Polestar Is Plotting A Smartphone To Pair With Its Electric SUV
While the notion of a potential Tesla smartphone has long lingered in the realm of rumors, it has never come to fruition. Even as Tesla and Elon Musk continue to deliberate on the possibility, Swedish archrival Polestar appears to be taking strides toward launching its own mobile device by the end of 2023. Recent reports indicate that Polestar may launch a smartphone to coincide with the debut of its electric SUV coupe, the Polestar 4, set to hit the Chinese market before the end of the year.
However, customers looking forward to getting their hands on the Polestar smartphone may be disappointed because the phone is likely to be exclusive to China as of now. CNBC has indicated that the Polestar smartphone will be manufactured for Polestar by notable Chinese smartphone maker Meizu. For those unaware, Meizu also happens to be a part of the Geely group, which owns Volvo and Polestar. While launching a smartphone alongside an electric car does make for an unusual combination, this move will almost certainly help Polestar grab more eyeballs.
Not aiming to be an iPhone killer
Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath, who revealed the possibility of this smartphone making it to consumers, has indicated that his company has no intention of becoming a player in the smartphone space. In contrast, the company intends to tout the smartphone as a complementary accessory for Polestar 4 customers in China. The Polestar smartphone will almost certainly run a de-Googled, custom version of Android and will sport a UI that closely matches the car's infotainment screen. The aim seems to be to offer users a consistent user experience as they switch from the smartphone screen to the car's display.
Even though Meizu is mainly known for coming up with entry-level and mid-range smartphones, the Polestar-branded phone is expected to be a premium-tier device. We still do not have specific details about the phone, including its design and hardware specs. However, we expect more information to come to light in the coming weeks. The association with Polestar will likely give Meizu a much-needed push in the Chinese market, where the company has fallen behind Oppo, Xiaomi, and Huawei.
While Polestar's idea of launching a co-branded smartphone may sound unusual, there is a good chance that the concept may become the norm in the near future. As for the Polestar 4, the SUV is likely to officially make it to the U.S. and other Western markets in 2024, several months after its China launch.