Vertu seeks a broader market for luxe smartphones and new audio accessories
Luxury mobile-phone maker hopes to widen its customer base with the new Constellation and plans to develop audio devices
Vertu, the pioneering maker of luxury mobile phones, expects the release of its latest Android-based smartphone to entice a new generation of affluent consumers in what could be a banner year for the company.
"The launch of the Constellation, which is our second Android phone, is a clear sign that we want to enlarge our market to include a younger audience," Vertu chief executive Massimiliano Pogliani told the South China Morning Post yesterday.
In an interview ahead of the Constellation's grand launch in Hong Kong today, Pogliani also said Vertu would develop audio devices as part of its luxury product portfolio.
"We have drawn up a new business plan for the next three to five years, as well as a new product roadmap, so everything is defined," he said. "Although we are keeping pace with technology, we need lead time to develop these new products at the level of quality we want to reach. This is a vibrant time for Vertu."
The mid-tier Constellation, with prices starting from HK$52,000, marks the British firm's second major product launch this year, following the release of its top-of-the-line Ti model in February. Prices for the Ti start from HK$79,000.
Both products represent Vertu's shift to Google's popular Android mobile operating system, which replaced the Symbian platform. The devices, however, only support 3G networks.
"Vertu has a clear segmentation strategy with the Constellation, which is priced lower with a different service proposition and a more contemporary design than the Ti," Pogliani said.