In many ways smartphones of this age are fundamentally different than what we used to have a decade ago. Back then it was all about including features and trying to add more value to a smartphone that could do much more beyond calling and data, which was just happening.
Today, the attempt is to see how a smartphone can deliver the experience of a ‘pro’ alternative. Be the area of photography, gaming, entertainment, music, productivity or something else, smartphone OEMs have been keeping themselves busy in making additions, many times incremental, that could deliver experiences of what a professional alternative does. In other words, attempting the need of owning a pro gadget that does a particular function. The smartphone could double up as the pro device delivering the desired results.
In doing so, some other aspects have also become important over the period. These include durability, power efficiency, compute, optics, security, immersive experiences, etc. The smartphone industry has acquired these by collaborating with respective ecosystems delivering these unique elements that have got attached with smartphones over a period of time. However, very few of them have been consistent in delivering premium value that is not only recognised by the OEMs but customers as well.
There are many such technologies and components that the smartphone industry has been collaborating with. Some of them are also proprietary and available only with the OEM. Enumerating the prominent ones include – Sony, Dolby, Corning, Knoxx, Zeiss, Hasselblad & Leica. There are many more suppliers, but they hardly get a mention, and customers may not be necessarily aware of them. Additionally, chipset suppliers get a prominent mention. Technologies such as fast charging has been proprietary to OEMs or the parent group.
Across all these suppliers of technology and components, only three have become very important for the smartphone OEMs. These are not only included as a premium feature but also widely marketed by the smartphone makers highlighting them as specific value addition to the overall proposition.
To respond to the market needs, these tech providers – Sony, Dolby and Corning have also developed a hierarchical product line which is today used by OEMs across price segments. For instance, Dolby has been introducing different sound encoders and video processing algorithms serving different needs in various customer segments. They have Dolby Atmos for audio and Dolby Vision for video for the ultra-immersive experiences. Similarly, Corning has Gorilla generations with Victus 2 as their flagship glass type but also offers Glass 3 and 5 for lower customer segments. Sony has a range of IMX camera sensors as well as its latest flagship LYTIA sensors for ultra-premium smartphones.
The point to note here is that these three tech providers to the smartphone OEMs have not confined their offering exclusive for costly smartphones. They rather add a layer of premium experience at every price segment. They have a tailor-made solution for every price point.
Today, only these three technology and component suppliers have the distinction of being the preference of every smartphone maker, in some cases for other product categories as well. These ‘labels’ are not just seen adding a specific feature or function but also enhance the overall value proposition and add a premium ‘tag’ to the devices in their respective orbits. As customer expectations witness a major shift where delight is no longer basis possession of a specification but the experience, they cherish post-purchase, the role of these value enhancers is only going to embolden.
