TOKYO -- China's Huawei Technologies plans to release inexpensive models priced at around 10,000 yen ($97.53) this year as part of an effort to grow its smartphone business in Japan.
The company will expand its lineup of SIM-free versions that allow the user to select any service provider. The new smartphones will be among the lowest-priced in Japan.
The flagship Huawei P9 model debuted last month with a 59,800 yen price tag. This and the low-end models coming are intended to broaden the Huawei's lineup to meet demand from a wide range of users.
In the near future, Huawei will open its first specialty shop for its products in Japan. It opened its first Japanese customer service center handling smartphone repairs in Tokyo's Ginza district in April, and plans to add more.
Through initiatives such as these, Huawei looks to double its SIM-free smartphone business in Japan in fiscal 2016.
(Nikkei)
