Bluechipworld Android mobile hits shops
Hednesford-based hardware manufacturer Bluechipworld has released its first Android handset in the UK, the Bluechip Neon.
The £79.99 prepay device is available in both black and chrome from Tesco phone shops and via its website. It runs off the Android 2.2 froyo operating system and comes with a 3.5 inch touchscreen, a 3.2MP camera, 16GB storage with memory cards, GPS, Wi-Fi, and MP3 player and FM radio.
It is the second handset from Bluechipworld to be sold in Tesco, following the BC5i 'Big Button' phone, which is aimed at the senior market. The Bluechip Xenon will the company's next Android handset to be released, available in Q1 2012. Bluechipworld said it will be "highly-specked with a 5.3 inch touchscreen."
Bluechipworld and CSR launch headphones
Hardware manufacturer Bluechipworld has partnered with Cambridge -based wireless and audio specialist company CSR to launch a range of Bluetooth headphones.
CSR, which works with other Bluetooth brands including Parrot and Jabra, will provide the technology to be used within Bluechipworld's own hardware.
Bluechipworld, which has distribution agreements with Micro-P, CMS Peripherals, Founa and Shebang said a number of agreements were in place with "major" retailers to sell the headphones.
Tesco, Asda and Argos, and Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse in Ireland, stock its current handset and accessoru range.
Bluechipworld managing director Simon Hassell said: "CSR has been working with leading Bluetooth product manufacturers for a number of years, so this partnership is a massive achievement for us. This strengthens our market share in the music segment and we see that as the way forward for major growth."
Bluechipworld has also appointed Jo Xiourouppa as European account exectutive. She spent five years at distributor 20:20 Mobile and will focus on increasing sales of Bluechipworld's products into European markets.
Micro-P to supply its retail partners with Bluechipworld's mobile accessories and selected handsets
IT and mobile distributor Micro-P has signed a deal with hardware manufacturer Bluechipworld to supply it's full range of mobile accessories and selected handsets.
The agreement will enable Mirco-P to supply Bluechipworld's portfolio, which also includes chargers, Bluetooth headsets, car kits, audio and fashion products to it's customer base.
Bluechipworld said a number of its handsets are also being considered. It is the latest distribution agreement for Bluechipworld, having already agreed deals with Kondor, Data Select, Shebang and CMS Peripherals.
Micro-P managing director Gerry O'Keeffe said a number of its existing retail partners have already committed to selling Bluechipworld's range, as well as number of new accounts, which it refused to reveal.
O'Keeffe said "We've been making great strides in the mobile sector to complements and strengthen our position. We already supply a range of handsets and a number of key accessory products, but we needed a third-party manufacturer partner who could offer a broad range of product in all the various categories, and Bluechipworld fit the bill in this regard"
Bluechipworld managing director Simon Hassell said "It is clear Micro-P has spent a lot of time recruiting very experienced, high quality staff who understand the needs of their customers and the industry as a whole. This is testament to their ambition in the mobile category. Their approach is thorough and professional and I am delighted to be working with them closely, growing both our accessory and handset businesses."
Bluechipworld executive director John Barton added "There was a need to expand that base to reach more retail customers and bring added focus to the Bluechip brand and range of products."
http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/2011/06/bluechipworld-signs-micro-p-distribution-deal/
Bluechipworld creates new brand role
Mobile News Issue 488 May 9, 2011
Bluetooth product manufacturer Bluechipworld has appointed David Grandison as a sales consultant for convergence channels.
Grandison, who was previously national sales manager at camera manufacturer Pracktica, will be responsible for growing the company's brand awareness and promote its Bluechip brand on the high street, as well as the SME channel.
The company also said it will be strengthening its teams working in product development and finance, as part of its growth plans.
Bluechipworld managing director Simon Hassell said: "you can have a brand, but if you really want to develop it, you have to have it everywhere. So far he has had tremendous success with our SOLAR phone and BC5i 'Big Button' handset.
Bluechipworld: Bargain hunting for the channel
Posted: December 18th
Bluechipworld is building its presence by evolving products and striking more distribution and retail deals. Boss Simon Hassell tells Paul Withers how continued innovation is key in staying ahead of the competition
"Innovation is key to our business. We probably spend 30 per cent of our working week on innovation and development of our portfolio,"
says Bluechipworld managing director Simon Hassell.
