In the spring, the ZUK Z1 smartphone will begin to be sold in Russia. What is this device and where does Lenovo?
Hello friends! In the next couple of months, the Z1, the first ZUK smartphone, will appear on the Russian market. What kind of gadget is it, why are we writing about it on the Lenovo blog, and why are we talking about it as a new device, while JD is already selling it to the full in Russia - we'll tell you right under the cut.
ZUK is a young Chinese company that was registered on May 28, 2015. She introduced her first (and so far only) smartphone Z1 to the public on August 11, 2015. The gadget was very interested in potential users in the PRC: shortly after the announcement, the number of pre-orders for ZUK Z1 exceeded 1.5 million units.
ZUK appeared with our direct participation: 70% of the company belongs to Lenovo, and the remaining 30% to other investors and employees. However, this is not a closely integrated business, as, for example, Lenovo and Moto, when the product lines complement each other and are focused on the needs of different audiences. In the case of Lenovo and ZUK, it’s more correct to talk about the joint coexistence of brands. ZUK has its own individual business indicators and other goals.
The bet is on a combination of good technical specifications and affordable prices.
ZUK Z1 is a 5.5-inch smartphone with an IPS screen, whose resolution is 1920 × 1080 pixels. Inside the device is a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with a frequency of 2.5 GHz, 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of permanent memory. Slots for memory cards are not provided. In AnTuTu, the device scores an average of 47-49 thousand points.
The resolution of the main camera is 13 megapixels, the front - 8 megapixels. There is also a fingerprint scanner. It is built into the bottom of the front panel and is actively used by Chinese users to confirm payment for purchases using Z1. The battery capacity is noticeably higher than average - 4100 mAh. The USB Type C connector is used to charge and transfer files over the wire, and we are talking about full support for the standard 3.0. If briefly, you can see very detailed specifications . on the ZUK website.
Starting from March-April of this year, the Russian office of Lenovo will be engaged in the sale of Z1 in the Russian Federation. At the moment, we have planned a price of 19,990 rubles. However, you all probably understand that if the dollar in the spring will cost more than now, then you will have to adjust it.
Indeed it is. But you need to understand that until now, JD sold in Russia ZUK Z1 made for the Chinese market and not certified for Russia. For example, in these devices there is no support for LTE Band 20, which is extremely relevant outside of Moscow, some other functions may be missing.
Now specialists from the Moscow office of Lenovo are engaged in Z1 certification for our market. Immediately after the end of the process, we will begin to officially import models that are most qualitatively adapted to the needs of Russian users and sell through the online store shop.lenovo.ru .
JD will continue to sell ZUK Z1 in Russia. Simultaneously with the start of sales of Z1 on the site shop.lenovo.ruJD will also begin to import exclusively certified versions of this smartphone into our country. The gadget will be sold as part of the JD Collection on jd.ru. Thus, two official purchase methods will immediately become available to Russian users. Other sales channels are out of the question.
It is true that a certain difference in cost cannot be avoided, but it will be within the margin of error. The dollar price of Z1 at JD will correspond to the ruble price of Z1 in the Lenovo online store.
If you have already purchased ZUK Z1, which is not certified for the Russian market, then you will have to solve the problems directly with the seller. This also applies to devices already purchased through JD.
Buyers of certified Z1 at shop.lenovo.ru will receive an official guarantee and access to the entire network of Lenovo service centers in Russia. Customers who order certified Z1 from JD will get exactly the same benefits.
Now we can confidently say that there will be no large lineup, but 1-2 new smartphones a year are quite real.
In addition to the home market, the creators of ZUK are eyeing not only Russia, but also the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the last two countries, there is practically no gadget retail; almost all electronics are ordered there via the Internet. And this is a key sales channel for ZUK. On the shelves of classic stores, Z1 will most likely never appear, as this will inevitably lead to an increase in cost for the end user.
At this, perhaps, let us dwell. But if we suddenly missed something important, we will try to answer your questions in detail in the comments. Thanks for attention!
What kind of ZUK is this?
