NIO, the electric vehicle manufacturer, is set to reveal its NIO Phone on September 21, carefully avoiding clashes with Apple and Huawei’s upcoming launches.

NIO-Phone-render

NIO Phone render and real device surfaced

Official renderings of the NIO Phone have surfaced, showcasing a design reminiscent of other smartphones, complete with a quad-camera setup on the left and a curved glass back panel adorned with the NIO logo. Interestingly, an actual device matching these renderings has been spotted in the hands of an NIO employee.

NIO-Phone-actual-device-spotted

The NIO Phone has already secured network access licenses and will be available in two configurations: 16GB+512GB and 16GB+1TB. Notably, it’s expected to incorporate UWB technology, aiming to provide NIO vehicle owners with enhanced remote control capabilities. This suggests that NIO is targeting its existing user base as a primary market.

In terms of performance, the NIO Phone is positioned as a high-end device with an estimated price range of 5000 to 7000 yuan ($690-$969). Benchmark scores from an engineering sample suggest it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Enhanced Edition chipset, boasting 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

These specs resulted in an impressive AnTuTu score of 1,360,974 points, rivaling devices with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. However, it’s essential to exercise caution with this score, as it stems from an engineering sample and should be viewed as a reference point.

As NIO enters the competitive smartphone market, the familiarity of its design raises questions about originality. The close resemblance of the NIO Phone to existing models may draw comparisons.

Still, its strategic focus on integrating with NIO vehicles and the promising benchmark scores indicate that it aims to cater to its established customer base and potentially attract new users seeking high-performance devices. The true test for the NIO Phone will be its reception in the market and its ability to carve out a niche in the ever-evolving smartphone industry.

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