Huawei all set to Up-market with its Latest Eye-catching handset: Huawei P8

Huawei has launched its most technically advanced smartphone as it ramps up its challenge to Apple and Samsung in the premium smartphone market.

The Chinese telecoms equipment maker and third-largest smartphone maker in the world unveiled the P8 and set out plans to offer a premium smartphone to rival other high-end devices.

The move marks a shift in strategy for the group which has tended to focus on selling cheaper handsets to customers less concerned about better-known western brands.

Shao Yang, president of strategy marketing of Huawei’s consumer arm, said that the company was gradually building consumer trust with its devices.

He said that Smartphones costing more than €400 made up about 15 per cent of its sales last year. Such handsets are more profitable for Huawei than the lower-cost devices that once dominated its sales, he added.

Analysts, however, warned that Huawei faced a battle to establish itself as a more premium smartphone maker.

“The Huawei P8 smartphone closes the gap on rivals ticking all the boxes on design and performance but the company has a mountain to climb as it seeks to position Huawei as a luxury brand in Europe,” said Jasdeep Badyal, an analyst at CCS Insight. “The P8 will certainly turn heads if Huawei can enhance its brand credentials.”

The Aluminum P8 has a host of features offering high-quality voice calls, camera accuracy and processing power. Social media commentators were quick to jump on the more unusual aspects such as the “double-knuckle tap”, to capture a screen shot and the ability to call out to find a misplaced phone that will respond through its speaker.

The Android Smartphone market has become highly competitive, with a number of companies seeking to win customers such as Samsung, HTC and Sony.

Mr Badyal said that Huawei has been “relentless in its efforts to increase market share beyond China, adding that its “home market scale is a huge advantage when taking on established players”.

There are two versions of the P8. It will be available in more than 30 countries including Pakistan, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the UK.

Huawei looks to go up market with latest handset launch

Huawei has launched its most technically advanced smartphone as it ramps up its challenge to Apple and Samsung in the premium smartphone market.

The Chinese telecoms equipment maker and third-largest smartphone maker in the world unveiled the P8 and set out plans to offer a premium smartphone to rival other high-end devices.

The move marks a shift in strategy for the group which has tended to focus on selling cheaper handsets to customers less concerned about better-known western brands.

Shao Yang, president of strategy marketing of Huawei’s consumer arm, said that the company was gradually building consumer trust with its devices.

He said that smartphones costing more than €400 made up about 15 per cent of its sales last year. Such handsets are more profitable for Huawei than the lower-cost devices that once dominated its sales, he added.

Analysts, however, warned that Huawei faced a battle to establish itself as a more premium smartphone maker.

“The Huawei P8 smartphone closes the gap on rivals ticking all the boxes on design and performance but the company has a mountain to climb as it seeks to position Huawei as a luxury brand in Europe,” said Jasdeep Badyal, an analyst at CCS Insight. “The P8 will certainly turn heads if Huawei can enhance its brand credentials.”

The aluminium P8 has a host of features offering high-quality voice calls, camera accuracy and processing power. Social media commentators were quick to jump on the more unusual aspects such as the “double-knuckle tap”, to capture a screen shot and the ability to call out to find a misplaced phone that will respond through its speaker.

The Android smartphone market has become highly competitive, with a number of companies seeking to win customers such as Samsung, HTC and Sony.

Mr Badyal said that Huawei has been “relentless in its efforts” to increase market share beyond China, adding that its “home market scale is a huge advantage when taking on established players”.

There are two versions of the P8. The standard device will be sold for €499 and the premium version for €599. It will be available in more than 30 countries including China, Colombia, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the UK.

HUAWEI P8: THE NEW IPHONE KILLER?

Huawei P8, a technology charged Smartphone and the new spearhead of the Chinese manufacturer, Huawei, has delivered the Smartphone in Aluminum "unibody" - whose shell is made of one piece - features beautiful measurements: 144.9 x 72.1 x 6.4 mm 144 grams with a 5.2-inch HD screen. The design brain of Huawei , Korean Kim Joon Suh displayed the P8, at the first glance well straight lines, rounded at the corners of P8 remind the California competitor, Apple.

Huawei P8 has four available colors ranging from black to gray to champagne and white. And Mr. Yu, the brand's CEO demonstrated that “The P8 is much better than its rivals directly to Apple, we would like to understand where Huawei is inspired."Commentator’s digital world imagined that there was a breaking design for each product. But a Smartphone is still a Smartphone "we entrust with aplomb”, Kim Joon Suh, the brains of design further added, “Huawei wants to know what the designers dream in technology. I imagine the technology for the individual. It will be more efficient, the less we feel his presence. Finally, it will be emotional and sentimental to humans ".

APBF and Microsoft collaborate to create “Eemployability Platform”

The ‘All Pakistan Business Forum’ (APBF) under the omniscient leadership of Mr. Ibrahim Qureshi serves as a vibrant business association which promotes the interests of the business community and industry, while also advocating fair business policies and transparency as part of its mandate. Capitalizing on its high-profiled representation from diverse commercial sectors, the APBF has taken various initiatives for social development, in collaboration with some of the leading enterprises and associations.

