ZTE Grand S II hitches ride to CES, smartwatch and phablet ride shotgun

ZTE Grand S II
Pictures from ZTE coming soon

After much speculation and some media leaks, we can finally confirm that the ZTE Grand S II is the real deal and will be appearing at CES 2014.

ZTE has announced its second-generation flagship smartphone, touting that it features the latest in intelligent voice control tech. The additional voice command upgrades will enable recognition unlocking and voice-to-phone photography, similar to snapping a photo with Google Glass.

To help the Grand S II deliver high-precision audio features, the handset comes equipped with a triple-microphone setup and built-in noise reduction for natural and clearer voice recording.

Beyond the audio features, if a Chinese telecom certification is to be believed, the ZTE flagship will also feature a large 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 screen backed with the Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 chipset and 2GB of RAM. The phone could very well come with an 8MP rear camera as well.

More phones heading to Vegas

Beyond the Grand S II announcement, ZTE said it has even more lined up with two other handsets named the Nubia 5S and Nubia 5S mini.

The Nubia 5S features a 5-inch 1080p FHD display from Sharp and 13MP camera with a Sony RS sensor. The camera is particularly tuned for photography with a F2.0 aperture and DSLR-like photo options, plus 4K Ultra HD video capture.

The smaller Nubia 5S mini meanwhile comes rocking a 4.7-inch Sharp IGZO display and an array of colorful shells. Both phones are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processors.

In partnership with Aio Wireless, ZTE plans to bring out the Sonata 4G, a seemingly mid-tier phone with 4-inch screen. Other specs include the 1.4 GHz Dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, 1,780mAh battery, and a 5 MP camera for 720p video capture.

Plus a tablet, smartwatch and projecting hotspot to boot

ZTE is also set to debut its very first Iconic Phablet at CES. That's not word play - Iconic is actually the name of the device.

The Chinese smartphone company wants to make a splash with a 5.7" HD screen device that straddles the line between phone and tablet. It's listed to come equipped with a dual-core processor, Dolby Digital Sound, and a wireless charging feature.

In another first, the ZTE BlueWatch will be the Chinese phone maker's inaugural smartwatch.

The wrist-worn device features a built-in pedometer as it records and analyzes data around the clock to give users access to essential "quantified self" information like body fat percentage.

The watch does require tethering to a smartphone via Bluetooth, but this enables on-wrist control of calls, content and photography, as well as social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Curious and curiouser, ZTE has a hybrid Wi-Fi hostpot that can double as a mini projector. Called Projector Hotspot, it will provide 4G connectivity for up to eight devices whilst streaming video and images wherever it goes.

Finally ZTE said it is working in tandem with AT&T to develop the US carrier's Wireless Home Base. It's a device that allows users to connect their home telephone to AT&T's wireless network instead of a telephone jack. For $20 (about £12, AU$22) a month, callers will receive unlimited local and long distance talk time.

Stay tuned to TechRadar as we take our first spin with these products at CES 2014 next week.

Kevin Lee

Kevin Lee was a former computing reporter at TechRadar. Kevin is now the SEO Updates Editor at IGN based in New York. He handles all of the best of tech buying guides while also dipping his hand in the entertainment and games evergreen content. Kevin has over eight years of experience in the tech and games publications with previous bylines at Polygon, PC World, and more. Outside of work, Kevin is major movie buff of cult and bad films. He also regularly plays flight & space sim and racing games. IRL he's a fan of archery, axe throwing, and board games.