ZTE announced a strategic partnership with Global Distribution FZE...

ZTE announced a strategic partnership with Global Distribution FZE to strengthen its presence in the Middle East and North Africa region, it said Monday at Gitex Shopper in Dubai. The smartphone maker launched its brand with its top-tier models including the Grand SII LTE, Nubia Z5S Mini and Blade Vec 4G, it said. International Data Corp. told us it expects Middle East/Africa to be the second-largest smartphone market behind Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) by 2017. ZTE plans to ship 60 million smartphones in 2014, it said.