Balmuda CEO Gen Terao primarytains The agency’s new smartphone at a information convention in Tokyo, Japan November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Sam Nussey
TOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) – Extreme-finish Japanese toaster maker Balmuda Inc (6612.T) unveiled a stripped again smartphone on Tuesday, aiming for a toe-primarytain in a market dominated by Apple’s (AAPL.O) iTelephone.
Chief Authorities Gen Terao said On the launch event thOn the 5G enabled Android system Is predicted to contribute 3 billion yen ($26 million) to Balmuda’s gross sales Inside The current monetary yr.
The “Balmuda Telephone” prices 104,800 yen ($920) and has a small 4.9 inch display and a curved again.
It is constructed by industrial ceramics agency Kyocera Corp (6971.T) and provided by wi-fi service SoftBank Corp (9434.T), which first launched the iTelephone to Japan.
“The iTelephone has Discover your self to be An excessive quantity of The regular,” said Terao, who was a Extremeschool dropout and in a rock band earlier than founding Balmuda.
The system has a Custom-made house display with Balmuda’s mannequin of primary apps Simply like the calfinishar and clock and matches Inside the hand, Terao said.
Balmuda, which listed final December, has carved out A particular half promoting minimalist household house equipment at premium prices Similar to “The Toaster”, priced $225, and a $520 espresso machine named “The Brew”.
Its smartphone will face stiff rivals from Apple, which notched up iTelephone gross sales in Japan of $28.5 billion Inside the yr to September. The 5.4 inch iTelephone 13 mini Is almost 20% cheaper in Japan than the “Balmuda Telephone”.
($1 = 114.1900 yen)
Reporting by Sam Nussey; Modifying by Muralikumar Anantharaman
Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Notion Guidelines.
