'Invented-in-China’ products to the fore at MWC

Wu Wenliang, left, co-founder and senior vice president of Beijing Shu Zi Jia Yuan Technology Ltd, and Tang Bo, founder and CEO of the company, demonstrate the QLove Phone, Feb 23, 2016. [Liu Zheng/chinadaily.com.cn]

The heated race to be different is not only in the smartphone industry. More invented-in-China mobile Internet devices have taken to the stage at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC).

QLove Phone, a smart landline telephone invented by Beijing Shu Zi Jia Yuan Technology Ltd, made its debut during the event in Barcelona, Spain.

The smartphone, built as a standalone mirror, has received the iF Product Design Award 2016, an award known as the "Design Oscar".

By inserting in SIM card or logging on to the Internet via WiFi, the device becomes an always-online terminal available for normal voice calling and Skype-like video chat.

According to a report by the China Internet Network Information Center as of December last year, China had 688 million Internet users, or 50.3 percent of its 1.37 billion population.

"Nearly half the entire population has not been connected with the Internet," said Tang Bo, founder and CEO of the company.

According to Tang, with a maximum two clicks on the display, QLove Phone is a product eager to cut the learning curve and enable users, such as seniors and children, to get access and enjoy the Internet more easily.

Some of the innovation highlights of QLove Phone include a 160-degree wide-angle front facing camera and a maximum 5-meter long-range audio pickup system.

Supported by a charging base that contains a built-in loudspeaker, the performance of the device's audio coverage can fill a 30 square meters room.

Currently the device is able to store eight frequent contacts and provide eight native applications, including radio, video player, time and date.

The product will start to ship in the coming three months in China. Pricing has not yet been announced.

According to Wu Wenliang, co-founder and senior vice president of the company's smart device product line, the R&D team studied 30 years' worth of user preferences and habits on landline and mobile phone usage, to summarize high frequency functions used and contact volume.

Another Chinese innovative-driven product shown at the MWC is glass-free 3D solutions created by Shenzhen-based SuperD Co Ltd.

SuperD showcased tablet-based, glass-free 3D solutions on multiple operating systems and a stand-alone glass-free 3D display accessory concept device.