Food and beverage company Pepsi is planning to release a Pepsi-branded smartphone in China. The smartphone will be called the “Pepsi P1”, and it will reportedly have price tag of $205. It is expected to be released in the coming months, possibly before the end of 2015.
So far, Pepsi has not released any images of the smartphone, but several mock designs on the internet have been created.
Pepsi says that the smartphone fits within its brand’s image.
The company stated, “Pepsi has always moved at the speed of culture, and today technology is a key cultural pillar at the heart of consumer interaction.”
Representatives from Pepsi said that the company is developing the Pepsi P1 with the help of an outside technology company, but they would not say who the company was.
Pepsi also did not indicate whether the smartphone would be a one-time thing or if Pepsi plans to produce more smartphones in the future.
Reports indicate that the smartphone will include a 5.5 inch display, a 1.7GHz processor and 16GB of internal storage. These specs are considered to be about mid-range for the industry.
Pepsi insists that while it is creating a smartphone, it still plans to keep soft drinks as its primary focus.
Pepsi has been known to make accessories for smartphones in the past, including cases. The company has also launched various apps and websites.
The soft drink company will have an uphill battle breaking into the smartphone market. Most analysts predict that Pepsi will possess less than 1% of the smartphone market in China by the end of next year.
Most people are considering the move by Pepsi to be a mere promotional exercise. Other large companies have already experienced failures in creating smartphones.
Facebook worked with HTC in 2013 to develop a “Facebook Phone”. It was widely recognized as a failure. Amazon also experienced a similar lack of success with its “Fire Phone”.
While it’s probably just going to be a gimmick, Pepsi is reportedly hoping that it will be able to achieve some level of success.
There have been no reports about the smartphone from Pepsi coming to the United States.
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