New Russian kid on the block joins crowded market

 

A Russian smartphone has joined the fierce competition between domestic vendors with some eye-catching features.

Yota Devices launched YotaPhone 2, the world's first dual screen smartphone with an always-on e-ink display, at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Beijing on Wednesday.

"YotaPhone represents a new level of technological cooperation between Russia and China. I believe YotaPhone will be a welcome product in China," said Andrey Ivanovich Denisov, Russia's ambassador to China.

From left: Song Xiaodong, CEO of Hangzhou based JieLan Ltd, Andrey Ivanovich Denisov, Russia's ambassador to China and Vladislav Martynov, CEO of Yota Devices, pose for a group photo at the product launch event of YotaPhone 2 Chinese version held at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Beijing on Wednesday.[Liu Zheng/chinadaily.com.cn]

According to an earlier China Daily report, the Chinese version is designed in Russia and assembled by domestic original equipment manufacturer in China's Southeastern city of Suzhou.

Since its debut in late 2014 in Moscow, the phone has attracted attention in the industry with its two touch displays, one color and one black-and-white display, which use the technology of electronic ink.

"Since there are two screens on the phone, does it mean the phone will consume lots of energy?" Vladislav Martynov, CEO of Yota Devices, asked as he explained the advantages of the phone.

According to Martynov, the answer is definitely no, and thanks to the energy mode of the phone, it will be work for three days with the electronic paper display (EPD) without charge over and over again.

He said: "If we are reading on a smartphone and keep reading for a long time, it is very damaging to our eyes." However, the phone can make the reading experience comfortable with its EPD screen, and can be read under the sun.

Data from market research firm IDC showed Yota shipped 109,000 phones in the five quarters ending last December. Russia received 55 percent; Central and Eastern Europe 26 percent, but shipments to Western Europe and elsewhere were tiny.

The Chinese mainland version is priced at 4,888 yuan ($799).

According to Song Xiaodong, CEO of Hangzhou based JieLan Ltd, a domestic Internet company that jointly ventured with Yota Devices in May, the pre-order of the Chinese version has been active since the launch. Distributors can now make orders and apply for distribution through woego.com, China's largest B2B platform owned by China Unicom, one of the main telecom carriers in the Chinese mainland.

The phone will also available in physical stores of China Unicom, selling with a contract rather than a pay as you go model, but Song did not disclose details.

Domestic e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba-backed Tmall.com will also provide a pre-order service to consumers.