"LEITZ PHONE 1", which is close to 200,000 yen, has also appeared, and the reason why very expensive smartphones are increasing

"LEITZ PHONE 1" announced by Softbank for exclusive sale. It is said that it will be a smartphone completely supervised by Leica Camera.Sales will start after July

So far, Huawei Technologies and Sharp have partnered with Leica cameras to introduce smartphones that incorporate Leica camera know-how into camera lenses and image quality. However, the LEITZ PHONE 1 is a smartphone that has the Leica camera brand in the foreground, and it is a major feature that the Leica camera is in the hands of not only the camera but also the design and interface of the terminal.

In fact, the development of LEITZ PHONE 1 itself is being handled by Sharp, one of the Leica camera partners. Therefore, it has almost the same contents as "AQUOS R6" that Sharp provides for Softbank etc. in terms of function and performance, such as installing a 1-inch large image sensor installed in a high-end compact camera. ..

However, the design of the main unit and the camera application have a lot of hands of the Leica camera. It is equipped with a function called "Leitz Looks", which makes it easier to take black-and-white photographs, which is a feature of Leica cameras, and also comes with a special case and lens cap. When you touch the actual machine, you can see that it is a Leica camera specification so that it is difficult to find the trace of Sharp.

However, the only thing that matters is the price. The price of LEITZ PHONE 1 is 187,920 yen, which is close to 200,000 yen because it is made with a very strong commitment, compared to the price of AQUOS R6 (133,920 yen) also sold by Softbank. Is also quite expensive.

Many Leica cameras are more expensive, so they may be "cheap" for Leica fans, but they are definitely very expensive for the average person. Softbank says that it will be possible to use it at a lower price by applying the terminal purchase program "Tokuru Support +", but the price is so high because the government imposes very strict regulations on discounts on smartphones. If it is high, sales will be a concern.

High-priced smartphones are a manufacturer's survival plan

However, looking at the recent market environment, I feel that the number of smartphones that are as expensive as the LEITZ PHONE 1 is increasing, centered on the highest-end high-end models that emphasize functionality and performance. In fact, the top model of the iPhone 12 series, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, is the largest 512GB model and is priced at 165,880 yen (Apple store price).

Also, looking at the recently released and announced models, Samsung Electronics' "Galaxy S21" series top model "Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G" is 151,272 yen, Sony's "Xperia 1 III" is 154,440 yen (both) Price at docomo online shop). Although the AQUOS R6 is cheaper than those, it is still priced at over 100,000 yen, so there is no doubt that it is a very expensive model.

How much can you sell such a high-priced smartphone while you can't expect big discounts like before? I'm sure there are a lot of people who wonder, but one of the reasons why the number of expensive smartphones is increasing is that there is a growing tendency to focus on profits.

Due to the government's discount regulations, the number of low-priced smartphones of about 30,000 to 50,000 yen is increasing recently. However, since the profits that manufacturers can obtain from such terminals are small, they are the only Chinese manufacturers that have strengths in mass sales worldwide. Therefore, small companies such as domestic manufacturers are becoming more and more likely to focus on smartphones that will definitely make a profit even if the number of smartphones is small, which can be said to be one of the reasons for the increase in expensive high-end models. prize.

And one more thing, the increase in expensive models will be aimed at improving the brand and value of the product. Even small manufacturers are under pressure to strengthen low-priced terminals according to the current market environment, but in order to have them choose their own products in such a situation, they have features that other companies do not have. It is becoming more important to enhance the brand power by introducing the technology and concept to the low-priced model while providing the high-end model.

As a result, the number of very expensive high-end models will continue to increase, while the number of low-priced models of 50,000 yen or less, whose needs are increasing, will continue to increase, so the smartphone market will be significantly polarized in the future. Is expected to progress. Consumers who know when high-end models were available at low prices may have to make annoying choices.

Masahiro Sano

Born in Fukushima Prefecture, graduated from Tohoku Institute of Technology. After working on the development of digital content as an engineer, he turned into a writer specializing in mobile phones and mobile phones. He now writes in a wide range of fields related to mobile phones, from industry trends to culture.