Chinese EV maker Nio launches its own smartphone

In a recent surprising development, EV manufacturers have started producing Android phones to complement their cars. Next in line is the Chinese EV maker Nio, which unveiled its new Nio Phone at the Technology Day held in Shanghai. The company aims to capture at least a 50% market share among Nio automobile owners.

When talking about the specifications, Nio phone boasts a 6.81-inch 2K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a triple camera setup (including a 50MP IMX707 main camera with OIS, a 50MP IMX766 ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 50MP IMX890 periscope telephoto lens, all with OIS), a Snapdragon 8 Gen2, and a substantial 5200mAh battery. Additionally, it supports 66W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and even 10W wireless reverse charging.

So, what’s special about the Nio Phone?

While the phone’s specs may seem modest compared to other phones like the S23 Ultra, what sets it apart is its integration with NIO’s electric vehicle ecosystem. Running on SkyUI, the phone features a special button that doubles as a car key, enabling users to remotely control. Additionally, the phone can also manage various in-car functions as well. Moreover, the “Sky Window” feature lets users control smartphone apps on their car’s display, supporting gaming and video conferencing.

“We pay more attention to the value that each user brings to our entire brand. It is more convenient to connect users. It is also more efficient than before. What we are pursuing is the car experience we can provide to our users. I believe this portion of users are very likely to use this new form [of device] when they are changing their phones,” said CEO William Li.

However, it’s important to note that the phone’s price ranges from $900 to $1,000. And Nio does not plan to launch the phone in Europe. Moreover, pre-orders for the new device are now open, with deliveries scheduled to begin on September 28th.