Video: Meizu M8 prepped for full-scale launch, IP battle with Apple

Meizu's been on a tear since our last M8 update. Sitting atop a new 0.9.0.1 firmware release complete with working copy and paste, Outlook calendar synchronization, and a "full backup system," the M8 is now supported by a published SDK and licensed to ride the Chinese airwaves for what looks to be a March, mainland China release. With all the passion it could muster, Meizu posted the following announcement to its English website:

Let's bear witness together, to the great moment of MEIZU formally entering the big stage of mobile phone industry!

Currently, the M8 handset with its iPhone roots (but a WinCE core) is only available to an abiding Chinese press and die-hard Meizu fanatics -- a population said to rival the intensity of Apple's own sheeple elite. Having watched the M8 make the transition from art to part over the last few years, we're mighty stoked at the prospective launch to say the least. And while Meizu has clearly trumped Apple's spec sheet (not user experience) in terms of software (copy paste, background task management, video recording, and plenty more) and hardware (720 x 480 pixel display and beefier silicon), we'll bet there's still enough "inspiration" to get Tim Cook and Apple's legal counsel whipped up into a frenzy of Intellectual Property defense. Latest video after the break.

Read -- Mobile license approval
Read -- SDK release
Read -- firmware 0.9 release

[Fade2blac @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:47AM]

I wish Meizu could muster up an ounce of creativity into there products. I know imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but come on already!

[Fade2blac @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:54AM]

*their
Sorry grammar Nazis.

[Lundmark @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:03AM]

*its
I'm sorry too.

[tekdroid @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:12AM]

Well, I'm glad it doesn't use iTunes and supposedly has some sane format support:
*FLAC http://flac.sourceforge.net
*Ogg Vorbis http://www.vorbis.com
*the sense to offer a removable battery
+ more.

----------------
Full list of audio support:
AMR: AMR-NB
AAC: AAC-LC, AAC-HE
APE: Fast, Normal, High,
Extra High
FLAC, WMA Lossless: VBR
OGG: Quality 0~10
MP3(VBR): 8~320Kbps
WAV: PCM, MS-ADPCM
WMA: 8~355Kbps

Video:
---------------
Support AVI、MP4、3GP、MOV、ASF、WMV、MPEG、
MKV、FLV formats;

More details at:
http://en.meizu.com/m/m8.html
Click on 'Specifications'

[Like_A_Glove @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:54AM]

I've got my fingers on that bad girl a few months back. Let me tell you, she's HOT! .....even as an non-fully-functional prototype.

The screen is beautiful and crisp, definitely better than iPhone, color is accurate or at least to everyone's liking. The UI though HAD some glitches (fixed by firmware updates most likely), it's responsive and groovy most of the time. and she runs ported CE applications like a glove. Better yet, after years of developing, The M8 is not the M8 she used to be. There's not much Apple inspired stuff left in her system other than things like menu layout, photo viewer etc. However, despite all above, I don't view her as an iPhone killer. because she just can't be. Her UI is not as unified and polish as iPhone, Her creators has mindsets far different from westerner's, and the iPhone is not just a phone, am I right?

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 23rd 2009 6:26AM]

That's why both Samsung and LG are so flattered to have been imitated by Apple's when it released its lower specced iPhone.

[BB @ Jan 23rd 2009 8:50AM]

I goto the local retailer store today, pick one up and flick my finger around for a few second, it is extremely noticeably LAG lag lag lag, slow, dont buy it, it is a piece of shit.

[VampireHunter Z @ Jan 23rd 2009 10:55AM]

No matter how this thing may be a rip off the iPhone, you absolutely cannot hate on it's deep list of functionalities. Alot of work went into this. This thing is a proper PMP. The number of video formats supported alone is enough for me to buy one of these. Playing FLAC is also icing on the cake. The only thing missing from this video is a web browser. They have beaten Apple at their own product. And screw the app store, XDA FTW.

[ZSX @ Jan 23rd 2009 12:37PM]

While I agree with your XDA FTW sentiment, I am not sure that Windows CE is necessarily as configureable as Windows Mobile, only because this customized version of CE probably won't have all the UI hooks that Windows Mobile does. Most things written for CE work in WinMo, but things aren't always guaranteed the other way around.

