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Tesco plans to launch an own-brand smartphone this year

by Mark Tyson on 7 May 2014, 09:30

Tags: Tesco (LON:TSCO), PC

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Tesco, the largest British supermarket retailer, is planning to launch its own brand smartphone by the end of the year, according to a report on the BBC.

The news came out as Tesco's chief executive Philip Clarke announced the device on BBC Radio 4 live's Wake Up to Money programme. As you might expect, the device will come with Tesco services pre-installed.

Comparable to Samsung Galaxy S5

Tesco's smartphone was said to be comparable to the higher-end of the market, with Clarke saying that it is "comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S5." Just like Hudl, the device will run on Google's Android alongside Tesco apps for buying clothing and groceries, Tesco online banking, a media e-store and managing Blinkbox. Interestingly customers who also have a Tesco banking current account linked to their smartphone will be able to scan and pay with the device at supermarkets without going to a checkout till.

Unfortunately, no further details about the handset or its pricing were provided in the interview, but it was mentioned that the device will be aggressively priced. Tesco also recently announced that it will not be charging a premium for 4G.

With Amazon also expected to release its own-brand smartphone following the success of its Kindle Fire tablet, and EE launching the £99 EE Kestrel, we hope to see more information on the Tesco device soon, as a battle of own-brand phones is sure to commence.

Hudl 2

Tesco's Clarke also mentioned during the BBC programme that consumers can expect to see a refreshed version of the Hudl, Tesco's own brand cut-price 7-inch tablet, which hit 500K sales last month, by September. The new slab will be dubbed the Hudl 2 and will be released again, as a low-end device.



HEXUS Forums :: 9 Comments

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Tesco's smartphone was said to be comparable to the higher-end of the market, with Clarke saying that it is “comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S5.”
You mean stuffed to the gills with bloatware that no-one wants or uses?
Interestingly customers who also have a Tesco banking current account linked to their smartphone will be able to scan and pay with the device at supermarkets without going to a checkout till.
I'm sure muggers will love that feature.

Sorry, I really should try and be more positive. Hey, at least it's full blown Android, not Amazon's “almost but not quite” or some break-in-five-minutes-slab like the EE device is reported to be.
After the Hudl I'm happy to give Tesco an open mind to the devices it promotes at this stage. Hudl was a top class product for it's price point.
as long as it does not have tesco logo on it
PewPew
as long as it does not have tesco logo on it

That's an awesome idea, actually.

The whole device should be decked out in blue and white stripes, with Tesco Value written across the top.
I think Tesco could be in a position to compete with Amazon. If it bundles its services books, music and films for in exchange for say spend £40 this week on your groceries to unlock Blinkbox Music or buy a meal deal with a free movie for a night in, they could be on to a winner.