Meizu M8 gets new UI, possibly Android?

This one's for all of you Meizu fanboys out there: To tide you over while you wait for the M8 3G launch in March 2010 (with a possible M8 3G S planned for Smarch 2043 or thereabouts) the company's announced that the handset will be getting a UI refresh with its firmware 1.0 release come August. Keep in mind that the above image only shows the flowchart that the kids at the eico design lab are using to concoct all their fantastic new transitions and animations, and not the interface itself. And if that isn't enough to keep you entertained this fine morning, it looks like Meizu has put together a team "with the sole purpose of investigating the Android platform." Whether or not this "investigation" will amount to anything remains to be seen, and it doesn't look like the company has any serious intentions for this device beyond the domestic Chinese market, but who knows? Maybe there is a Meizu handset with the open source OS in your (distant) future. Stranger things have happened.

[Thanks, nice2know_u]

Read - Meizu M8 interface getting completely redone
Read - Meizu Android squad hard at work

[skyblaze @ Jun 19th 2009 9:35AM]

i find it kinda comical that you guys follow up on meizu... i guess its really that popular in china, huh

either way, android would be awesome, ya digg :)

[a12ctic @ Jun 19th 2009 1:25PM]

Anybody who disputes Meizu's reputability is honestly just being ignorant. Meizu has released several mp3 players that are held in very high regard by enthusiasts. The M8 has just taken a pretty standard touch screen format (apple stole it from LG and its spread since) and made a solid phone/multimedia device. Grow up apple fan girls and boys.

[skyblaze @ Jun 19th 2009 2:50PM]

im the furthest thing from an apple fanboy... im just in the dark about meizu products i guess... nice to know they're a good company tho... i hope whatever this is works some magic for them :)

[Jonathan @ Jun 19th 2009 9:38AM]

So this year they're knocking off Android instead of OSX? I wonder if they'll use the real Android OS or if they'll make a clone...it's happened before.

[Suomaa @ Jun 19th 2009 11:05AM]

They used Windows CE if my memory serves me well.

[Alan Strangis @ Jun 19th 2009 9:40AM]

I hired a private eye to 'investigate Android' myself. I can tell Meizu right now that Android kills batteries dead. ;)

[Hackettman @ Jun 19th 2009 9:43AM]

I hope it does get an android build..... Thatd be pretty neat......

[216 @ Jun 19th 2009 9:45AM]

So wow after all that work trying to copy Apple, all they needed to do was just use Android (not copy Android but just put android on the device)

[Hujit @ Jun 19th 2009 10:15AM]

+1

[General_Trelane, (retired) @ Jun 19th 2009 10:18AM]

Dummasses...

[Mikey @ Jun 19th 2009 12:05PM]

-1 to both 216 and especially to Hujit for giving a +1

[TareX @ Jun 19th 2009 9:45AM]

If it gets Android, it would kill both the Huawei and the MyTouch 3G.

[ProfessorDex @ Jun 19th 2009 9:45AM]

Smarch 2043! Classic!

[Nomi @ Jun 19th 2009 9:54AM]

The concept is nice...three icons at the bottom that you drag up for different functions.

[damiaking @ Jun 19th 2009 9:54AM]

whats the deal with that iphone clone ???is not even a good one

[Chad @ Jun 19th 2009 10:06AM]

in the /. vernacular

You must be new here.

[Mikey @ Jun 19th 2009 12:07PM]

I'm sick of people calling anything an "iPhone clone." What else, exactly, could a touch-screen only form factor look like but a rectangular phone with a big screen of the same shape. It's not a "clone" if it is the only logical way of doing it.

[~~Tito~~ @ Jun 19th 2009 10:57PM]

Ever since the iPhone, companies have caught on, that doesn't mean they are trying to be like it. . .Just like sagging, gay prisoners who just got out of jail or prison still sagged because they turned gay for life. Now people sag a lot everyone does it. . . does that mean there gay. . .

Not the best story, but makes a clear point.

[Gene @ Jun 20th 2009 5:29AM]

he must forget apple once stole creative's ideas, ya, creative zen clone

[Obscurinata @ Jun 19th 2009 10:04AM]

I find it funny that the M8 has such impressive specs even though it's sort of a ripoff phone at heart. Now let's have them rip off the G1 with similar spec bumps to iPhone -> M8 (like that gorgeous screen), but this time just put Android on it. If it got a day's worth of battery life, I'd buy it in an instant.

[Josh @ Jun 19th 2009 10:06AM]

i don't understand all the hate, i think this would be cool

[nukee @ Jun 19th 2009 10:17AM]

By the time it comes out (so long as March 2010 is a solid date). They'll have been teasing the thing for 3 years. It's easy to see where the hate comes from.

[wywywywy @ Jun 19th 2009 10:08AM]

So what stranger things have happened?

[shaunisadirty @ Jun 19th 2009 10:16AM]

I actually have nothing to say, all the iHumpers keep saying we shouldn't post in Apple threads if we don't want Apple coverage, so I'm just making a post to boost comments here. Have a nice day.

[marcelo @ Jun 19th 2009 11:42AM]

you said you had nothing to say.. so why rhetoric to compensate?

[Jordan Biffle @ Jun 19th 2009 10:23AM]

This thing is like Duke Nukem Forever. No matter how new the news is, it is still old and outdated.

[kevincahoon @ Jun 19th 2009 11:39AM]

The M8 came out last year. It is not like Duke Nukem Forever. And it's better than the iPhone (720x480 3.4" LCD, unlocked out of box, FM radio, Windows CE (better than Windows Mobile, tons of apps, and no not iFart apps).

[aquao714 @ Jun 19th 2009 11:19AM]

I can't wait for the new firmware :D I've had the M8 since launch and I love it!! The only problem I have here is getting MMS to work with T-mobile other than that it's amazing.

[BlurMagic @ Jun 19th 2009 2:00PM]

MMS? You don't need MMS. The iPhone doesn't have MMS. MMS sucks. Just ask Steve. That's why he waited 3 years to implement it. Duhhhhhhhh.


/Sarcasm

[peepeepants @ Jun 19th 2009 3:35PM]

B5 and A4 are so hot right now.

[Quikboy @ Jun 19th 2009 9:24PM]

The M8 looked pretty nice on video. And it ran Windows 6.0 CE.

[Marc @ Jun 19th 2009 11:57PM]

looks a lot more like a winmo skin (perhaps www.pointui.com) to me