The good news is the VLC is making a version of their player for WinCE, which means broad CODEC support for WinMo. So FLAC playback on your phone won't be limited to the M8.

[OneLove @ Jan 23rd 2009 1:44PM]

Hes the Chinese Micheal Jackson.

[Juaquin @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:47PM]

If someone can figure out how to easily (automatically) port iPhone apps to the M8, I'm totally down. The app community is the one standout feature of the iPhone.

[Boards of Canada @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:47AM]

Why only 1 glove???

[furby @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:02AM]

I assume the screen is capacitive. So won't work with a glove on. Why wear one at all though I suppose

[Burt Reynolds @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:10AM]

Because he's China's biggest Michael Jackson fan.

[Nick J @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:12AM]

...I think he might be the asian MJ...just listen to his voice...its so soft and innocent, yet so creepy...

....plus the one glove...

...it all fits!!!









...like..a glove...

[Like_A_Glove @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:17AM]

What? I'm here. Who is this?

[al3nas @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:51AM]

I do not see any evidence where Meizu would be copying iPhone. All that stuff that is on Meizu was there long before iPhone...

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:59AM]

I think they just mean in the style of the phone. It really does look almost exactly like an iPhone. Pretty silly in my mind, though; nobody is going to be tricked into purchasing one thinking it's an iPhone. Seems more like flattery than anything.

[Adderz @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:00AM]

Uh huh....your delusional.

I hate it just as much as everyone else when people say "Apple invented the touch screen" or what have you but the "inspiration" here is obvious.

The bevelled edge, the single button, the interface, the actual design, its all been taken from Apple. Now if you look at the Palm Pre or the Storm....every part has been originally developed by their respective makers. THIS device is just a high quality knock-off.

[cg0def @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:17AM]

did you really watch the video? The interface is very close to the iPhone one. Only this is a theme on top of windows mobile and as such it does not make ALL applications look/feel the same. Plus there is no software store and the support would be nothing like Apple's. I don't think Apple has anything to worry about here but it'll be funny to see a chinese manufacturer getting sued over what is a standard practice in China ... globalization's a bitch ...

[Major4Play @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:19AM]

Apple invented black shiny candybar phones with one button obviously.....
Have a look on ebay at iPod lookalikes Apple's legal powers are not really that strong.

Apple are trying to trademark "multi-touch" software patents stink.

[conferenceroom @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:55AM]

You spelled "sitting" wrong.

[Lundmark @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:05AM]

It I was chinese, I'd be embarrased by now.

[Like_A_Glove @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:58AM]

Yea, I can see that.

[Davit @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:07AM]

Ill take one. TYVM I like it better than iphone sounds wierd but I thik the interface is much better

[erwin @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:15AM]

creepy nails this guy has...

[cg0def @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:17AM]

now watch yourself get slammed hick! none of what you wrote makes any difference and this time engadget is being quite unbiased ( unlike you )

[Junemas @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:19AM]

Lets see Higher Screen Res than the iPhone 3G - Check
Removable battery - Check
Back Ground Task management - Check
Native Copy/Paste - Check
Copied iPhone Style - Check
Copied iPhone interface - Check

Seems to be the best iPhone clone to date and better in a few features, removable battery is a great plus.

[KIFF @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:10AM]

So it is way better than the iPhone? So where did they actually copy Apple? AFAIK, Apple copied the basic design from LG in the first place.

[ML @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:27AM]

The guy's voice sounds like "Lo Pan" from "Big Trouble In Little China" and even the nails are like "Lo Pan's". Ruuuuuuuuuuuunnnnn...

[iKurt @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:33AM]

What the hell are you talking about? Just because it is rectangular and has rounded corners doesn't make it an iPhone clone...

/s

[Calagan @ Jan 23rd 2009 4:34AM]

@Terry: How would you fix the IPhone's crappy 2MP camera or the lack of removable battery with a software update?

[Major4Play @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:21AM]

Don't worry about his comment, he'll realise he is wrong once his brain downloads 10.5.7 and reboots.

[kadajawi @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:08AM]

Oh no, the girls in these videos get younger and younger! Perverts!