He has grounds for such a claim. Since he left accessories distributor Kondor 18 months ago to head up the Bluetooth product manufacturer in the UK, it has picked up some choice sales channel supply deals on the back of its expanding portfolio.
Bluechipworld has 19 retail partners including Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4U, T-Mobile, Tesco, Expansys, Asda, Argos, Dixons, Halfords, Boots, Play and Amazon. It has just added Shebang Distribution and CMS Peripherals to its distribution partners, supplying ODM products to the former's burgeoning Nexus accessories brand. The pair join its long-standing relationships with Kondor and Data Select.
The firm's expanding portfolio now covers handsets, Bluetooth headsets, Bluetooth in-car kits, handset holders, charging solutions, Bluetooth dongles, Apple product accessories, other smartphone accessories, protective cases and a number of music devices.
Handsets remain its key focus although less so as it follows the convergence of consumer electronics and evolves into related goods markets, such as MP3 players and radios.
Growing handset range
This time last year, Bluechipworld began its assault on the handset market with the VX-1 mini mobile, the size of a credit card and designed primarily as an emergency handset, performing only basic call and text functions.
Tesco was given an exclusive to sell it unlocked for £18.99. The retailer announced in January the VX-1 was one of its best-selling mobiles in the weeks leading up to Christmas, shifting over 10,000 units.
This was followed by five more phones in the VX series, consisting of two phones similar in design to the VX-1, two that took on a BlackBerry form factor with a full QWERTY keypad and one targeting the senior market.
A number of other handsets have followed. The BC-1M is similar to the VX-1 but has an in-built MP3 player and retails for £29.99. The BC-1Q is also similar but with a QWERTY keypad and retails for £39.99.
The 'Solar handset' is a rugged phone that features a built-in solar panel, meaning it can be charged via sunlight. It also features a torch and is waterproof and dust proof, retailing for £79.99.
The BC-5i is an upgrade from the VX-5. It also features big buttons and vibration alerts as well as one-touch calling, a torch and FM radio, retailing for £39.99. The BC-7 (£79.99) and BC-8 (£99.99) also take the BlackBerry form factor but it's the upcoming BC-9 that has received rave reviews from retail partners, it says.
The phone is another to take the BlackBerry form factor and is a dual-SIM device that comes with an MP3 player, two-megapixel camera, FM radio and microSD card slot. The phone is scheduled for launch in the UK in February 2011.
Hassell says: "Everywhere we've showcased this phone, people have said they want to take it. We've manufactured 20,000 just for the Vietnamese market."
Portfolio strength
The start of 2011 is going to be a busy time for Bluechipworld, including exhibition space at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January. There it will launch three new Android phones, which will all be priced below £100.
Hassell feels the presence of industry veteran John Barton will be a factor in the company's success in the Android market.
Barton, who was LG UK sales and marketing director for five years before leaving the company in March, joined the company in May as a non-executive director. "When John joined his experience in the Android market was paramount in what we should be doing and how to do it," says Hassell.
But Bluechipworld's other product categories are coming to the fore now too, although Hassell admits he hasn't seen much growth in sales of charging solutions and in-car holders. Nevertheless, he suggests the blurred space between smartphones and tablet devices requires servicing now with chargers and device holders.
It's a different story for Bluechipworld's other product lines. It has 25 variants of Bluetooth headsets, priced from £7.99 upwards.
Hassell claims the company "dominates the entry level Bluetooth product area".
It has tried to live up to its innovation tag here too. The BH710 and BH50 are both multi-point compatible, meaning they can be connected to more than one handset. The BH-50 also features a dual microphone to cancel out echo and background noise. "The design and specification on Bluetooth headsets has dramatically improved," says Hassell.
"Consumers are now interested in features such as dual microphones and multi-points. They also want them smaller and looking more like fashion accessories."
Beyond mobile
Bluetooth car kits continue to sell well. Bluechipworld has continued to roll out entry level kits from £19.99 across its retail partners. It is also continuing to manufacture a number of smartphone accessories, such as protective casings, silicon cases and cases with built-in chargers.
Bluechipworld is seeing some of its biggest areas of growth in the portable power sector. The company is developing a number of portable chargers so they work not only on mobiles, but with others such as digital cameras and handheld games consoles. It plans to enter new ground by targeting those specialising in photography to chargers, such as
Boots and Jessops.
