The smartphone war has become fiercer than ever between not only high-end brands like Apple and Samsung but also less popular ones like Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, Mobiistar or Bphone.
After the failure of the first launch, Bphone by BKAV, a leading firm in network security, software and smartphone manufacturing in Vietnam headed by Nguyen Tu Quang, has been back since August 8, arousing media attention and comments on social networks. Regardless of different opinions about that recurrence, Nguyen Tu Quang should pay more attention to the current fierce smartphone war.
Before thinking of beating such giants as Apple, Samsung, Bphone2 which is worth nearly VND10 million (US$440.5) has to compete with same-level rivals like Oppo, Huawei, Xiaomi or Mobiistar.
At the same time BKAV launching Bphone2, Asanzo, a Vietnamese electronics joint stock company who is famous for manufacturing TV in Vietnam, announced to join smartphone market with a below VND5 million (US$220) product named Z5. Asanzo has invested in a smartphone assembly plant in Tan Binh district, Ho Chi Minh city.
Earlier in July 2017, VNPT Technology, a company mainly focuses on telecommunication, information technology, and communication, launched the Vivas Lotus S3 LTE, the 5th product of Vivas Lotus smartphone. Vivas Lotus S3 LTE has an above configuration and is supported by 4G LTE network.
Meanwhile, Viettel Group, Vietnam's largest mobile network operator, is silently manufacturing its most high-end product namely Viettel Luxury Phone which has many security features, especially Anti Eavesdropping Device.
The question here is that whether the efforts of companies like BKAV put into Bphone would pay off while they have to face a large number of powerful rivals and fastidious customers. Bphone was quite successful in media and communication, especially when Nguyen Tu Quang had private meetings with his Mobile World counterpart and when Meiko, an electronic equipment manufacturing company based in Kanagawa, Japan. However, it does not mean a direct ratio. BKAV spent about seven years to complete a smartphone with thousands of meticulous steps to be ranked at the same level as other international giants though, customers do not care about that. They compare products of brands and see whether what manufacturers said is true, then come to a fair conclusion.
OPPO, Vivo, Huawei, and Samsung have spent an enormous amount of money on advertisement and brand promotion. Bphone of BKAV is not an exception; however, Bphone1 obviously has the problem with both quality and price.
Brand personality often bears an impress of the leader's personality. Virgin is as challenging as Richard Brandson, Apple is as creative as Steve Jobs, etc. and it is not surprising when Bphone2 is still as exaggerated as CEO Nguyen Tu Quang. Even though Quang has been exaggerating his announcements less, people still doubt about BKAV's message "worth every penny".
In the development process of smartphone brands, Nokia and Blackberry giants used to struggle difficulties to exist, Samsung spent a lot of time and effort to build its market and without his genius brain and his fellow-workers' 5,000 inventions, Steve Jobs could not turn from "starving" and "crazy" to "No.1 iPhone" like today.
No one can force Nguyen Tu Quang to stop dreaming. The quantity of Bphone2 sold to customers would prove whether it can come true, and customers are those who hold the key.
