Last month we detailed the upcoming Pepsi smartphone, a mid-range smartphone model that would share the beverage brand for a China-only release.
The device launched on JD’s crowdfunding site JD Finance this month and has been live for a week, attracting significant media attention. However with only eight days left it’s yet to reach half of its 3 million RMB ($470,000 USD) goal.
Pepsi has chosen to partner with Koobee, a lesser-known Chinese smartphone vendor, to push the phone valued at approximately $250 USD (the price of the Koobee H7, which features virtually identical specs).
Those who got in early paid less than $78 USD for the a version of the limited edition phone, while early bird-options are still available for approximately $110 USD. After that users will have to pay $156 USD for the phone, or just over $200 USD for a combo including the phone and a selfie stick.
The phone itself features a 5.5-inch 1080p display with 16GB of internal storage, 2GB of RAM and a fingerprint sensor located on the back of the device. Design-wise, there are hints of the Huawei Mate S that come to mind, though it’s definitely participating in a lower price range.
Limited release branded smartphones are not unusual in the Chinese market. This year ZTE launched an NBA version of their Axon Mini exclusively to the Chinese market, drawing on the popularity of the NBA franchise in China to boost the sales of their latest flagship.
Image Credit: Pepsi Phone