It's music product category is also a success, according to Hassell. Earlier this year it launched the iCandy brand, designed to attract 18-35 year old customers. At present it only has two products within the brand portfolio - earphones and headphones - but six more in-ear headphones are being added to the range in the coming months.
Hassell claims sales volumes in Tesco have been extremely pleasing. "The volumes in Tesco have been huge - our sales are into the hundreds of thousands. We've showcased these products to the whole retail estate in the UK and the response to them has been overwhelming."
Hassell acknowledges Bluechipworld is up against more established brands in this market such as JVC, Phillips, Sony and Panasonic, but he reckons its focus on innovation can see it beat these others to offer the customer better value for money.
"Whilst we'll never be a direct competitor to these, we look at what they're offering in this space and try to give customers more for their money," he says.
Outside of mobile centric products, the company has also developed three GPS devices. The first is a data logger that logs where the user is. The second is a tracker that logs where the user has travelled and the third is a pet tracker that can be clipped to an animal's collar so if it ever goes missing, the user can see where it is.
All work by linking the GPS products up to a smartphone or PC using accompanying software.
Trade show importance
Bluechipworld demonstrates its growing product portfolio at trade shows across the globe to add partners its list.
The Hong Kong Electronics Trade Fair in October was Barton's first with the company. Looking back on it, Barton realises how important the show was for the company in that it came away with five times as many international customer leads than expected.
"We thought if we could attract two or three customers from that show then we would have been pleased but we got closer to 15, which was an exceptional result. A lot of the people that operate in these countries recognise the value of our marketing and the Bluechipworld brand, and the fact they'e able to bring it to these other territories for the first time, says Barton.
The US, South American, Australian, New Zealand and Japanese markets are on the agenda for early next year. It currently has a partnership with distributor foneGear to supply retailers across the US but is looking to add to that. It also has new customers in Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. In Australia, it supplies Cole's department stores.
It also has a presence across the majority of Europe and is close to entering markets in the CIS territories. Hassell says: "The potential customers out there all seem very keen on working with us."
"We never stop innovating and innovation is still at the forefront of our business," says Hassell.
"Retailers will say it's our innovation they like because we always show them new products when we see them. There isn't a day goes by where we're not being shown new designs for products. Our speed to market is key.
"This isn't a new market - it's a fresh approach, and it is welcomed with open arms everywhere. That's the way it will continue. We're taking this fresh approach and working hard."
Trade embraces 'Skoda' of mobile
June 4th 2010
It's been a year since Simon Hassell left accessories distributor
Kondor to head up the UK operation of little-known Chinese Bluetooth
product manufacturer Bluechipworld. But already he has established it as
a trade brand within major retailers in the UK, and helped make inroads
in other markets also.
Coming into the UK market with Kondor and Data Select as its UK
distribution partners, Bluechipworld's products now include handsets,
Bluetooth headsets, earphones, car kits, chargers, cases, holders and
adaptors.
These can now be found in mobile retailers and non-specialist
retailers such as Carphone Warehouse, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Phones 4U,
Dixons, Tesco, Asda, Argos, Sainsburys, Halfords, Toys 'R' Us, Maplin,
QVC, Netto, Boots and Littlewoods.
For the main, its handset range is playing the biggest part in the
company's present sales activity. Bluechipworld began its assault on the
UK market with the December release of the VX-1 mini mobile, the size
of a credit card and designed primarily as an emergency handset
performing only basic call and text functions. Tesco was given an
exclusive to sell the device for £18.99, unlocked.
Bluechipworld reckons the device has been a resounding success, and
one of Tesco's best-selling mobiles in the two weeks leading up to
Christmas, shifting over 10,000 units.
Hassell says: "We stuck our flag in the ground at Tesco last year
with the VX-1. It has proved to be a massive success. Mobile plays a big
part of what we do now 'It's not a new market, it's a fresh
approach', as our marketing material says. The VX-1 is unique.
"We always planned to go into the handset market but we knew we had
to do something different. Did we take a risk? Possibly. Because we
launched an entry-price handset SIM-free. Nobody had ever really done
that before in the UK. And it worked, so it was a risk worth taking."
The next handset in line for Bluechipworld is the VX-2, which also
features only simple call and text functions. It will be available next
month for £24.99 in black, chrome, pink and white. Hassell says a number
of retailers have signed up to sell the device, but declines to name
them just yet.
