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ZTE Axon ships with the latest version of the Android operating system out of the box, Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and it doesn't come preloaded with too many junk apps.
This unlocked phone is almost a pure Android experience, with ZTE only offering minor tweaks to Google's interface. Everything from the keyboard to the settings menu are the nearly identical to stock Android.
What has changed is often for the sake of convenience. Quick settings in the drop-down menu can be re-sorted, the "back" and "recent" capacitive soft keys can be swapped (much to the delight of Samsung fans), and widgets, wallpapers, themes and effects are easier to cycle through by simply pressing down on the home screen.
ZTE's operating system overlay also fixes the volume rocker functionality that Google broke in its Android 5.0 Lollipop update. Here, it transitions from an audible call volume, to vibrate to completely muted via the volume rocker. Google's update last year rudely took away the mute option with vibrate being the lowest setting, and – surprise, surprise – it's returning in Android M.
My only complaints are that ZTE's lockscreen shows just one notification before asking me to tap on "more". Also, there's a menu powered by Yahoo that is way too easy to activate accidentally, as you have to swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access it.
The lack of dramatic changes is great news for anyone who loathes Samsung's improved, but still childish-looking, TouchWiz interface on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.
It also saves ZTE phone owners time usually spent installing manufacturer and carrier-imposed sponsored apps. The Axon came with just a few: Argus, an activity tracker, RockMyRun, a running app, FM Radio, File Manager and Dolby Audio.
Most of the Google apps suite is also here pre-installed, and so are ZTE's own versions of those apps with Gallery, Music, Video Player, Task Manager and note-taking app Mi-Moment.
While the Axon doesn't set out to offer the most customizable phone interface like the Asus Zenfone 2 does, it does let me change a number of settings while staying true to Android 5.1.1.
