This is the first phone with Android 15 out of the box and Snapdragon 8 Elite in the US

Ben Schoon | Nov 27 2024 - 8:15 am PT

After its launch in October, the first smartphone running on top of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite has just launched in the United States, it’s just not on a device that anyone expected. It also happens to be the first with Android 15 out of the box.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite is Qualcomm’s latest chip, and also a pretty significant upgrade on paper. Early tests have also revealed that it brings considerably better battery life. However, the devices that have launched so far with the chip have only been available in China and certain international markets. No devices have gone on sale in the US with the new chip.

That’s finally changed, as the first Snapdragon 8 Elite phone is now on sale in the US.

The Nubia Z70 Ultra is the first US device with Snapdragon 8 Elite, bringing Qualcomm’s latest to the United States. The device, as highlighted by Android Authority, pairs Snapdragon 8 Elite with up to 1TB of storage, up to 24GB of RAM, a 6,150 mAh battery with 80W charging, and a 6.85-inch display.

Technically, the Asus ROG Phone 9 was announced for the US first with Snapdragon 8 Elite, but sales have yet to actually open up.

Beyond that, this is also the first device to run Android 15 out of the box in the US, as Google’s Pixel 9 series launched with Android 14 – though newly sold devices may be running Android 15 out of the box at this point. Other recent devices that have launched with Android 15 are not sold in the US, with the first major release expected to come with the update is the OnePlus 13, but there’s no release date in sight for that just yet.

Nubia Z70 Ultra is available now through the company’s website starting at $829 for the 16GB/512GB variant. Color variants include black, “yellow,” and “Starry Night,” a design that pays homage to the Van Gogh painting of the same name. There’s a $50 discount available with the coupon “SAVE50” at checkout.

Shipping starts on December 5.