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Chinese EV maker Nio launches world-first smartphone designed as an intelligent vehicle companion
- The phone has more than 30 car-specific features, such as initiating self-parking mode and unlocking the car with a button press, firm says
- Company believes a technology-heavy owner experience will give it an edge in a sizzling but crowded market
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Daniel Renin Shanghai
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) start-up Nio hopes a smartphone designed as a companion device for its vehicles will give it an edge in a hot but competitive market where features beyond driving range and vehicle styling are now necessary to stand out.
The world’s first production smartphone designed specifically for use with a car, the device offers more than 30 car-specific features, such as initiating self-parking mode, unlocking the car with a button press even if the smartphone is powered off, and transitioning a video call from the phone to the car’s screen and speakers, the company said.
“We are making the phone specifically for Nio car owners,” William Li, co-founder and CEO of Nio, said at a launch ceremony for the smartphone on Thursday. “We hope a greater experience of smart mobility will be created to entertain our customers.”
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Nio, which has forecast a boom in third-quarter deliveries, is spearheading a trend among a clutch of carmakers and smartphone vendors to enhance the experience of car ownership with technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and communications.
The fully functional Android-based phone is priced from 6,499 yuan (US$890) to 7,499 yuan and is compatible with all eight of Nio’s vehicle models. It is made by Hunan-based Lens Technology, a supplier of smartphone lenses that boasts Apple as a customer.
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