Days after unveiling officials specs for its crowdsourced Hawkeye smartphone, ZTE released a mea culpa.
In a forum post, ZTE's Jeff Yee apologized for building what many fans called a "cheap and generic" device.
The handset boasts Android 7.0 Nougat, a Snapdragon 625 processor, and dual rear 13-megapixel cameras. It also carries a 3,000mAh battery for a full day's use, and can recharge via USB Type-C as well as taking advantage of Qualcomm's Quick Charge technology. Plus, Hawkeye supports up to 256GB of expandable storage, but owners can swap the SD card for a second SIM.
A 5.5-inch display, meanwhile, was specifically designed for the phone's standout feature: the ability to stick to nearly any surface and be controlled through eye tracking and gestures.
When it started soliciting input for Project CSX in August, ZTE was looking for ideas that included drones, sensors, cameras, projects, and augmented and virtual reality. Ultimately, thousands of Web users from 176 countries voted for an eye-tracking, self-adhesive phone.
"When the [Hawkeye] went on to win Project CSX, we lost sight of what many of you submitted and voted upon as competing submissions," Jeff Yee, ZTE vice president of technology planning and partnerships, wrote in a Friday forum post.
"After posting the project on Kickstarter and then releasing the detailed specifications of Hawkeye, we realize that our decision to introduce the CSX hands-free features on a mid-range device may not have met the expectations of those that backed this project and those that are early adopters and discovering Project CSX through Kickstarter," Yee continued. "It was our mistake."
Since its Jan. 4 launch, the crowdfunding campaign has garnered $36,000 from 192 backers—a far cry from the manufacturer's all-or-nothing $500,000 goal.
"You asked your customers to sound their opinions in CSX Project, and we did, but you didn't listen. You now came up with a very different product," Kickstarter user Renee wrote in a comment. "HEARTBREAK."
"Nope nope and nope again. I'm out," Fred St-Pierre said last week.
"I can already buy a better phone for the price to back this one with better specs," Rhiney Maceachern wrote in agreement. "I'm out."
In an effort to regain the public's confidence, ZTE is, once again, asking for help. Consumers are encouraged to participate in an online poll asking what the company should focus on and improve—within the limits of a $200 price point.
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As of press time, a majority of respondents said they want a better processor—the Qualcomm 835 instead of the 625. Some voted for a stock Android operating system with additional software for eye tracking; a few asked for a 3,500mAh battery.
A number of "other" suggestions were made, including a minimum 4GB of RAM, dual front stereo speakers, and Bluetooth 5.0.
"The phone needs modern specs or it's just going to wind up as an unsupported piece of trash that will be released then forgotten about like Amazon's failed experiment," user agnosto warned on the ZTE forum.