Dubai
Many smartphone manufacturers have broken the size barrier and it is now the turn of Chinese consumer electronics giant to do so.
Samsung started the phablet (smartphone/tablet combo) with Galaxy Note at five inches, followed by Huawei Ascend Mate at 6.1-inch, Sony Xperia Z ultra with 6.4-inch, Samsung Galaxy Mega with 6.3 inch and HTC One Max with 5.9 inches.
Does size count when it comes to smartphones? Yes, said Terry Wang, general manager of Hisense Middle East, after launching the world’s biggest smartphone — 6.8-inch Hisense X1 — in Dubai on Wednesday.
The device is the only smartphone to combine the features of a handset, tablet and TV remote control into one device, he said.
“It is one-of-its-kind and defines a new era in mobile computing. With e-Life offered on tablets and smartphones by etisalat, we expect a good demand for this device,” Wang said.
Phablets are making big inroads in the emerging markets and especially in Asia.
“Demand and the trend for phablets in the region are increasing. Even Apple has finally decided to go for bigger screen sizes,” said Nabila Popal, senior research manager at International Data Corporation (IDC).
It is too early to say whether phablets will completely replace both the tablet and smartphone categories, she said, adding that it is gaining traction.
Hisense X1 is currently available in the UAE for Dh1,899.
Wang said that Middle East is one of the fast-growing markets for Hisense and smartphone is the fastest growing category among consumer electronics.
Last year, Hisense launched six handset models and expects to launch more than 10 models this year, including 4G LTE.
“We sold around 120,000 mobile phones and expects between 450,000 and 500,000 units this year in the Middle East. As of now, we have crossed 150,000 units,” Wang said.
The advantage of this device is that it comes with a Bluetooth portable phone (sold separately) to make or receive calls; send and check messages; and synchronise address book.
“The good thing about Hisense is that they keep innovating. Quality has improved a lot compared to their first device launched last year. We have seen a sea of change in improvements and in supply chain,” said Vishesh Bhatia, CEO of Jumbo Electronics and the distributor for Hisense phones in the UAE.
He said the Chinese brands are here to stay and gain more market share in future.
Ajay Pathak, head of mobility and solutions at Jumbo Electronics, said that Jumbo is selling around 12,000-15,000 units a month.
He said the device has gained traction this year compared to last year in the UAE. It will mainly be used as a “secondary device” rather than a primary device for watching content.
“Bigger screen size is better for watching content and with football World Cup kicking off, the device is expected to sell better,” Pathak said.
As part of the World Cup campaign, customers can win a 65-inch 4K Hisense TV everyday for 60 days, starting on Wednesday, if they spend more than Dh1,000 on a smartphone.