The VX-3 and VX-4 will follow shortly after the VX-2. The VX-3 is a
step up and features a colour screen and FM radio. Headphones will also
be bundled with the handset. It will be available in gold and silver,
and cost £29.99.
The VX-4 looks like a regular smartphone, with a full QWERTY keypad.
It is aimed at heavy texters, says Hassell, and will be available in
black, yellow, pink and green at a cost of £49.99. Retail agreements are
yet to be confirmed. Kondor has put its name behind the three handsets
already, and will take stock of them in the next few weeks.
Bluechipworld is also ensuring it targets as many markets as possible
with its handset portfolio. It will release two new phones for the
senior market and for those with a disability in the coming weeks. The
VX-5 features large buttons and large screen, as well as loud ringtones
and vibration alert. It will cost £69.99.
The VX-5i is almost identical, but it's screen is half the size. Bluechipworld hopes to sell this for as little as £29.99.
Hassell stresses that getting the pricing right for these handsets is
critical for their success. "These types of phones usually go on sale
for around £99.99 but we're being quite aggressive with the VX-5 and
setting a price of £69.99," he says.
"And we expect the VX-5i to take the market by storm also. Why make
the older generation or those with a disability pay over the odds for a
phone that they cant use fully? These handsets solve that crucial
problem."
Hassell says interest for the company's flagship phone, the dual-SIM
VX-6, has been "huge". It is the firm's best-featured handset to date
and, like the VX-4, looks like a traditional smartphone.
It comes with support for social networking sites and features GPRS
and email capabilities, as well as a slot for expandable memory of up to
32GB with the use of a microSD card. It is expected to cost £99.99 when
it goes on sale in August.
Hassell is happy to admit the launch of the VX-6 has been pushed back
to ensure that it's fully tested and suffers no faults when it goes on
sale.
"The VX-6 has taken a little longer to launch because the handset is
highly-specified," he says. "We have a retailer that wants to sell that
but we won't launch until we're absolutely sure it's ready and tested
sufficiently."
John Barton goes to Bluechipworld
May 14th 2010
Former LG chief takes non-executive director role
John Barton, former LG sales and marketing director has become non-executive director of handset and accessories manufacturer, Bluechipworld.
Barton left LG in January this year to spend time in the film and media industry. However, his appointment at Bluechipworld sees a return to the industry he made his name in. Bluechipworld is an entry level handset manufacturer, but has secured a successful deal with Tesco.
Barton
said: "Bluechipworld's first year has been extremely exciting with its
establishment as a tier one manufacturer of accessories. The company has
grown significantly with a number of products becoming market leaders
in their own right.
"It is also interesting to note
Bluchipworlds role within the changing dynamics of the mobile handset
market, which has become polarised into low tier, cost effective devices
and high tier smartphones.
"The middle ground of standard, but relatively more expensive, feature phones is shrinking dramatically. The Bluechipworld
range, which is being unveiled over time, will initially address the
lower tier, building on the success of the VX1, but will also be
developed to compete at the top end."
Bluechipworld managing director, Simon Hassell said that Barton's involvement in the company represents the next stage of growth.
He
said: "We have always focused heavily on personnel. To date we have
recruited strong individuals with good experience and an excellent
attitude to work and combined this with a strong management structure.
The support and experience John Barton will bring to the company will
truly enhance this."
Bluechipworld eyes distributor contracts
April 15th 2010
Bluechipworld (BCW) is in discussions with large distributors about
expanding the company out into other global markets following positive
sales and take up of its products in the UK.
Since the Bluetooth product manufacturer launched last July, it has
seen its VX-1 mini mobile go on sale at Tesco at the start of December
and sell 10,000 units in the two weeks leading up to Christmas. Two
retailers having shown an interest in stocking the VX-4 while a web
retailer has asked about the VX-6. It said that interest for the VX-3
and VX-5 has also been high.
BCW has agreements with Data Select and Kondor in the UK but has been
in discussions with other distributors that have a global reach in
order to penetrate more markets.
BCW managing director Simon Hassell said: "Our agreements with Data
Select and Kondor have been very beneficial for us in the UK and we have
gained many customers here but these two distributors aren't going to
be able to give us a global reach. We're in discussions with a number of
distributors around the world as we look to target more global
markets."
