ZTE's $450 Axon challenges Samsung with premium specs and design

ZTE is not a household brand in the U.S., but the Chinese cellphone manufacturer desperately wants to be.

In the lead-up to the announcement of the Axon, its new U.S. flagship smartphone, there was no mention that the device was made by ZTE

"We wanted to focus on the phone, not the brand," Jeff Yee, ZTE vice president of technology and partnerships at ZTE USA, announced at the Axon's launch event on Monday in New York City.

The Axon is the company's first smartphone that hopes to change the brand's image and link it with affordable luxury — a pivot many Chinese companies like Asus are attempting to execute as well. Read more...