Coolpad readies 999 Yuan wide-screen Android phone launch

Coolpad's upcoming wide-screen Android phone is expected to go on sale in China in October for 999 Yuan (about $150) and uses a 6.3-inch LCD panel with 720p resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio.

The device represents Coolpad's effort to bring a slab-style, wider-than-usual display to the budget segment. The company positions the handset as a lower-cost alternative to Huawei's Pura X View, which Huawei unveiled in September as a wide-screen, slab-style phone that runs HarmonyOS rather than mainstream Android.

Hardware visible in leaked hands-on footage and images shows a noticeably wider display profile paired with a comparatively thicker bottom bezel, indicating a design trade-off in favor of affordability over uniform bezel symmetry. The rear carries a horizontal, pill-shaped camera module and a textured back panel whose pattern has been likened to the finish on Huawei's Pura X View. Leaks identify the processor as the MediaTek Helio G99, a chipset produced on TSMC's 6nm node and typically aimed at budget to midrange devices.

Software and security

Coolpad's phone is reported to run DroiClaw Zhuge 3, an AI-native operating system developed with what the company describes as the wider 10:16 display format in mind. The vendor says the OS includes system-level AI capabilities intended to adapt interface elements and interactions to the expanded screen, though the full feature set remains unclear.

Shanghai Droi Technology states that Zhuge 3's core services are implemented in Rust and that the operating system implements security measures covering system operations, data and permissions, and communications and access. Those claims signal a focus on protecting AI-related processes, but independent testing will be required to verify the implementation and its effectiveness.

Huawei's Pura X View starts at 5,999 Yuan (about $900), placing Coolpad's reported 999 Yuan model in a very different price bracket. The Coolpad handset's combination of a wide-screen format, budget SoC, and a proprietary AI-native OS leaves several practical questions unanswered until full specifications and hands-on reviews appear.