Dive Brief:
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John Sculley, Apple CEO from 1983 to 1993 and a major tech investor since, Thursday unveiled the Obi smartphone, designed and priced to lure people who like iPhones but can’t afford one.
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Obi Mobiles is pricing its smartphones between $70 and $200, a category dominated by Chinese makers like Xiaomi and Lenovo that serve young people in emerging markets.
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Sculley says the Obi phones are designed to appeal to people in those areas who prize the look, feel, and features of iPhones, including superior audio.
Dive Insight:
While smartphones are reaching saturation in places like the U.S. and Europe, emerging markets in Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin America are still acquiring them. Obi would like to cater to people who want the looks and features of iPhone.
"We are very focused on the younger (13 to 24 year old) consumers - many may aspire to an iPhone because it's a beautiful product, but they may not have hundreds of dollars," Sculley said.
