No One Can Beat Apple And Samsung, So Phone Makers Are Making Super Cheap Smartphones
The high-end of the smartphone market is controlled by Apple and Samsung. Therefore, handset makers are giving up on trying to compete in the premium market.
That leaves the low-end in places like India, Latin America, and Africa. And when we say low-end, we mean low-end.
Firefox, for instance, was talking about delivering a $25 smartphone. Someone here at MWC snapped a photo of a $35 dollar smartphone from a Chinese manufacturer.
Yesterday, during Microsoft's press event, it said it was making it easier for handset makers to sell cheaper phones.
Then, this morning, Nokia revealed an Android-Based phone that goes for $129. Nokia also introduced a new "Asha" phone that sells for $67. Asha is Nokia's super low-end smartphone platform.
Nokia had nothing to introduce at the high end of the market, it was all low-end stuff today.
We visited the Firefox booth to find out more about its $25 phone. Right now, it's mostly theoretical. It has a reference design that it wants carriers and phone makers to use. It's unclear if any of them really will make a $25 phone.
When asked why they should make a cheap smartphone, Firefox said it wanted to get smartphones in the hands of people that don't yet have phones.
That seems to be what this MWC is all about: How do we get smartphones in the hands of the people that haven't been able to afford them so far?