In order to achieve its developmental objectives, APBF has recently entered into a valuable collaboration with the globally leading Information technology enterprise – Microsoft. According to a 3-years MoU signed between APBF and Microsoft Pakistan; the two organizations will develop an “Employability Platform” for creating new employment and internship opportunities for the youth, while focusing on recruitments in the private sector partners of the APBF, making selections from the Pak-Kaam Employability Platform.  This MoU reflects the common vision of APBF and Microsoft to create a framework and roadmap for enterprise-development and technology deployments. This initiative will generate fresh, healthy and sustainable income-streams for the educated and skilled youth of the country, by stimulating and enriching the national economy.

According to the scope of this collaboration both the organizations will jointly select and advertise a list of courses and trainings on the Employability Platform, that reflect desired skills for APBF partners and affiliates.  Targeted internship programs and jobs will thus be designed for over three thousand learners every year to enhance the highly-demanded skills. In order to drive traffic on the platform and ensure the quality of the content offered to youth, 50 mentors will be provided and broader partnerships will be developed across the region, to engage other resourceful organizations too. Microsoft will also advertise these internship programs and provide 50 mentors for users on the Employability Platform from within its member organizations. 

The MoU was signed by the Country General Manager of Microsoft – Mr. Nadeem Malik and the President of APBF – Mr. Ibrahim Qureshi, who expressed his gratitude to Microsoft for collaborating with APBF. He stated that; “APBF is thankful to our new partner – Microsoft, for helping us play a key role in national progress. We are effectively striving to bring Business Leaders, Chambers and Associations on a united platform to endeavor for a strong and prosperous Pakistan with sustainable growth, ensured through effective policies followed in continuity, resulting in better quality of life for the people of Pakistan." 

Mr. Ibrahim Qureshi further informed the media that; "Over the years, APBF has made numerous valuable contributions towards the progress and growth of the national economy. We are making consistent efforts to identify and engage resourceful organizations and entrepreneurs, to create new opportunities and mutual benefits through our shared values and wisdom." 

The MoU was signed in Islamabad during a high-profiled event - “The Summit – 2015”, orchestrated by APBF in Islamabad. This event highlighted the impressive profile of the APBF and its partners, with strong patronage of numerous Multinational organizations and leading Pakistani enterprises as its sponsors. It served as an informative platform to discuss and realign the strategic business and social-development road-map for Pakistan.

Constant Rise in Huawei phone prices, to hit the middle-high end market, follows “Forrest Gump” way

Huawei another P series mobile is available in market know by the name of P8. Two years ago, Huawei launched P6. It is P6 that help Huawei get rid of cost competition in low end market and create higher brand image than before. Total sales of P6 finally reach 5 million pieces at 449 euro. Afterwards, P7 and Mate7 keep following this trend on price and sales. Especially Mate7 makes a rare case that the market price was higher than official price.

Compared to the doubt from both outside and inside, Huawei’s launch of P6, the launch event of P8 is more natural. Compared to total sales of 6 million pieces on P6, ‘P8 will get better sales’, said Huawei Device Director Pakistan Mr. Fanhong Bruce.

The price of latest launched P8 standard version and high version are 599 euro. The price of P8 is still unknown for Pakistan market. Normally, they will be lower than global price.

Currently, Huawei is making breakthrough the high-end market between these two brands (Samsung and Apple), and is one of fewest brands who can simultaneously hold prices and large-scale shipments of mobile phone manufacturers on this section.

Accordingly, after two decades of global campaign, Huawei is the largest global telecommunications system equipment manufacturer in the market, the market share is more than Ericsson, Nokia, and Alcatel-Lucent.

The difficulties of transition were obvious, no low-end market, but high-end market was difficult to make a sudden increasing. Huawei Smartphone finally used the results to speak for them. 2014, Huawei's Smartphone shipments reached 75 million units, sales revenue reached $ 12.2 billion, in overseas markets accounted for 52% of revenue, more than 2000 RMB sales of high-end machines and the overall proportion of 18%. 2015, Huawei planning these four indicators are: 100 million units, $ 16 billion, 60% and 30%.

Specific to the just-released P8, in highly homogeneous Android phone market, there is still a lot of difference between.

For example, knuckles screenshots. Huawei said in the use of cutting-edge touch screen technology, on the screen by double-tapping the screen gently with a finger in any joint, you can then cut in full-screen; when you punctuate the screen with your finger joints freely, with "the circle WYSIWYG", you can easily cut out the contents of any screen shots you want.

As another example, when the user cannot find the phone, the user can wake up through the preset voice phone. It involves the use of voice technology. Also call the phone book when roaming; it can automatically identify the number or the country of departure roaming number (more than 95% recognition accuracy).

This functional differentiation requires technology and R&D investment, and attention to solve the user pain points based user experience. Glory Zhang said, "Even if some features borrowed by peers, no difference, it does not matter, Huawei will be characterized by continuous innovation."

