We had reported on the ZTE Salute coming to the U.S through Verizon Wireless just this month. ZTE has now announced that the company has shipped 28 million handset units all over the world in the first half of this year. These figures amount to almost a 40% year-on-year raise. The company believes that is due to the increasing demand in international markets coupled with an increase in China’s 3G usage and the popularity of smartphones the world over.
Around 60% or 17 million handsets were shipped to international markets or those outside China, which depicts a 30% year-on-year increase. ZTE’s performance in the European market showed a year-on-year swell of 150%, while countries like U.K and France made up for sales of over one million devices. The company is said to have partnered with operators in Europe and claims to be well-known for its custom made Android devices and WCDMA phones. In the U.S, ZTE sells Salute through Verizon Wireless, while it markets tailor-made devices for the elderly along with a 3G monitor through Softbank in Japan.
In its home market of China, the company claims to have shipped 11 million phones in the first half of 2010. This is said to amount to a 75% boost on a year-over-year basis. The ZTE flagship product, the U230, is touted to be a top seller for China Mobile. In the forte of WCDMA and EVDO, ZTE’s phones claim to be a major factor for the quick adoption of 3G usage across China. The company’s 3G handsets devices retail with a price tag of roughly $147. Its future plans in China include a slew of Android smartphones waiting to be released for the three major mobile phone standards.
IDC’s recent report stated that the global shipment in the first half of this year has been 118 million mobile phone units, which almost comes to a 54% increase. There has been an increase in the demand for smartphones, which has boosted the sales of the company. ZTE has partnered with Microsoft to work on the product development of the Windows Phone 7 after taking the covers off the WM6.5 in October across countries like Portugal.
ZTE has released almost 10 types of Android phones consisting of the Racer, Link and X850 models which are out through H3G in the U.K., Bouygues Telecom in France, VIVO in Brazil apart from other markets.