The last 2 weeks sent shockwaves through the Chinese smartphone and tablet device markets, with the long-anticipated announcements of new devices by Xiaomi and Meizu. Tech giants in their own right, both companies have come out with guns-blazing with new and improved devices.

But once we step-back from the hype, there’s a striking similarity between them (and indeed, many other devices currently on the market) – ALL METAL DEVICES ARE IN!

Not only does this move signal a paradigm shift from the cheaper reinforced plastic versions of their predecessors, but perhaps we’re finally seeing a responsiveness from tech companies to the demand for a ‘premium-feeling’ that only metal can deliver.

Smartphones from HTC and Apple have sported metal exteriors for several years, so it’s a welcome relief to have a metal-clad warrior bursting onto (and from!) the Chinese domestic stage.