When it comes to cracking the smartphone market over in South Korea, good luck to you if you do not carry the names Samsung or LG. After all, the native South Koreans are extremely patriotic, and would not think too much about using other handsets other than those emblazoned with the names Samsung, LG, or Pantech. Of course, Apple is more the exception than the rule with their iPhone, and Sony sees a glimmer of hope there with their Sony Xperia E1, a smartphone that is budget friendly, hoping to target those who want a functional smartphone that does not break the bank.
It will cost approximately $163 after conversion in South Korea (from 165,000 won), and it does seem as though this will be the first smartphone that does not cost more than the 200,000 won mark, at least according to the Korea Times. Still, despite the relatively affordable price tag, it is no slouch when it comes to an entry level device, running on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean (with an Android 4.4 KitKat upgrade in the pipeline), accompanied by a 4” WVGA display, a dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor, 512MB RAM, and a 3MP camera at the back.
What do you think of the Sony Xperia E1? Is entry level the way to go to snag the hearts, minds and wallets of a tough market?
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