Unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the ZTE Grand S3 is a flagship smartphone by the Chinese smartphone maker — part of its 2015 lineup and Grand S series. What’s especially cool about this new edition isn’t just what’s under the hood but what it’s looking at. The phone uses Eyeverify technology to use your front-facing camera as a “fingerprint” reader for your eye. The software looks at the veins in your eye to determine a unique pattern, letting you unlock your phone with nothing more than a swift selfie. No word on whether it will also integrate letting you pay using your unique eyeprint.
Beyond that new technology, the Grand S3 has a few minor hardware upgrades from its older brother the Grand S2. The processor is now the just as fast (but more energy efficient) Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, there’s a bigger battery, and storage is boosted to 3GB. The phone’s photo features are also getting a boost: The rear camera is now 16 megapixels, and the front camera is much higher than before, at 8 megapixels, to handle the Eyeprint technology.
What isn’t in the new ZTE Grand S3, when compared with some of its competitors, are some premium features, notably a 2K display or Android 5.0 Lollipop. But look on the bright side: Since it has a lower resolution screen and a large, 3,100mAh battery, this smartphone probably has pretty good battery life, plus a lower price tag ($480) than other high-end devices. The Grand S3 is already available in China and will probably arrive elsewhere in the near future.
Stay with Digital Trends as we bring the latest news, hands-on reviews, and other updates from Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona.
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