Flash memory, a 4.5 inch 480×800 pixel Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touchscreen display, an 8-megapixel camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LG Optimus 2X</span> Smartphone designed and manufactured by LG Electronics

The LG Optimus 2X is a smartphone designed and manufactured by LG Electronics. The Optimus 2X is the world's first smartphone with a dual-core processor and the third phone in the LG Optimus-Android series. LG introduced the Optimus 2X on December 16, 2010 and the device first became available to consumers in South Korea in January 2011. It was also launched in Singapore on March 3, 2011. The Optimus 2X has run the Android 2.3 software version since the upgrade in November 2011, but the latest offering is Android 4.0. The phone holds the record for the longest update holdout, taking 16 months to receive a firmware update from Android 2.2 to 2.3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu M9</span> Chinese smartphone

The Meizu M9 is a Chinese smartphone designed and promoted by the Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. which runs on Flyme OS. It was launched on January 1, 2011, resulting in buyers lining up overnight to enter stores to purchase the device.

The HTC Desire 600 is an Android smartphone developed by the Taiwanese manufacturer HTC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu MX3</span> Smartphone

The Meizu MX3 is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is a previous phablet model of the MX series, succeeding the Meizu MX2 and preceding the Meizu MX4. It was the first smartphone with 128 GB of internal storage. It was unveiled on September 2, 2013, in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy Alpha</span> 2014 Android smartphone by Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850x) is an Android smartphone produced by Samsung Electronics. Unveiled on 13 August 2014, the device was released in September 2014. A high-end device, the Galaxy Alpha is Samsung's first Android-powered smartphone to incorporate a metallic frame, although the remainder of its physical appearance still resembles previous models such as the Galaxy S5. It also incorporates Samsung's new Exynos 5430 system-on-chip, which is the first mobile system-on-chip to use a 20 nanometer manufacturing process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu MX4 Pro</span> Android smartphone

The Meizu MX4 Pro is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is a previous phablet model of the MX series, representing a more powerful version of the Meizu MX4. It was unveiled on 19 November 2014 in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu MX2</span> Smartphone

The Meizu MX2 is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is a previous model of the MX series, succeeding the Meizu MX and preceding the Meizu MX3. It was unveiled on November 27, 2012 in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu MX6</span> Smartphone

The Meizu MX6 is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is the company's latest model of the MX series, succeeding the Meizu MX5. It was unveiled on July 19, 2016 in Beijing.

The Meizu M3S is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is a current model of the M series. It was unveiled on June 13, 2016 in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu PRO 5</span> Smartphone model

The Meizu PRO 5 is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is the company's first model of the flagship PRO series. It was unveiled on September 23, 2015, in Beijing.

The Meizu M3E is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is a current model of the M series. It was unveiled on August 10, 2016, in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu PRO 5 Ubuntu Edition</span> Smartphone

The Meizu PRO 5 Ubuntu Edition is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Ubuntu Touch. It is an alternative version of the Meizu PRO 5. It was unveiled on February 17, 2016.

The Meizu M5 is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is the company's latest model of M series, succeeding the Meizu M3 Max though its true predecessor is the Meizu M3. It was unveiled on December 6, 2016 in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)</span> Smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) is an Android smartphone manufactured by Samsung Electronics and was released on May 6, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meizu PRO 6 Plus</span> Smartphone

The Meizu PRO 6 Plus is a smartphone designed and produced by the Chinese manufacturer Meizu, which runs on Flyme OS, Meizu's modified Android operating system. It is the company's latest model of the flagship PRO series, succeeding the Meizu PRO 6. It was unveiled in November 2016.

Oppo phones are smartphones produced by the partially state-owned Chinese company Oppo, running in several countries.

The Samsung Galaxy F62 is a mid-range Android smartphone manufactured by Samsung Electronics as part of its Galaxy F series. It is the second phone to be released in the series. It has a 7000 mAh battery, a quad camera setup with a 64 MP main camera, as well as a 12 MP ultrawide camera, a 5 MP macro camera and a 5 MP depth sensor, a 6.7 in (17 cm) Super AMOLED Plus display and the Exynos 9825 SoC previously used in the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ flagship smartphones.

