18 replies to this topic

[billybiro]

So, it seems that Huawei have finally revealed the European/UK price for the Huawei Ascend P1 (note, just the P1, not the P1 S).

http://www.techradar...evealed-1085056

Seems it'll retail for around €450 or around £365.

Expansys UK have also updated their page to reflect this aproximate price, too:  http://www.expansys....cend-p1-228060/
(Screen capture Image link in case price changes: http://i.imgur.com/0Iua2.png)

I think this is far too expensive for a Huawei-branded phone, and especially one which is only effectively a mid-range phone by today's standards.

For example, I think the Huawei Ascend P1 is comparable (tech spec-wise) to last years flag-ship Samsung phone, the Galaxy S2.

According to play.com, the Galaxy S2 can now be purchased (sim-free, unlocked and brand new) for even cheaper than the Huawei Ascend P1!!
(See:  http://www.play.com/.../-/Product.html   Image link:  http://i.imgur.com/FZH56.png)

I think that Samsung has by far the better brand recognition and respect (not to mention a far bigger community around the device), so how come Huawei thinks it can sell it's "variation-on-a-Galaxy S2" phone for even more?  Personally, if I'm going to blow £350 on a phone and was considering between these two, I think I'd pick the Samsung Galaxy S2 every time.

Am I missing something here?

Edited by billybiro, 29 June 2012 - 09:04 AM.

[scuzzbucket]

They're in a difficult situation. They are seen as a budget/cheapo option, which they want to evolve away from (a la HTC) so have to choose to either price low and keep the (unfair) budget/junk label, or price higher in attempt to catch the buyer who equates high price to high quality.

It's a sad state of affairs that people judge an items quality by the price they are charged. Cheap = crappy and expensive = quality. The easiest comparison would be the Apple Tax I suppose.

[Sebastian404]

The thing is tho, if you want an iPhone, you have to pay what Apple charge for it...   The iPhone is overpriced but the market can bare it apparently, judging by the sheer number of the ruddy things you see around the place.

With Android, there is a HUGE range of budget phones, and really as nice as the P1 looks $575 for it is really pushing it for a 'mid market' device.

and that's before you consider you get get the Samsung Nexus for $500 and you'll be able to have Jellybean from day one....

[NeostarNeko]

I think that within time Huawei will realise the error and fix it . . .I hopd

[scuzzbucket]

I wasn't trying to say it's a fair price, because it's not one I'm willing to pay. Just floating what I see as Huawei's rationalisation for their pricing. There are plenty of options to pick from in the £100 - £350 range. Like you say a GS2 or Nexus is around £300 - £350. I predict piss poor sales and heavy discounting in a few months.

[billybiro]

scuzzbucket, on 30 June 2012 - 05:56 PM, said:

I wasn't trying to say it's a fair price, because it's not one I'm willing to pay. Just floating what I see as Huawei's rationalisation for their pricing. There are plenty of options to pick from in the £100 - £350 range. Like you say a GS2 or Nexus is around £300 - £350. I predict piss poor sales and heavy discounting in a few months.

Thanks for your reply, Scuzzbucket.  I do see where you're coming from in postulating on Huawei's rationalisation for setting the price, and them perhaps desiring to be seen as a more "up-market" brand, rather than the cheap-and-cheerful they've been so far.

That said, however, they are competing with other brands (noticeably the Ascend P1 seems to directly compete against Samsung's Galaxy S2) and these other brands already have the recognition and brand "kudos".  Seeing as Huawei currently don't have that, they need to do something to both differentiate themselves and provide consumers with the motivation to select a Huawei product over (say) a Samsung one.  I'd have thought that the best way to do that would be to slightly undercut the Samsung current market price, not go slightly over it (thereby removing all motivation to select the Huawei!)

Ultimately, if they stick with this current approach, I think you're right about the awful sales, and they'll then be forced to deeply discount the phone in order to generate more sales.  I think this is the wrong approach for Huawei as they'll be forced to discount to a price point far lower than if they'd just released the phone at a slightly-cheaper-than-S2 price in the first place!

