ZTE Axon 7 mini - $149 at PCMobile (Loblaws store Lindsay)

[ssfc72]

The manual for the Axon 7, shows that you have to go in to the phones menu and select the SIM card that you want to use. I don't see any such menu on my mini phone.

I just did a Google search for the mini having dual sim capability and I am seeing more than 1 article that says the mini is dual sim, capable?

I will need to do some more investigation.

[ssfc72]

After more research, it appears the model being sold in Canada does not support 2 SIM cards.
The model sold in the US, does support 2 SIM cards.  grrrr!

Bill

[fox]

I think you're right, Bill. When I checked the ZTE USA site, it notes the dual SIM, whereas the ZTE Canada site does not. But note this ad from Canada Computers - it advertises a dual SIM and is only$50 more than the PC model. If it has the feature and I like the phone, I would pay the extra money for that feature. Perhaps theirs is the U.S. model.

One other consideration that I hadn't realized until last night. The phone is Chinese made and there are claims that ZTE is linked to the Chinese Government. I read that a U.S. lawmaker is proposing a bill that would prevent U.S. government employees from working with firms using Huawei and ZTE technology.

[ssfc72]

I have until this Friday, to take back my phone, and get my money back.

I suspect the Canada, ZTE Axon 7 mini, probably has the hardware to support dual SIM's.  It probably is just the firmware that needs to to replaced with the USA firmware.

The XDA website looks to have lots of info on modding the Axon 7 mini.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/axon-7-mini/development/unlock-tuliptool-unlock-twrp-custom-boot-t3682781

I am going to do a bit of reading, to see if there is a mod that I can do.

Bill

[fox]

Also, does your phone come with Nougat installed? Mine comes with Marshmallow. Could Nougat unlock the dual SIM? Is it available for Canadian ZTE mini 7's?

[ssfc72]

From what I have read from various users of this Canada version phone, it looks like ZTE is not going to provide the upgrade to Nougat.
The "About" menu items seems to be showing that there is an Update, that can be done, but I suspect this may be an update within the Marshmellow version.  I won't try the update, until I decide that I will keep the phone.

[fox]

My phone doesn't show an update; it's at 6.0.1. However, this website shows that there is an update for it, but mentions a specific build ID: B2017GV1.0.0B12. The build ID on mine is B2017G. I wonder what build the one at Canada Computers is?

[fox]

I called Canada Computers, and apparently their's is a dual SIM - the guy pulled out the slot and says it showed the SIM symbol along with the SD card symbol on the same slot. The $199 model, though, is only the gold one, not the silver one you get from PC mobile. The grey model is back-ordered and costs $249. I wouldn't pay that. I've been using the phone last night and today and it does seem like a good phone. I do wonder whether PC mobile carries the dual SIM model?

[ssfc72]

From reading on the XDA website, that I gave a Link to earlier in this thread,  there are numerous versions of this phone.  There is a US version a Canada version, a UK version, a Chinese version and an international version.

Each version has their own image software installed which gives them different features such as dual sim (US version) or single sim (Canada version), NFC, FM radio etc.

I suspect the Gold coloured version that Canada Computers has, is maybe a UK or International version ( and that is why it has dual SIM capability). I am wondering if the Gold coloured phone is an older model (2016??)

PC mobile only carries the single SIM phone model. 
I still am trying to determine if I can flash the US version image onto the PC Mobile phone, that would add the dual SIM capability, to the phone. I suspect the circuitry (contacts, etc) may be in the phone, and it is just the software that is crippling the Dual SIM feature.

[fox]

I finally found an answer about Canadian version upgrade to Nougat - it's not upgradeable (see this post). However, there is some suggestion that it will receive a minor update to cover security issues (see this post). The latter posting also noted that the Mini 7 is no longer under production, and referred to it as a "dead end phone". This is undoubtedly why it is deep-discounted at PC Mobile.

In contrast, the USA version appears to be upgradeable to Nougat. This is noted in several of the Bestbuy USA reviews.

[ssfc72]

There is nothing on the ZTE Canada website, that indicates the Axon 7 mini, is no longer going to be made.

It would be nice if the phone manufacturers would update their Android version, from what was originally on the phone, but for all the Android phones I have had, they have all been stuck at their original Android versions, when purchased. :-(

[fox]

According to this, it's the Axon 7 that would no longer be manufactured, not the mini. But you are correct, Bill, that there has been no official announcement about the Axon 7, regular or mini, going out of production. At least I cannot find any official announcements. Out of production or not, this doesn't bother me. I'm sure the iPhone 6 is also out of production . But I sure would like to be able to update the Axon 7 mini to Nougat.

[ssfc72]

On the xda website i seem  to recall that some of the UK or International  versions  were not getting the Nougat update but the guys were able to download the Nougat update and put it on the sd memory card and get the phone to update that way.

[fox]

If you go to the XDA link I posted earlier (here), the first post is by a Canadian with the same Android version, model number and build number as the phone I got from PC Mobile (presumably the same as yours). He was able to download the update and put it on an SD card, but it wouldn't install on his phone. The message it gave him was: "package mismatch installation aborted".

[Jason]

I'm just curious, Fox, what is that you're looking for in the Nougat update? Is there a particular feature you need?