Bluechipworld to realease three more phones
March 3rd 2010
Bluechipworld (BCW) has unveiled details of three more handsets scheduled for release at UK retailers in mid-April, doubling the handset range the Bluetooth product manufacturer has.
The VX-4, VX-5 and VX-6 follow on from the recent launch of the VX-2 and VX-3. The VX-1, which went on sale at Tesco towards the end of last year, became one of the retailer’s best selling mobiles in the two weeks leading up to Christmas, shifting 10,000 units.
The new devices are still unlocked but unlike the previous three phones, aren't mini mobiles and come with improved features.
The VX-4 (pictured left), which looks like a traditional smartphone, comes with a QWERTY keypad and is aimed at heavy texters. It will be available in black, yellow, pink and green and will have an RRP of £49.99.
The VX-5 (pictured centre) is aimed at the senior market and comes with a large button and screen, as well as a loud ringtone with vibration. It will have an RRP of £69.99.
The VX-6 (pictured right) is BCW's best featured handset to date. Like the VX-4 it looks like a traditional smartphone and comes with support for social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter and Bebo. It features GPRS and email capabilties and has a slot for expandable memory of up to 32GB. The handset will launch with new partner SanDisk and will be supplied with a Mobile Ultra 4GB microSDHC card, as well as MobileMicroMate USB Card Reader and headphones.
This also comes with dual-SIM capability, enabling the phone to take two SIM cards on different networks. The VX-6 will have an RRP of £99.99. Names of retailers to stock the devices have not yet been announced.
BCW managing director Simon Hassell said: "It's not a new market but a fresh approach. We showcased the handsets at Mobile World Congress and they were very well received. We strive to make the technology affordable to the mass market globally without reducing the quality. We feel the time is right to launch a dual-SIM device, giving the end user the choice to have two numbers on one handset."
"Our VX-4 will appeal to a wide audience and already plans have been made with large retailers in Europe. We will continue to sell our handsets unlocked, keeping the message clear to the end user."
Bluechipworld unveils new mini mobiles
February 8th 2010
Bluechipworld has unveiled two new mini mobile handsets to compliment the VX-1i SIM-free mini mobile.
The VX-2 is similar to the VX-1 in that it boasts just simple call and end functions. It will be available in black, chrome, pink and white and comes with an RRP of
£24.99
The VX-3, which has been designed with a chrome or gold frame, comes with a colour screen and FM radio. Headphones are bundled with the handset. It will be available in gold and silver and comes with an RRP of £29.99
.
Bluechipworld managing director Simon Hassell said: "We took a risk introducing a totally new innovative concept to market, but we were never really in any doubt that it would be well received."
"The new products in the range maintain the characteristics of the original VX-1i whilst offering a number of additional benefits which will be attractive to the core market whilst opening up opportunities to a wider audience such as buisness customers."
Both handsets are expected to go on sale in the UK at the beginning of May. Details on retail availability will be released in due course.
Bluechipworld introduces new Apple case
January 6th 2010
Bluetooth product manufacturer Bluechipworld (BCW) has launched a range of new accessories for the Apple iPhone and iPod Nano.
The Smart Power Case for the iPhone offers up to eight hours additional talk time, seven hours video playback and six hours internet browsing time. It also features a built-in LED light for use with the camera or as a torch function and a SIM card ejector pin. The case is available in black or white and comes with an RRP of £19.99
Bluechipworld managing director Simon Hassell said: "Anyone using an iPod or iPhone will understand that Apple has revolutionised the MP3 and PDA markets with these products. However, there are some absent features that can leave owners feeling frustrated such as the lack of Bluetooth capabilities on the iPod and the lack of a flash on the iPhone camera."
"At Bluechipworld we have tackled these problems by providing a range of attachments and accessories that improve the ownership experience."
The Smart Power Case joins a range of multifunction leather cases with built-in chargers and speakers, including the iPod Nano Wallet Case, which allows users to enjoy audio entertainment without the need for earphones. This is also available in a range of colours and comes with an RRP of £19.99 as well.
Hassell added: "We have already developed a core range of iPhone and iPod accessories including a complete range of cases and covers, in-car and mains charging devices as well as a comprehensive range of speaker products."
"We will continue to bring new accessories and devices to market, such as the newly launched iPhone Smart Power Case, offering more choice and functions compatible with Apple technology."
