Skip to main content

Leaked ZTE concept phones are crazy, possibly fake, and totally worth seeing

A set of concept images show smartphone maker ZTE may have some ideas on what to do about the screen notch, and they’re quite unusual. Manufacturers are desperately trying to move away from using a notch, trying ever-more inventive ways of having a full-screen experience without a cut out at the top of the display. The Axon S and Axon V show how ZTE may approach the situation.

We say “may approach,” because there is no proof the images you see here show genuine ZTE products. Even if these are actual ZTE phone concepts, this is not necessarily proof they will be made into devices you can buy. However, with that caveat in place, just take a look at these two alternative ways to get rid of both the notch and the bezels on a smartphone. Get ready, because these are crazy.

NotebookItalia.it

The first is referred to as the ZTE Axon S, and it’s a variation on the slider design seen on the Honor Magic 2 and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3. However, instead of the slider rising out of the phone’s top, it flicks out to the side, where it reveals both a dual-lens, front-facing camera and a triple-lens rear camera. This means the phone’s OLED screen not only doesn’t have a notch, but the body doesn’t have any camera lenses on the back either. It’s completely smooth.

NotebookItalia.it

ZTE’s Axon S really takes minimalism to the next level. There’s a thin sliver for a speaker above the screen, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and absolutely nothing on the back — not even any branding. The slider design is great, and works well on Honor and Xiaomi’s phones, but it can slow down camera activities due to the extra step involved in getting them ready. The rear camera under the slider may have a 48-megapixel main lens, a second 19-megapixel lens, and a 5x optical zoom.

ZTE Axon V Concept NotebookItalia.it

How about the ZTE Axon V? Why put the selfie camera in a notch (or a slider) when you can mount it in a module outside of the screen? That’s what the Axon V shows — camera lenses inside a camera bump that’s slung out on the side of the phone. It’s unusual looking, not very ergonomic, and certainly not the most elegant solution to the notch. The Axon V’s rear cameras are visible on the back, but we don’t know anything about the specification. The front camera may use a 3D sensor, likely for secure face unlocking.

ZTE Axon V Concept NotebookItalia.it

The result is the 6.8-inch screen on the Axon V does not have any notch, and very small bezels. According to Notebook Italia, where all these images were published, the Axon V’s camera position will help ZTE fit a larger battery inside the phone, and it also may come with 5G connectivity. It states the device may launch this year, but doesn’t give a more precise date. It also says the Axon S will have 5G, which is shown in the top corner of the screen on one of the renders.

Recommended Videos

Are these ZTE phones real? If so, will they ever go on sale? We don’t know for now, so must treat them as fan-made renders. That doesn’t mean we don’t love the creativity, and will cling to the chance these really are being worked on in a corner of ZTE’s research and development department.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
8 key things you need to know from Apple’s WWDC 2025 event
From a fresh look and updated names, to new features, more intelligence and live translation
iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 shown on devices.

The WWDC 2025 keynote ran for just over an hour and a half. For those of you who don't fancy sitting through the whole presentation, we've pulled out the key things you need to know from the latest Apple event.

1. Welcome to the 26 club

Read more
WWDC 2025: Apple announces iOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and more
Major updates to iOS, macOS, watchOS, iPadOS, tvOS and visionOS
WWDC 2025 logo

Apple kicked off WWDC 2025 with its keynote presentation at its annual World Wide Developer's conference, and it was a bumper affair.

We were treated to a raft of updates across all of the firm's software platforms, as we were introduced to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26.

Read more
Android 16 is now available to download, and here are 3 reasons why you should
Android 16 logo on Google Pixel 6a kept on the edge of a table.

The wait for Android’s next big platform update is finally over. Google has released the stable build of Android 16 for the masses, and it is now available to download publicly on all devices, starting with the Pixel smartphones. 

Android 16 introduces a whole new design language called Material 3 Expressive, which reimagines the animations and gestures alongside a fresh color take on color theming and haptic response to touch inputs. 

Read more