The smartphone market is so huge.
Not only that the market targets billions of users and it is in high demand, but it's also fast-moving. People change their phones often, and people are expecting new things, and sometimes unique things, every time they look for a new device.
Because of this, the industry attracts even those companies that were never known to have produced smartphones.
Energizer for example, created a massive 18,000mAH smartphone that promises a standby time of 50 days. Then there was carmaker Range Rover, which had an ultra-rugged phone.
And this time, a high-end Japanese toaster maker BALMUDA unveils its own smartphone.
According to CEO Gen Terao at the launch event, the 5G-enabled Android device is expected to contribute 3 billion yen ($26 million) to BALMUDA's sales in the 2021's financial year.
And with shipments of smartphones worldwide are projected to reach 1.64 billion units in 2022, which is an increase of 13% from 2018, according to a marketing firm Statista, BALMUDA is holding firm into its hopes.
The pebble-shaped stripped back smartphone is designed and meant to compete in a market dominated by Apple's iPhone.
To do that, BALMUDA enters the market by introducing unique things.
For example, the 'Balmuda Phone' has a small 4.9 inch screen and huge bezels.
The compact size is unlike the industry trend, which sees products having large and borderless display, and foldable screens. The Balmuda Phone also has a curved back, which is practically unlike any other new phones in the market, which tend to look like straight slabs.
"The Balmuda Phone is the only smartphone whose proportions do not include any straight lines," explained BALMUDA on its website.
The devices which come in black and white, are built by industrial ceramics firm Kyocera Corp, as BALMUDA doesn’t own factories.
Other specifications include wireless charging, fingerprint scanner, USB-C port, NFC, a 2,500mAH battery, a 48-megapixel rear camera, a 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and a IP44 water/dustproof rating. The Balmuda Phone is powered by a Snapdragon 765 processor.
The device that is powered by Google's Android 11, has a custom designed home screen with Balmuda's version of basic apps like the calendar and clock, Terao said.
The phones are offered by wireless carrier SoftBank Corp, the company that first brought the iPhone to Japan.
While major Japanese smartphone makers struggle against U.S., Chinese and South Korean companies, BALMUDA is already a pioneer the luxury consumer electronics market.
After BALMUDA debuted its expensive toaster in 2015, the company is quickly known as the maker of small but expensive appliances, that are also simple and stylish in design.
'The Toaster' product was such a hit, and there was a time when consumers had to wait for months to make in-store purchases of the toaster.
Besides its toaster, BALMUDA also produces other products, like a coffee machine it calls 'The Brew'.
Having carved out a niche in selling minimalist household appliances at premium prices with cult-like following, BALMUDA has the momentum to enter the smartphone industry to compete with Apple, which is at this time, managed to notch up its iPhone sales in Japan to $28 billion as of September 2021.
"The iPhone has become too much the standard," said Terao.
The Balmuda Phone has medium-tier specifications, small size and rather outdated looks due to its large bezels and its thickness. But with a 104,800 yen ($920) price tag, it is considered a premium phone, especially because it comes from a company that is also known for luxury.
