Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp Corp. wants to dive anew into the smartphone market. (Photo : Twitter)
After its acquisition by Taiwanese multinational company Foxconn, electronics manufacturer Sharp is seeking to penetrate the smartphone market anew.
The company is set to launch two new smartphone models, the Sharp A1 and the Sharp C1, in Beijing, China Tech News reported. The new phones are both intended for the Chinese market and are targeted towards young consumers, the company said.
The A1 will reportedly run on Sharp's flagship Helio X20 10-core processor, which is touted by the company as delivering better performance than previous processors. The phone also features a 16-megapixel back camera and an 8-megapixel front camera and will carry LeEco's EUI system. Users will also be given a 6-month LeEco membership to use the feature.
Meanwhile, the Sharp C1 will have a 13-megapixel front and rear cameras, each also having an autofocus feature. The C1 also comes pre-installed with the app for Chinese online video website Iqiyi and users can avail of a free six-month VIP membership for the site.
Both phones feature a sleek design, with the A1 having a cubed, all metal casing while the C1 has a 3D curved glass backing. The two phones will sell for around 1499 yuan ($224.63).
This is the first time that Sharp will attempt to penetrate the lucrative Chinese smartphone market after the company's acquisition by Foxconn. The latter acquired the former for $3.5. billion in March, with Foxconn CEO Terry Gou promising to revive the beleaguered Japanese manufacturer.
Meanwhile, Sharp has also begun the process of selling off several of Foxconn's efforts to streamline and rationalize its latest acquisition's extensive IP portfolio, I Am Media reported. The company owns the 28th largest collection of active patents in the world, with 13,000 patents issued to its name.
Foxconn reportedly sees the sell-off as an important part of its strategy to reinvigorate the company.