Seriously though, I've had the chance to play with a M8 for a few minutes last month, and it was a pretty impressive device. The screen is brilliant, and the thing is rather snappy and responsive. But to be honest, the Palm Pre announcement killed it to me. It also killed the iPhone. Also, it seems as if the M8 might come without WiFi (Chinese regulations...). A version that is not meant for China should have WiFi though.

[Gad Get @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:11AM]

Terry is such an unassuming name. Shouldn't an Apple fanboy/troll like you have a more obnoxious name? Like, I dunno... iTerry?

[elmuerKo @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:10PM]

stuff Apple, bring on the m8, me wants!

[Gad Get @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:12AM]

BTW, would it be rude to request he be banned?

[Gad Get @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:17AM]

That screen looks incredible! Great color, brightness, and contrast; and excellent pixel density of course!

[Major4Play @ Jan 23rd 2009 5:24AM]

So now Meizu is ripping of the LG Prada just like Apple did, I sure hope LG sue all these wannabies.........

[M0no1ith @ Jan 23rd 2009 1:21PM]

lol @ 1 white glove.

Michael Jackson moved to China and is making knock-off phones.

[Tres @ Jan 23rd 2009 6:06AM]

Before I found out this ran Windows Mobile I was vaguely interested, now we know the truth - it's a thin candy shell around a liquid shit center.

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 23rd 2009 6:42AM]

I'm liking what I see.
If it turns out to work as promised Meizu has got a winner here and I might even be end up buying one of these.

I find it ridicolous that Apple would pretend to have a sort of design patent on a rectangular slab of metal with a screen on top, it's like if a tyre company would pretend that every company producing round rubber tyres is copying its original design.
Innovation is on UI, features, or maybe so called "experience" ; not the shape of the touch screen; unless Apple pretends that because it has been the first company to copy the design of its iPhone from the first touch screen phones from Samsung and LG, now all other companies can only produce triangular screens.

[cg0def @ Jan 23rd 2009 7:48AM]

and how did you figure that one out? Regardless of how this device works there is not way that it will even touch the iPhone. Not because the iPhone is the greatest thing since sliced bread or some other bs like that but because there is no software store for the m8. As much as people seem to dislike the iPhone and the monopoly that Apple has over the somewhat niche market, the introduction of a software store was the one thing missing from the first wave of smartphones/pda-s. And unfortunately noone ( not even the almighty Google ) has come up with a viable replacement. And that's just sad! So I don't care how nice the UI of the chinese knock off is. They are still missing the major point. Looks alone might get you a customer base in China and some other parts of the world but you don't even stand a chance in the US and EU.

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 23rd 2009 9:42AM]

You are so wrong cg0def: programs, apps, downloads, games and assorted BS for Win Mobile are probably even more than those available for the iPhone, moreover they are mostly free and those you still have to pay for are definitely cheaper and more tested than the eqivalent iPhone apps.
Not only that , but because the vast majority of smartphones use win mobile, you can also modify the UI to your liking by flashing HTC's touch flo or Samsung touch whiz, or SE X1's whateveritscalled etc.
I like the iPhone UI (it's its only strong point in my opinion) but if it comes to available choices or possibilities win mobile is still the undiscussed master of the game.

[jonyb @ Jan 23rd 2009 7:30AM]

Doesn't look half bad.

I might actually consider getting one. You know, just to be different. lol.

[Linovi @ Jan 23rd 2009 7:54AM]

Better video of UI:

http://www.viddler.com/explore/b4tech/videos/23/

[Verythrax @ Jan 23rd 2009 9:03AM]

Hey, it pretty good! fast interface (vinyl record icons!) and the non-chrome border looks cooler.

The features are quite good, too.

But too bad it's from a crappy chinese brand.

[superhobo @ Jan 23rd 2009 9:09AM]

The M8 wins...I mean, they have copy paste!

[FrankLo @ Jan 23rd 2009 11:24AM]

Apple gives us everything we dont ask for. Google maps over copy & paste?
A tasty apple is eating, a rotten apple is half bitten and thrown away. Should have seen the signs.

[joe23521 @ Jan 23rd 2009 10:10AM]

This thing may have started as an iPhone clone, but it sure as hell didn't end up as one.
Those who still say it's a rip off need to come to their senses. If they have any, that is.