Meizu's iPhone clone to cost less than iPhone

Meizu's miniOne will borrow even more directly from Apple's iPhone interface than expected, even as the company trims its pricing. The handset is to feature a contact list and text messaging virtually indistinguishable from the iPhone, including elements such as the side column of letters for faster navigation. Meizu unveiled the MiniOne in mid-February, which at the time was described one one MacNN reader as a "visual carbon copy" of Apple's iPhone. The company claims it has established pricing well below the iPhone: a standard edition with a camera and 4GB of storage will cost as little as $310, with an 8GB variant costing $400 (vs. Apple's $499 4GB model and top-end $599 8GB version). A basic version of the MiniOne without the camera will retail for even less -- $195 and $285 for 4GB and 8GB, respectively. Meizu said it may unveil an external camera attachment for the basic version, and the phone is due to ship by the end of the year.

Filed under: iPod