ZTE Unveils $160 U950 Quad-Core Smartphone

The world can use a few more low-cost, high-powered smartphones. Chinese manufacturer ZTE has announced its new U950 Android mobile, which features a quad-core processor and a low price tag of $160. The first 100,000 consumers to step up will be able to place an order on November 11.

The ZTE U950 measures in at 9mm thick, and features a 4.3-inch display and runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Inside you'll find a 1.3GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and 1GB of RAM. There's a rear 5MP camera, and VGA-resolution front camera for video calls. Sadly, the device only has 4GB of internal storage space.

ZTE has been swept up recently in accusations of possible espionage for the Chinese government, which has also been brought against Huawei. The US House Intelligence Committee recommended that ZTE and Huawei both be avoided, saying, "China has the means, opportunity, and motive to use telecommunications companies for malicious purposes." ZTE responded with the statement, "ZTE has set an unprecedented standard for cooperation by any Chinese company with a congressional investigation."

While the features are all pretty basic, it's obviously the processor power-to-cost ratio that makes the phone attention-worthy. The U950 is priced at 999 yuan, which is about $160USD. The handset is slated for release in China next month. There's no word on whether this cheapo quad-core will be making its way stateside or elsewhere.

[via Engadget]