[scuzzbucket]

I think they're making a big mistake with the pricing. Its completely taken the wind out their sails/sales. I was quite keen on these P1 devices and was seriously considering one. I'm not any more. I can buy an equivalent device for a lot less. Damn shame really. I'm going to hope I'm more successful ordering a Meizu MX quad core than I was trying to get a Xaomi Mi-one last year.

[billybiro]

scuzzbucket, on 02 July 2012 - 07:13 PM, said:

I think they're making a big mistake with the pricing. Its completely taken the wind out their sails/sales. I was quite keen on these P1 devices and was seriously considering one. I'm not any more. I can buy an equivalent device for a lot less. Damn shame really. I'm going to hope I'm more successful ordering a Meizu MX quad core than I was trying to get a Xaomi Mi-one last year.

I completely agree.  I've been watching & waiting for the price to be announced for the Ascend P1 device, thinking that I'd buy one immediately if the price was right.  I was hoping the price would be around the £250 region, in which case, I'd have bought one as soon as I could.  As you quite rightly say, for less than the (proposed) price of the Ascend P1, you can get something either the same spec-wise but with a better brand/community (i.e. Samsing Galaxy S2) or even something with better specs.

Let's hope Huawei realise their error and correct it before the Ascend P1 becomes a non-starter for a phone.

[NeostarNeko]

I think Huawei need to get the network carriers to sell this phone, as that way they can subsidise it to a better price

[weckl]

The best soltuion is to risk and buy in China . Price is around 330 euros shipping included. This is the best way to get a fair price for the P1. The counter part of it is that if something goes wrong you have to send it to China again meaning you will without phone for a month for repair but considering how Huawei has improved in terms of quality this is a risk that is worth it. Would be a matter of really bad luck to receive a faulty P1.

Edited by weckl, 27 July 2012 - 01:30 PM.

[weckl]

Huawei P1 coming to London very soon. Aproximate price around 390 euros.

[Chrisund123]

weckl, on 06 August 2012 - 11:36 PM, said:

Huawei P1 coming to London very soon. Aproximate price around 390 euros.

We use pounds over here

[feckineejit]

Just had a little play with one in Vodafone shop today, there not out yet, but the shop had one in the back and let me look at it, looks and feels nice, the bloke said they didn't know the price of them yet, but if its the price you all think, i think i'll give it a miss and stick with my G300 for now, which is away getting repaired atm because of the low mic problem.

[scuzzbucket]

Root and recovery - http://madmodder.co....0-ascend-p1.htm - if they knocked a few quid off this I would probably try one.

[Gagas1]

I thought someone might be intresteed

http://www.ibood.com...-AMOLED_screen/

[TheChicGeek]

I think this phone is starting to take off over here now, well the 4G version anyway. The 4G version is available FREE on plans from £41 per month via EE. I am judging this by the number of orders I have received for cases in the last 14 days.

[Phoenix10498]

I have bought one for 272 euros (with transport and so on) at price minister.

Just received the phone today.

Impressive phone, works very well.

Smooth.

Edited by Phoenix10498, 11 April 2013 - 08:11 AM.

[Brianrh]

I have been looking at this phone recently after I found the following 24 month contract on T-Mobile in the UK:

http://www.t-mobile....-ascend-p1-lte/


This looks too good to be true or am I missing something?

[Brianrh]

Brianrh, on 19 April 2013 - 07:22 PM, said:

I have been looking at this phone recently after I found the following 24 month contract on T-Mobile in the UK:

http://www.t-mobile....-ascend-p1-lte/


This looks too good to be true or am I missing something?

After a bit more research I've found out that this phone is an inferior 4G phone supplied only to the EE (T-Mobile & Orange) network. It's obviously a different beast to the Ascend P1 hence the low contract cost.

Sorry for the diversion.