For the smartphone market, China-based ZTE and Huawei Technologies previously mainly focused on the low-price segment and their presence in high-end segment was rare. But they have changed their strategies.
 
Following Huawei's introduction of an ultra-thin model at CES 2012, both companies have been clearly keen to revamp their images by launching more high-end models. The displays, cameras, and processors of the high-end models from the two firms are comparable to those found in first-tier brands' smartphones.
 
In 2012, ZTE and Huawei will continue to develop low-price models but they will step up their challenge against first-tier competitors with products that have comparable quality but lower prices. Digitimes Research predicts that even though the 2012 smartphone shipments from ZTE and Huawei are unlikely to grow as fast as what they have seen over the past two years, they will still significantly outperform the market average growth of about 40%.