• Highly anticipated STAR 1 to be launched first in Malaysia, followed by Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia in the following months
• Together with the launch of ZTE’s Blade series, the STAR 1 is set to herald a new era of smartphones in the region – Affordable premium

Kuala Lumpur, October 23, 2014 – ZTE, one of the global leaders in the mobile handset manufacturing industry, today unveiled the highly anticipated ZTE STAR 1 smartphone in Malaysia. The launch is in line with ZTE’s goal to provide all Malaysians with quality affordable smartphones, and is ZTE’s first STAR 1 launch out of China.

Since entering the mobile phone market in 1998, ZTE has been slowly and steadily making waves in the Asian Pacific market. This evolution will see ZTE answer the ever changing and higher consumer demands. Today’s launch strengthens ZTE’s global strategy for the Smart 2.0 era, which is to invest more in B2C (Business to Consumer) and M-ICT strategy (M denotes as Mobile, Man to Man, Man to Machine, Machine to Machine), which is essentially concerned with the creation of value through information. The future also looks bright, as ZTE continues to invest 10% of annual revenue in R&D, solidifying position as a leading 4G products manufacturer, as well as paving the way for 5G. 

ZTE’s decision to launch the STAR 1 first in Malaysia is due to the nation’s strong economy and development in technology, and represents an influential regional hub geographically and culturally.

Jacky Zhang, CEO of ZTE Device, Asia Pacific and Commonwealth Independent States (CIS), spoke about ZTE’s vision and mission for the Asian pacific market, beginning with Malaysia: “Malaysia is one of the biggest potential markets in the region. ZTE had focused on B to B business sector in the past. But now, we are ready to establish our brand in the retail market, and we are confident that our products will suit consumer’s needs.”

“Our goal is to cement ZTE as an innovative and leading smartphone provider in Malaysia. We intend to increase year-on-year sales by 3% by continually adopting and incorporating new technologies and releasing new state-of-the-art devices that meet consumer demands on performance, before they even realise they want it,” added Jacky.

The STAR 1, ZTE’s latest hero smartphone will come equipped with excellent user-experience features, such 4cm macro shooting capability, clarity + imaging technology and a dual-colour temperature flash, great for photography. The phone is priced at RM1088 and will cater to the young, the fashionable and the innovative. 

Also launched during the event was ZTE’s Blade Vec Pro, Blade V5, Blade L2 and Blade G Lux, priced between RM388 and RM788, which is suitable for entry-level consumers to executives.

Speaking at the launch of the product, Alex Yee, Head of ZTE Malaysia’s Terminal Division, said: “The STAR 1 model is a high-quality smartphone designed with an understanding of today’s lifestyle requirements at an affordable price”.

When asked about ZTE’s Blade Vec Pro, Blade V5, Blade L2 and Blade G Lux, Alex said “Quality does not and should not cost a fortune. Apart from the STAR 1, the four other smartphones offer something for everyone. As affordable quality is our key focus, everyone from students and graduates to professionals will benefit from a product that combines the latest technology, with a price tag that suits all budgets,” added Alex.