Pepsi P1 Android Phone (Photo : Twitter)
Pepsi has launched its new low-cost P1 Android phone coated with the famous soft drink brand's round logo and red, white, and blue colors. The budget smartphone is being crowdfunded in China for $110 per handset. Tech specifications of the soda giant's mobile device include a 1080-pixel screen, 2 gigabytes of RAM, fingerprint sensor, 4G long-term evolution (LTE) connectivity, and metal unibody design.
The Pepsi P1 is manufactured by Shenzhen Scooby Communication Equipment Co. It will reportedly launch in China but not outside Asia's biggest economy, with a recommended retail price (RRP) of about $200, according to Gizmodo.
The new Android phone will have mid-range phone features. They include a 5.5-inch display with full HD resolution, 1.7 gigahertz MediaTek processor, 13-megapixel camera and 5MP front-facing camera.
Pepsi's phone also includes 4G LTE wireless Internet, Android Lollipop-based OS, microSD slot, and 3,000 milliampere-hour battery with a one-day single charge, according to Tech Times. Color options include silver, gold, and blue.
The $78 early bird units have already sold out. After all the $110 Pepsi smartphones are gone, backers will have to pay $156 through the Chinese crowdfunding site JD Finance.
Pepsi's P1 smartphone shows that mobile phones are now branded as often as cigarette lighters, coffee mugs, and tote bags.
It also seems that Pepsi is willing to invest in free advertising in its war with Coca-Cola. Last year it earned the No. 2 spot in the market share rankings for United States carbonated soft drinks, which Diet Coke held since 2010. Pepsi's market share is now 8.8 percent, compared to Coke's 17.6 percent.
The Pepsi soda pop drink was created and launched in 1893 as Brad's Drink, and then renamed as Pepsi-Cola (1898) and Pepsi (1961). North Carolinian drugstore owner Caleb Bradham developed the fizzy drink.