A strategy of excellence, product takes into effect, P8 start another journey

According to the worldwide survey in 2014, Huawei brand awareness from 52% to 65% has been nearly two-thirds of global consumer awareness. At the same time, Huawei brand net value increased to 43% is recommended, which means that 43% of Huawei's mobile phone users are used to recommend to the people around Huawei cell phone, Huawei brand experience to bring consumers improved significantly, making Huawei product reputation.

In this excellent situation, Huawei launched in 2015, a new flagship - Huawei P8 in London which is now also available in Pakistan market. Recently, Huawei P8 broke the news about the endless speculation on kinds of information, whether it is an industry, or consumers zeroed in on this flagship product. Huawei reason for the rapid growth of the past few years the reputation, win focus, its "quality strategy" are not unrelated.

Overweight high-end boutique brand strategy In early 2013, Huawei launched a full line of the brand concept Make it Possible (rows practice words), consumer demand for product development, to create a mobile phone quality, thus Huawei cell phone began constructing quality strategy, such as Huawei P6, Huawei P7, Huawei mate7 etc. The products are distinguished for the quality of the strategy, it is also due to the implementation of quality strategy, which began from the low-end market, and Huawei gradually shift to high-end market penetration.

Huawei's 2014 sales data from the point of view, high-end smart phone shipments accounted for a substantial rise, reaching 18%. Where the annual flagship Huawei P7 listed six months over 4 million units shipped worldwide, Mate7 are fanatical pursuit of global high-end business people, retailers increase sales still in short supply, listing three months shipped 200 million units.

You can see, along with high-end models of the world's best -selling, Huawei brand awareness continues to rise, the domestic mobile phone brand in high-profile, low-price shopping but also because of the image quality strategy pursued by Huawei and change.

Quality strategy stems from profound technical strength:

Huawei’s quality strategy is the maximum support force from Huawei profound technical strength. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently released the latest report shows that according to the international patent applications last year, Huawei ranked first. According to media reports, only in the past year, Huawei's R & D investment reached 40.8 billion yuan, accounting for 14% of corporate revenue.

Huawei's R & D strength is the most direct manifestation of the Hass chip. The outside world has long been rumored, the latest development of the Hass unicorn over 935 eight -core CPU Huawei's cutting-edge technology, this crystallization, probably the blessing over Huawei P8, this rumor to make the new performance boost even more worth the wait. We can see, enhance R & D strength, has become a driving force of Huawei smart phones, to ensure the smooth implementation of the Huawei brand strategy.

Under the guidance of quality strategy, Huawei's leading product for users seeking the ultimate experience, to be reflected in Huawei P6, P7 and Mate7 other fine mobile products, these products sought by consumers worldwide, Huawei brand up market the initiative to form a good start.

Huawei P6, P7 and Mate7 other high-end mobile phones in the global market demand, so that Huawei "quality strategy" beginning to bear results. Through these strong market response quality mobile brings, Huawei cell phone brand to a whole new height, even confrontation with the international giants, can rival.

Insiders pointed out that, in 2015, Huawei are strategic lay out; Huawei P8 is undoubtedly the most important of a piece. P8 unlisted Huawei has gained such a high degree of attention, illustrates the high degree of consumer recognition of Huawei's mobile phones, also shows that Huawei's high-end market, brand influence is gradually increasing. Huawei deep technical strength of support, we believe that the upcoming P8 Huawei will also deliver the goods to the strong  Performance and application bring quality experience, the Huawei brand strategy to a new height, to conquer the world's consumers.

Samsung collaborates with Ufone to establish a Call Center & Toll Free Number.

Samsung Pakistan, being the leader of Innovation has now collaborated with U-fone, one of the leading and fastest growing telecom operators in Pakistan, to establish a state-of-the-art call-center to facilitate its customers throughout Pakistan, with a Toll-Free number to ensure quick and simplified responses to its customer enquiries and to deliver a world-class customer services experience. The new facility was inaugurated by the Managing Director of Samsung Pakistan – Mr. J. H. Lee and Mr. Ahmad Kamal, Chief Officer Customer Operations Ufone in Lahore.

On the occasion, the MD Samsung stated that; “The call-center facility is designed to enhance the brand’s accessibility, through the use of advanced technologies. The customers can now instantly indulge in direct conversation with Samsung to convey their enquiries and expectations from the brand and its products. It will add great value to Samsung’s innovative products and quality performance, thus empowering the customers to enjoy the latest in telecommunication technologies and perpetual connectivity, on-the-go”.  The cutting-edge call center will be exclusively operated by Ufone as Ufone have insourced Samsung call center. As contact center service provider, Samsung, to deliver superior customer-care, through a Toll-Free helpline number for Samsung customers.  He further said, “We are launching this new mode of consumer access to revolutionize the customers’ experience in Pakistan. It will bring our partner customer-response facilities at par with the international standards of convenience, while the customers’ hassles are greatly reduced”.

Regarding this new development, Chief Officer Customer Operations at Ufone said, “Ufone believes in innovation, development and new collaborations, which is reflected in this new agreement with a global leader in electronics; Samsung. Now, Samsung would be able to benefit from Ufone’s extensive experience in customer care, giving it satisfied customers, further enhancing its image.