Unihertz JellyMax: A Bold Move with a 5-Inch LCD Flagship in 2024, But Can its Price and Specs Convince Consumers?

Unihertz JellyMax: A Bold Move with a 5-Inch LCD Flagship in 2024, But Can its Price and Specs Convince Consumers?This year's smartphone market has seemingly taken a strong stance against small screens, with mainstream brands like vivo, Xiaomi, and OPPO all launching compact flagship phones. However, these small-screen flagships almost unanimously opted for OLED displays, leaving LCD enthusiasts yearning for a device that caters to their preference

Unihertz JellyMax: A Bold Move with a 5-Inch LCD Flagship in 2024, But Can its Price and Specs Convince Consumers?

This year's smartphone market has seemingly taken a strong stance against small screens, with mainstream brands like vivo, Xiaomi, and OPPO all launching compact flagship phones. However, these small-screen flagships almost unanimously opted for OLED displays, leaving LCD enthusiasts yearning for a device that caters to their preference.

Amidst this market landscape, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Unihertz introduced their new flagship phone, the Unihertz JellyMax. Equipped with a 5.05-inch LCD panel and powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 mobile platform, it proudly claims the title of the world's most compact 5G smartphone. The arrival of the Unihertz JellyMax undeniably brings good news for LCD fans.

What Makes Unihertz JellyMax Stand Out as a Small-Screen LCD Flagship?

Despite its 5.05-inch screen size, the "Max" suffix in the name hints at its distinction from the previous Unihertz Jelly Star, an outlier with its 3-inch display. The key to JellyMax's classification as a small-screen flagship lies in its powerful combination of the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 mobile platform and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage, reaching flagship-level specifications.

How Does Unihertz JellyMax Perform in Terms of Performance?

The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 mobile platform powering JellyMax is built on a 4nm TSMC process, featuring a powerful core configuration of 4 x 2.5GHz A78 cores and 4 x A55 cores, coupled with the Mali-G615MC2 GPU. Considered an upgrade over the Dimensity 7050, this chip delivers an Antutu score of roughly 750,000, placing it on par with the Snapdragon 778G. The generous 12GB RAM + 256GB storage further ensures a smooth user experience for JellyMax.

What About Unihertz JellyMax's Battery Life?

JellyMax is equipped with a 4000mAh battery that supports 66W wired fast charging but lacks wireless charging support. Given its compact dimensions of 62.7x128.7x16.3mm, this battery capacity seems reasonable. However, JellyMax weighs approximately 179g, which might not be the best control for its size.

How Does the Camera Setup in Unihertz JellyMax Perform?

Unihertz JellyMax features a dual camera setup. The primary camera boasts a 100MP lens, while the secondary camera is an 8MP 3.4x periscope telephoto lens. Although this combination might not be considered top-tier among 2024's flagships, Unihertz's choice of a telephoto lens over an ultrawide lens is surprising.

Overall Configuration of Unihertz JellyMax:

Generally, Unihertz JellyMax deviates from our typical understanding of a small-screen flagship. While lacking top-tier hardware, the phone prioritizes a balanced approach, delivering satisfactory performance, imaging capabilities, and fast charging within its manageable size.

Pricing and Size Control of Unihertz JellyMax:

Starting at 2199 yuan, the price of Unihertz JellyMax surpasses the expectations of many consumers considering its hardware configuration. Additionally, the size control of JellyMax leaves room for improvement, as its large bezels on the front are noticeably worse than those found on the previous iPhone 12 mini.

Competitive Edge of Unihertz JellyMax in the Market:

Without the allure of sentimental value, Unihertz JellyMax may struggle to attract consumers. However, Unihertz enjoys a strong reputation as a hot commodity in overseas markets, consistently praised by international media for its innovative spirit. At MWC2023, even Nothing's founder made a point of visiting Unihertz's booth.

Unihertz's Niche Strategy: A Winning Formula?

