In a surprising move, NIO, the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has officially unveiled its inaugural smartphone during its 2023 Innovation Day presentation in China. This unexpected foray into the smartphone market comes as NIO continues to make waves in the EV industry, demonstrating a trend of innovative automakers branching out into new tech territories.
The journey to this moment began in March 2022 when NIO’s Chairman and CEO, William Li, confirmed the company’s plans to develop a smartphone, positioning it as a direct competitor to industry giant Apple. By the summer of 2022, more details had emerged, revealing design concepts and intentions to incorporate a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, with deliveries slated for 2023. NIO has now delivered on many of these promises, even managing to offer a starting price lower than originally anticipated.
The unveiling of the Android-based NIO Phone took center stage during NIO’s 2023 Innovation Day event, which featured a comprehensive showcase of the company’s 12 cutting-edge technologies. These technologies encompassed NIO’s first LiDAR main control chip, the Tianshu SkyOS vehicle-wide operating system, NIO Link for panoramic interconnection, the NOP+ global enhanced navigation assistance service, and, of course, the headline-grabbing NIO Phone itself—all aimed at enhancing user experiences.
The NIO Phone, as initially promised, packs a powerful punch with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC processor. It boasts a 6.81-inch curved screen with an impressive 2K resolution from Samsung, supporting a flexible refresh rate ranging from 1 to 120 Hz. Equipped with a substantial 5200 mAh battery, the phone offers 66-watt wired charging, 50-watt wireless charging, and 10-watt reverse charging capabilities. Remarkably, even if the NIO Phone runs out of power, it can still unlock the owner’s NIO EV for an additional 48 hours, emphasizing its integration with the EV ecosystem.
NIO has taken a customer-centric approach, tailor-making the NIO Phone for its EV owners. One standout feature is the action button, enabling drivers to initiate over 30 functions related to their EV, including control over HVAC settings, seat massages, and vehicle locks. Additionally, thanks to its ultra-wide band (UWB) technology, the NIO Phone can wirelessly mirror itself as a virtual phone on the center screen of the paired NIO EV, akin to Apple’s Airplay.
What sets NIO apart is its commitment to ongoing innovation in the smartphone space. The company has announced plans to release a new NIO Phone every year, following a similar strategy to Apple. While Apple recently unveiled the iPhone 15, NIO appears to have strategically timed its smartphone launch, albeit at a slightly higher price point. The three available versions of the NIO Phone are as follows:
- 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage – RMB 6,499 ($889)
- 12 GB RAM and 1 TB storage – RMB 6,899 ($944)
- 16 GB RAM and 1 TB storage – RMB 7,499 ($1,026)
To provide further value to its customers, NIO plans to offer protection plans for its phones, akin to AppleCare, for RMB 699 ($96). Additionally, a 1TB cloud storage service will be available for RMB 38 ($5) per month. As of today, the NIO Phone is officially available for sale in China, with initial deliveries scheduled to commence on September 28, 2023.
