LeEco Le S3
LeEco Scraps Vizio Acquisition
LeEco today said it has canceled plans to acquire TV-maker Vizio. The company first announced the $2 billion acquisition last summer. "The merger agreement to acquire Vizio will not proceed due to regulatory headwinds," said the company in a prepared statement. "We continue to believe that there is great synergy between the two companies, and are pleased to announce that LeEco and Vizio have reached an agreement that is a win for both companies." Moving forward, Vizio has agreed to add LeEco's video apps and content to its own smart television sets. After quickly ramping up several major businesses, including TVs and smartphones, LeEco ran into cash problems and has since scaled back some of its plans. The company continues to offer the unlocked Le Pro3 and S3 to U.S. consumers online.
LeEco Scores More U.S. Retail Partners
LeEco today said U.S. consumers will be able to find its products at more stores around the country. Specifically, an expanded number of Best Buy stores plan to add LeEco smartphones over the next few months. The same is also true of BrandsMart USA, which will stock LeEco phones both in stores and online. LeEco said HSN and Fry's will carry more of its ecotvs. The two main handsets LeEco sells to U.S. consumers are the Le Pro3 and Le S3. The phones are sold unlocked and are compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile.
LeEco EUI Update Adds App Drawer to Le Pro3 and Le S3
LeEco today gave its Le Pro3 and Le S3 smartphones an app drawer. The company is pushing the latest build of its Ecosystem User Interface to the Le Pro3 and Le S3, and the update includes a handful of new features. Based on user feedback, LeEco decided to install an app drawer on the home screen, which allows ecophone owners to find and access all their apps in a single space. The app drawer has been added to the dock at the bottom of the screen just above the home button. Both devices also receive a boost in camera performance. The Le Pro3 gains faster HDR capturing and processing, while the S3 gains improvements in low-light photography. LeEco also tweaked fingerprint sensor feedback, added parental controls, streamlined the Live app interface, improved Bluetooth reliability, and increased WiFi speeds (S3 only). LeEco says the update will be made available to ecophone users over the next few days.
LeEco Selling the Pro3 and S3 Through Target
LeEco has struck a distribution deal with Target and is now selling its Pro3 (pictured) and S3 handsets via Target's web site. The two phones are available online for $400 and $250, respectively, and are sold unlocked. They support GSM/LTE networks such as those operated by AT&T/Cricket and T-Mobile/MetroPCS. LeEco is trying to expand from its home market of China into the U.S. Its handsets went on sale via LeEco's own web site late last year. The new distribution agreement with Target, even though limited to Target's web site, means LeEco's phones will seen by more U.S. consumers over time. Both the Pro3 and S3 feature solid hardware and specifications, and run highly customized versions of Android.
Hands-On with the LeEco S3
LeEco's S3 smartphone is one of two handsets the Chinese company hopes will entice US buyers to take a chance on the brand. The S3 combines a metal chassis and mid-range specs with lots of video software to make for an affordable content-consumption machine. Here are our first impressions.
LeEco Breezes Through S3 Announcement
LeEco today quickly showed off the S3 smartphone during an event in San Francisco. This affordable handset boasts a unibody metal design and comes in gold, gray, and rose gold. It has a 5.5-inch full HD screen, Snapdragon 652 processor with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, 16-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel front camera, 3,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0, fingerprint sensor, and USB Type-C. The LeEco S3 runs Android with LeEco's EUI user-interface skin. LeEco said the LeS3 will cost $249 and it should go on sale via LeEco's LeMall online retail space in early November.