Unihertz, a smartphone manufacturer headquartered in Shanghai, China, distinguishes itself from other well-known global Chinese smartphone manufacturers like Transsion, Realme, and Redmi. Unihertz embraces a distinct approach, forging its own path. With a focus on rugged and compact phones, Unihertz even ventured into innovative designs featuring built-in LED lights and physical keyboards, garnering a loyal fan base. In 2017, Unihertz made its debut on Kickstarter, smashing records with $1.25 million raised in just 35 days. Unihertz's total sales have surpassed 100 million, a remarkable achievement in the competitive smartphone market.

What Drives Unihertz's Success?

Unihertz currently offers four main product series: the Atom series, known for its rugged and compact design; the Titan series, featuring full-fledged keyboards for practicality; the TicTock series, boasting dual-screen clock designs; and the Jelly series. All of these series represent niche sectors within the smartphone market, with a focus on ruggedness, small screens, full keyboards, and dual screens, attracting a limited audience of enthusiasts. Unihertz's success can be attributed to its unwavering commitment to "excellence."

Unihertz's Iconic Products:

In 2020, Unihertz launched the Jelly2, the smallest 4G smartphone to date, boasting a compact 3-inch LCD screen. Measuring just 9549.416.5 millimeters and weighing only 110 grams, Unihertz still managed to pack it with features like dual SIM capability, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 4.2, fingerprint recognition, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB-C port.

Another remarkable product from Unihertz is the Titan Pocket launched in 2021, featuring a full keyboard design, IP67 water and dust resistance, and a substantial 4000mAh battery. This design proves particularly beneficial for outdoor enthusiasts.

Unihertz's Success Stems from its Precise Targeting of Niche Market Needs.

While the current smartphone market prioritizes larger screens and extreme performance, Unihertz takes a different approach, introducing a series of phones with compact screens, physical keyboards, and rugged features. These unique designs address user needs for portability, one-handed operation, and device durability, carving a distinctive niche for the company in the fiercely competitive smartphone landscape.

The "Small and Beautiful" Approach: Not Suited for Mainstream Manufacturers

Unihertz's success hinges on its precise targeting of specific user needs. While mainstream manufacturers focus on advancements in screen size and performance, they often overlook the preferences of users seeking portability, one-handed usability, and device resilience. Unihertz's Jelly series, Atom series, and Titan series effectively fill this market gap.

Unihertz's Competitiveness Still Lacks Parity with Mainstream Smartphone Brands

In terms of sales figures, Unihertz has only surpassed 100 million in sales since its inception. However, for mainstream smartphone brands, this figure might represent the sales of a single phone model in just one minute.

Mainstream Smartphone Brands are Embracing the Small-Screen Market

Brands like Xiaomi, vivo, and OPPO are responding to the growing demand for compact flagships by launching their own versions. However, these small-screen phones, such as the Xiaomi 15, vivo X200 Promini, and OPPO Find X8, lack the extreme compactness and functional distinctions seen in Unihertz's offerings. Their screen sizes fall between 6.3 and 6.5 inches, striking a balance between usability and portability, appealing to a wider audience.

According to a Weibo insider, the X200 Promini has been a pleasant surprise for vivo, leading to increased orders. The initial sales of OPPO Find X8 have surpassed those of its predecessor by 2.8 times. This trend underscores the smartphone market's return to a diverse landscape, where small-screen and large-screen flagships, as well as upcoming gaming phones, all cater to dedicated user bases. Furthermore, Nubia's persistent pursuit of bezel-less displays has seen growing consumer approval through continuous optimization.

The Future of the Smartphone Market May Lean Towards Greater Specialization

Unihertz's success serves as an inspiration for other manufacturers, while the entry of brands like Xiaomi, vivo, and OPPO will further drive the growth of niche markets.

The Trend Towards Small-Screen Flagships Reminds Us that Market Demand is Multifaceted, with Users Exhibiting Diverse Lifestyles and Usage Scenarios

Every product, be it a small-screen flagship, a rugged outdoor phone, or a luxury device, fulfills a specific set of needs. Consequently, future smartphone brands may prioritize niche markets, offering devices tailored to specific sizes and functions to cater to varied user preferences. This strategy not only enhances the brand's competitiveness across various markets but also provides users with greater product options.

For Now, Extreme Small-Screen Phones like the Unihertz JellyMax May Not Be Ideal for the Average Consumer.