Thought an iPhone was expensive? Check out this $20,000 Android phone
The phone will be based on the Android operating system and run otherwise unspecified technology two to three years in advance of the mass market, he said.
A British-Israeli start-up plans to sell a mobile phone from next month that will offer users unprecedented levels of technology and security -- and retail for close to $20,000.
Sirin Labs AG said on Monday it had raised $72 million in private funds to launch the device, which would be aimed at executives. It plans to open its first store, in London`s Mayfair, in May.
"(Our) smartphone ...brings the most advanced technology available - even if it is not commercially available - and combining it with almost military-grade security," said Sirin co-founder and president Moshe Hogeg.
The phone will be based on the Android operating system and run otherwise unspecified technology two to three years in advance of the mass market, he said.
Hogeg told Reuters the phone would sell for less than $20,000.
He believes thousands of executives in the United States and Europe will pay that sort of price, since the cost of being hacked could be more expensive in terms of information lost.
Hogeg put the value of the global luxury phone market at about $1.1 billion, a fraction of total mobile phone sales. Most top end phones sold are more for status - regular phones with gold and diamonds.
Britain`s Vertu sells phones in that category from $10,000 to $300,000, while Apple`s iPhone 5 Black Diamond sold for $15.3 million.
Sirin`s financing came from Israeli venture capital fund Singulariteam - which Hogeg co-founded and included backing from Kazakh investor Kenges Rakishev - and Chinese social networking company Renren.
The idea for the start-up came about after Rakishev`s phone was hacked in 2013. He asked Hogeg why he couldn`t find a mobile phone that would ensure privacy and why new technology seen in tech shows and publications was not available in consumer devices.
"There were no good solutions that combined high-end technologies with maximum security," Hogeg said.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
SBI 444-day FD vs Union Bank of India 333-day FD: Know maturity amount on Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh investments for general and senior citizens
Power of Compounding: Salary Rs 25,000 per month; is it possible to create over Rs 2.60 crore corpus; understand it through calculations
New Year Pick by Anil Singhvi: This smallcap stock can offer up to 75% return in long term - Check targets
PSU Oil Stocks: Here's what brokerage suggests on these 2 largecap, 1 midcap scrips - Buy, Sell or Hold?
Power of Compounding: How many years it will take to reach Rs 2 crore corpus if your monthly SIP is Rs 3,000, Rs 4,000, or Rs 5,000
Retirement Calculator: 40 years of age, Rs 50,000 monthly expenses; what should be retirement corpus and monthly investment
09:23 AM IST