Nubia launches flagship frameless smartphone

Ni Fei, co-founder of Nubia Technology Ltd speaks at the launching ceremony of the Nubia Z11 in Beijing on June 28, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Nubia, ZTE Corp's upmarket smartphone brand, unveiled a 5.5-inch screen handset on Tuesday in Beijing, reinforcing its edge in the rimless smartphone market.

With the help of "arc Refractive Conduction" (aRC) 2.0 upgraded technology, the flagship frameless Z11 makes the phone frame hidden under the display's matrix.

"The frameless device is the fruit of imagination, which has been recognized by consumers at home and abroad. We hope Nobia's imagination can become the driving force behind the smartphone industry," said Ni Fei, co-founder of Nubia Technology Ltd.

The domestic smartphone vendor rushed into the public eye when China's first lady, Peng Liyuan, was spotted taking pictures with a Nubia Z5 Mini during a State visit to Germany in 2014.

Equipped with a rear camera based on the sensor Sony IMX298 resolution of 16 megapixels, the new model continues to emphasize Nubia's strength in shooting.

Nubia Z11 has a HD screen for the surface, the currently most powerful Snapdragon 820 processor at its heart and a built-in 3000mAh battery.

Priced at 2,499 yuan, the standard version is equipped with 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM. The exclusive version, which is 1,000 yuan higher in price, has 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM.

Online orders began Tuesday and the first shipment will be made on July 6.

People try out Nubia's latest handsets at the launching ceremony of the Nubia Z11 in Beijing on June 28, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As the smartphone maker signed Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as its global ambassador last month, Z11 also offered a limited edition with the Real Madrid star's signature on the back.

In December, Nubia secured 1.93 billion yuan in investment from an investment arm of Suning Commerce Group, one of China's largest electronics retailers.

According to consulting company International Data Corporation (IDC), the growth rate of the smartphone market will continually suffer a slowdown in 2016. IDC estimated that global shipping volume will reach 1.48 billion units, up 3.1 percent. That's lower than the same figures achieved in the past two years, 10.5 percent and 27.8 percent, respectively.