References

Meizu MX4 Archived 2014-08-02 at the Wayback Machine

  1. "Meizu MX website". Meizu.
  2. 1 2 Richard Lai (January 1, 2012). "Meizu MX launches today, lines dotted all over China as usual (updated)". Engadget .
  3. Alvin Ybañez (September 20, 2011). "Meizu May Beat Everyone Else to Releasing First Quad-core Android Smartphones". Android Authority.
  4. Dan Graziano (April 17, 2012). "MEIZU announces the first Exynos-powered quad-core smartphone". BGR.
  5. "Meizu MX 4-core global release not official yet, apparently". GSMArena. July 17, 2012.
  6. 1 2 Andi Sykes (November 30, 2010). "Meizu M9II Spy Shots and Leaked Details". gizchina.com.
  7. Greg (April 18, 2011). "Meizu M9II Photo Released, Officially Renamed The Meizu MX". Gadgets Republic. Archived from the original on November 23, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  8. "Meizu M9II may shadow iPhone 5 with 4-inch screen, dual-core". Electronista. March 7, 2011. Archived from the original on April 17, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  9. Andi Sykes (April 15, 2011). "Confirmed: Meizu M9II In Development!". gizchina.com.
  10. via Jack Wong (Meizu CEO) (April 17, 2011). "First photo of M9II sees the light, now called Meizu MX". Meizu Me.
  11. Andi Sykes (August 8, 2011). "Meizu MX Designs Show Up In Chinese Patent Office". gizchina.com.
  12. Herman Lai (November 21, 2011). "Meizu MX Prototype Leaked Again, New Home Button Design?". M.I.C. Gadget. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.
  13. Andi Sykes (August 20, 2011). "Meizu Confirm Quad Core MX Will Launch in September with iPhone 4 Style Body!". gizchina.com.
  14. via Meizu (September 19, 2011). "Meizu MX to be released on Chinese National Day on October 1". Meizu Me.
  15. Chris Chang (September 14, 2011). "Meizu MX: 1.4GHz Quad-core, qHD display, Sets for December Release". M.I.C. Gadget. Archived from the original on July 5, 2012.
  16. Richard Lai (December 5, 2011). "Dual-core Meizu MX fully unveiled, launching on January 1st with HSPA+". Engadget .
  17. 1 2 Rob Watkins (January 2, 2012). "Meizu MX hits China, masses line up at local stores". Android Community.
  18. via Meizu (January 1, 2012). "MX北上广深杭港首发图文视频". Meizu BBS (in Chinese).
  19. Andi Sykes (December 27, 2011). "Meizu MX Quad Core Coming May With ICS". gizchina.com.
  20. 1 2 Richard Lai (April 15, 2012). "Meizu MX Quad-core launching with Android 4.0 in June, gets 32GB and 64GB flavors". Engadget .
  21. Herman Lai (June 25, 2012). "Meizu Launches The Cheapest Quad-Core Phone With Hot Chicks Party (video)". M.I.C. Gadget. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012.
  22. Andi Sykes (July 14, 2011). "Quad Core Meizu MX Launches To Huge Crowds!". gizchina.com.
  23. via Meizu (July 11, 2012). "Upgraded Meizu MX dual-core coming on July 14th, replaces older model". Meizu Me.
  24. 1 2 "Meizu MX review: Amaze U". GSMArena. December 22, 2011.
  25. Florian Mihu (June 25, 2012). "Quad-core Meizu MX smartphone with Flyme 1.0 OS launches June 30". PocketDroid. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  26. Andi Sykes (March 8, 2012). "Meizu MX Firmware Update Brings Landscape SMS, innovative camera functions!". GizChina.
  27. Richard Lai (December 15, 2011). "Meizu MX Review". Engadget.