In a surprise announcement from Maxis, the company has just announced that they are releasing their own in-house smartphone called NeXT M1 by Maxis. This is the first device from one of the oldest telco company in Malaysia – and it looks like it is aimed towards first time buyers who are looking for their first smartphone.

The NeXT M1 is a mid-range smartphone, with the expected specs list. It has a 5-5inch Full HD screen (yes, 720p only), an eight-core Mediatek Helio P10 processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (with a microSD for an additional 256GB of storage), and a 13-megapixel rear camera for imaging. It looks to have a clicky home button on the front, and interestingly speakers on the side of the unit rather than the bottom firing solution common to most smartphones. In the specs sheet Maxis says that the phone has active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic.

Maxis will be selling the NeXT M1 starting from the 3rd of March through a tailor-made postpaid package that is available for first time buyers for a 24-month contract. If you are interested in this package, it will cost you RM 78 a month – and this nets you 4GB of data and 50 minutes of calls every month. You even get a 1-to-1 device replacement warranty for 24 months with every signup! The NeXT M1 will be available via the Maxis Online Store (https://store.maxis.com.my), as well as all Maxis Centres and Maxis Exclusive Partners (MEP).

The phone looks interesting, and we will try to get our hands on it for a review. Stay tuned!