The "Turning Point" of Budget Phones: vivo Y300Pro Ushers in a New Era of Tech Equality

The "Turning Point" of Budget Phones: vivo Y300Pro Ushers in a New Era of Tech EqualityWhen it comes to budget phones, many people imagine cheap, low-end, and unattractive devices. Due to cost constraints, budget phones often have to compromise on features, making it hard to offer a well-rounded user experience

The "Turning Point" of Budget Phones: vivo Y300Pro Ushers in a New Era of Tech Equality

When it comes to budget phones, many people imagine cheap, low-end, and unattractive devices. Due to cost constraints, budget phones often have to compromise on features, making it hard to offer a well-rounded user experience. However, vivo recently launched the vivo Y300Pro, a device that breaks this industry trend. Not only does it sport a flagship-level design, but it also boasts surprises in terms of its screen, battery, infrared capabilities, and more, making it a "budget flagship." It's no exaggeration to say that the vivo Y300Pro is a "turning point" product in the budget phone wave, potentially shifting the market's focus from blindly chasing performance to encouraging more manufacturers to offer consumers more comprehensive, balanced, and high-quality products.

The Budget Phone Market Led by Redmi: The "One-Sided" Development of High Cost-Effectiveness

Looking back at the history of the budget phone market, we cannot ignore the Redmi brand. In July 2013, Xiaomi launched its new product line, "Redmi," with the first Redmi phone priced at a mere 699 yuan. Thanks to its remarkable cost-effectiveness, the first-generation Redmi phone instantly took the market by storm, receiving over 1 million reservations within half an hour and achieving total sales of 44.6 million units. As Lei Jun said, the first-generation Redmi phone not only eliminated a batch of low-quality clone phones but also significantly fostered the progress of China's domestic industrial chain.

Redmi's success attracted a plethora of smartphone manufacturers to join the budget phone market, eager to get a piece of the pie. However, the cost constraints of budget phones make it difficult to establish a comprehensive and balanced business moat. Over the past few years, most smartphone manufacturers have followed the proven business model, launching budget phones that primarily focus on cost-effectiveness. For example, Redmi Turbo 3, priced at 1699 yuan, was equipped with the flagship-level Snapdragon 8S processor, delivering impressive performance. However, it fell short in aspects like its all-plastic body and insufficient battery capacity.

In essence, the characteristics of budget phone market products were previously quite simple: a few core aspects were outstanding, but the appearance was plain, failing to meet consumers' diverse needs. However, with the rapid development of the smartphone industry, the prices of many high-end components have been steadily declining, revealing a clear trend in the budget phone market: to address shortcomings in various configurations and pursue a well-balanced user experience.

Flagship Design Downward Migration: vivo Embraces Tech Equality

Since 2024, smartphone manufacturers like vivo and OPPO have keenly observed this trend and started focusing on launching budget phones with different priorities. For instance, the OPPO K12, released in April 2024 at a price of 1599 yuan, is equipped with a 5500mAh high-capacity battery and supports the durable 100W Super Flash Charge, achieving a charging time of 5 minutes for 10 hours of talk time, ushering in an era of widespread 100W flash charging and ultra-long battery life. Moreover, the OPPO K12 also supports the "Ultra-Resistant Diamond Architecture," providing comprehensive protection across six sides and four corners, making it resistant to drops from all angles and offering a ten-sided drop resistance experience. During the launch event, OPPO's product manager Monica, wearing high heels, stomped on the OPPO K12, then used it to tap walnuts repeatedly, and even drilled it with a power drill, but the phone remained unscathed.

If OPPO is committed to providing consumers with a durable experience in the budget phone market, then vivo is dedicated to bringing budget phones with flagship-level design and screens. Recently launched, the vivo Y300Pro features a flagship-level gold-encrusted jade design and a deep micro-four-curved screen on the front, delivering both visually stunning and tactile flagship-level quality. Notably, the vivo Y300Pro's screen not only boasts a premium look but also impressive specifications. The official claims that its manual maximum peak brightness reaches 5000nit, even surpassing many flagship phones.

Furthermore, the vivo Y300Pro is equipped with a 6500mAh ultra-thin blue sea battery. In PChome's three-hour battery life test, the vivo Y300Pro only consumed 17% of its battery, remaining at 83% charge. Based on the test intensity, it can be used continuously for approximately 18 hours, ranking first in PChome's battery life database, even outperforming many flagship phones. For user convenience, the vivo Y300Pro's camera area is equipped with the only IR remote control in its class. Through this "redundant" feature, it is clear that vivo has a keen understanding of the needs of the budget phone market and possesses unique insights into product design.

Undeniably, since 2024, with the ongoing efforts of vivo and OPPO, a new product direction has emerged in the budget phone market. If you seek durability, the OPPO K12 is a great choice. If you prioritize phone aesthetics, then the vivo Y300Pro is an excellent option.

Budget Phones Are Vital to the Market: Promising Sales for the Y300Pro

Over the past few years, although many smartphone manufacturers have focused on high-end phones, the reality is that the mid-to-low end phone market is the most crucial part of the phone industry. Canalys research data indicates that phones priced below 2500 yuan account for 49% of the total phone market, while those priced under 1500 yuan represent 17%. Additionally, Counterpoint Research data reveals that phones priced below $150 (approximately 1074 yuan) saw a year-on-year growth of nearly 20% in 2023.

In contrast, IDC data shows that in 2023, the shipments of China's smartphone market reached approximately 271 million units, a year-on-year decline of 5%, marking the lowest shipment record in the past decade. It is evident that without the massive demand for budget phones to stabilize the market, China's smartphone market would have experienced an even greater decline in 2023. Consequently, if smartphone manufacturers aim for shipment growth, they must invest in the budget phone market.

However, consumer market demand is quietly shifting. Data from the iResearch platform indicates that 63% of users prioritize functionality when purchasing a phone, exceeding price and specifications. This suggests that consumers are no longer solely focused on cost-effectiveness but seek a more balanced functional experience.

As a result, OPPO's new generation of budget phones have been well-received by the consumer market. On e-commerce platforms, the OPPO K12 has garnered over 50,000 reviews. For a product launched only four months ago, this achievement is undeniably remarkable. Considering the more comprehensive and balanced configuration of the vivo Y300Pro, which caters to the "tech equality" needs of consumers in the budget phone market, it is likely to achieve even higher sales.

Conclusion: A New Chapter in the Budget Phone Market

In summary, the budget phone market has historically been known for its high cost-effectiveness. However, with the evolving needs of consumers, the market's expectations for phones have shifted from focusing solely on cost-effectiveness to seeking a more diverse range of features and designs. Since 2024, smartphone manufacturers like vivo and OPPO have successfully met the comprehensive needs of consumers by launching budget phone models with innovative designs and high-performance hardware, such as the flagship-level design and ultra-thin blue sea battery of the vivo Y300Pro and the extreme durability of the OPPO K12.

Given the significance of the mid-to-low end phone market as a crucial part of the phone industry, its competition and innovation will directly impact the overall industry trends. Led by smartphone manufacturers like vivo and OPPO, the budget phone market is poised to shine anew, offering consumers a wider selection of high-quality options.

Data Last Updated: September 2, 2024