ZUK Z1 Android 5.1 Smartphone Already Set To Receive Cyanogen OS 13 In 2016

By Staff Writer

Oct 20 2015, 06:07 AM EDT

Lenovo's ZUK Z1 already gained traction with Android users because of its affordability, being at the $300 range. Now, word is spreading around that it might receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update through Cyanogen OS 13.

The smartphone isn't really eye candy, nor is it an ugly sight. It is similar to the blocky type of Android phones out in the market. Users who like the minimalist style will be attracted to the phone.

ZUK Z1 has two design variants, one in clear white, and a shade of dark gray. Heavy-duty users may opt to choose the latter as the white color can get dirty quickly.

Display-wise, the phone sports a 5.5-inch screen. The 1920 x 1080 pixels for its FHD resolution equates to a decent 401 ppi pixel density, according to Phone Arena. The company claims that the screen is powered by the traditional IPS LCD tech.

Out of the box, the ZUK Z1 runs Cyanogen OS 12.1 based on Google's Android 5.1.1 Lollipop version. The custom ROMs from CyanogenMod are really picking up the pace, even after the fallout with OnePlus regarding its deal with smartphone maker MicroMax.

Under the hood, the phone features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC with a quad-core setup, as reported by Android Headlines. It is coupled with 3GB of RAM and has an ample internal storage of 64GB.

The ZUK Z1 runs on a massive 4,100mAh battery which makes it ideal for using the phone all-day. It also has a 13-MP snapper on the rear for those who like to take pictures.

ZUK co-founder Chenyu has already announced that the phones will receive the anticipated Android 6.0 update next year, according to Mobipicker. Since the phone runs Cyanogen OS, it is understood that it will most probably run the Cyanogen OS 13 on March 2016.

The Chinese variants of the phone, however, run the company's own version of the Android version. It may mean that they will also have their own update in the future.

Cyanogen OS ROMs have been a big hit since their inception. Will the new impending update next year bring more customers to the ZUK Z1 smartphone?