ZUK is a young Chinese company that was registered on May 28, 2015. She introduced her first (and so far only) smartphone Z1 to the public on August 11, 2015. The gadget was very interested in potential users in the PRC: shortly after the announcement, the number of pre-orders for ZUK Z1 exceeded 1.5 million units.
What does Lenovo have to do with it?
ZUK appeared with our direct participation: 70% of the company belongs to Lenovo, and the remaining 30% to other investors and employees. However, this is not a closely integrated business, as, for example, Lenovo and Moto, when the product lines complement each other and are focused on the needs of different audiences. In the case of Lenovo and ZUK, it’s more correct to talk about the joint coexistence of brands. ZUK has its own individual business indicators and other goals.
And what is the trick of ZUK smartphones?
The bet is on a combination of good technical specifications and affordable prices.
Okay, what about the technical specifications?
ZUK Z1 is a 5.5-inch smartphone with an IPS screen, whose resolution is 1920 × 1080 pixels. Inside the device is a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with a frequency of 2.5 GHz, 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of permanent memory. Slots for memory cards are not provided. In AnTuTu, the device scores an average of 47-49 thousand points.
The resolution of the main camera is 13 megapixels, the front - 8 megapixels. There is also a fingerprint scanner. It is built into the bottom of the front panel and is actively used by Chinese users to confirm payment for purchases using Z1. The battery capacity is noticeably higher than average - 4100 mAh. The USB Type C connector is used to charge and transfer files over the wire, and we are talking about full support for the standard 3.0. If briefly, you can see very detailed specifications . on the ZUK website.
Who will sell the ZUK Z1 in Russia and what will be the price?
Starting from March-April of this year, the Russian office of Lenovo will be engaged in the sale of Z1 in the Russian Federation. At the moment, we have planned a price of 19,990 rubles. However, you all probably understand that if the dollar in the spring will cost more than now, then you will have to adjust it.
Wait, but JD started selling this model with us at the end of last year! What is Lenovo's official position on this score?
Indeed it is. But you need to understand that until now, JD sold in Russia ZUK Z1 made for the Chinese market and not certified for Russia. For example, in these devices there is no support for LTE Band 20, which is extremely relevant outside of Moscow, some other functions may be missing.
Now specialists from the Moscow office of Lenovo are engaged in Z1 certification for our market. Immediately after the end of the process, we will begin to officially import models that are most qualitatively adapted to the needs of Russian users and sell through the online store shop.lenovo.ru .
JD will continue to sell ZUK Z1 in Russia. Simultaneously with the start of sales of Z1 on the site shop.lenovo.ruJD will also begin to import exclusively certified versions of this smartphone into our country. The gadget will be sold as part of the JD Collection on jd.ru. Thus, two official purchase methods will immediately become available to Russian users. Other sales channels are out of the question.
But JD has prices in dollars, while Lenovo has prices in rubles!
It is true that a certain difference in cost cannot be avoided, but it will be within the margin of error. The dollar price of Z1 at JD will correspond to the ruble price of Z1 in the Lenovo online store.
What about warranty and service support?
If you have already purchased ZUK Z1, which is not certified for the Russian market, then you will have to solve the problems directly with the seller. This also applies to devices already purchased through JD.
Buyers of certified Z1 at shop.lenovo.ru will receive an official guarantee and access to the entire network of Lenovo service centers in Russia. Customers who order certified Z1 from JD will get exactly the same benefits.
Does ZUK plan to expand its lineup?
Now we can confidently say that there will be no large lineup, but 1-2 new smartphones a year are quite real.
With China and Russia, things got a little clearer, and what are ZUK's plans for other countries?
In addition to the home market, the creators of ZUK are eyeing not only Russia, but also the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the last two countries, there is practically no gadget retail; almost all electronics are ordered there via the Internet. And this is a key sales channel for ZUK. On the shelves of classic stores, Z1 will most likely never appear, as this will inevitably lead to an increase in cost for the end user.
At this, perhaps, let us dwell. But if we suddenly missed something important, we will try to answer your questions in detail in the comments. Thanks for attention!