BLU Products is an American cell phone maker based in Dora, Florida, established in 2009. The company makes smartphones for Android, targeting people living in developing nations. While some of its goods are made at BLU’s USA base, the phones are manufactured in China. The newest mobile launch by BLU is the Vivo X which was introduced in February 2018. The Vivo X comes with a 6.00-inch display screen, a PPI of 268 pixels, and a resolution of 720 pixels by 1440 pixels.
The BLU Vivo X is powered by a MediaTek Helio P25 CPU with a 2.6GHz octa-core and 4GB of RAM. The mobile packs 64GB of internal memory that can be extended by a MicroSD of up to 128 GB, so plenty of storage for videos and music. A BLU Vivo X packs a 13-megapixel main camera on the back as well as a 20-megapixel camera in the front, which is great for selfies, but is unusual having the better camera on the front of the phone.
BLU on Your Corner
BLU produces their phones as unlocked, as per wireless executives I’ve been talking to, so you’re able to use them on any network from the get-go. Via Amazon as well as Best Buy, they sell lots of mobiles, and Ohev-Zion said the partnership with Amazon for the R1 HD is about raising awareness of small-cost, unlocked phones as an alternative in the US.
What you do not see is how omnipresent BLU has become in corner stores and cell phone stores in immigrant neighborhoods as well as small-income neighborhoods, in which most goods are bought with cash.
Best BLU phones are paired at these local stores with prepaid SIM cards from carriers like Simple Cell phone, Lyca Mobile, as well as Ultra Mobile, many of which are specialized in offering access to cheap international plans. If you live in a migrant community in the New York City area, you will find posters for small businesses that sell BLU phones.
BLU was the 1st real low-cost supplier of smartphones in the United States, according to Ohev-Zion. When BLU first reached the US market, 95% of all other phones available were locked. BLU phones on the other hand were unlocked giving them a competitive edge, as it let consumers choose which carrier they want to do use. Thus, BLU phones can be purchased by a wider variety of consumers, anywhere in the United States, and be paired with SIM cards from virtually any service of the customers choosing.
“Three [even] four years ago, there was no way for us to source an opened product. No one knew what that was. When we went to all these stores, they fell in love with the product [and] we formed a very powerful channel of allocation.” – Ohev-Zion
Other firms are running the very same playbook nowadays in the U.S.: Posh Mobile, as well as Verykool, come to mind. But online reviews and customer satisfaction numbers show that BLU still does laps around these other players on quality and features.
“BLU is distinctive because we’ve been the pioneers in unlocked. We’ve gone after the unlocked retail sector, we’ve been the first, and we’ve helped make it,” – Ohev-Zion
It was through “local heroes” strategy of targeting local stores frequented by migrants looking to call home cheaply, that BLU was able to circumvent the big players already on the market. This local unlocked strategy is their own little niche and it’s working wonders for them. Selling on Amazon and Best Buy hasn’t hurt them either.
BLU – A Budget Phone
BLU is a budget telephone manufacturer with some black spots on their record.
If you have ever looked for a new Android phone on Amazon (especially) you’ve probably come across BLU devices. BLU phones do try to stay up with the latest trends and often times compete directly with major phone manufactures in terms of design and features. Which is pretty great for a budget line of phones.
Some BLU phones have better quality than the others, but over the years BLU has gotten some bad marks from customers:
- In 2016, it was found that some pre-loaded applications on BLU phones had a backdoor which sent user data to Chinese servers (this is a major no-no). BLU claimed that their was no backdoor and said the data obtained was destroyed and not retained (who knows if that’s true!).
Concerns about privacy are a major issue in the market today. I don’t want my data being transferred to a server in Communist China, where it could be weaponized or sold off to the highest bidder. I’m hopeful that BLU has learned their listen since this episode, but make sure to do your due diligence before buying any BLU phone. You also have the option to wipe the phone once you buy it and remove any pesky pre-loaded apps.
Bang for Your Buck: the Super-Budget Winners of BLU
As of 2017, BLU has not had a major SNAFU (cross our fingers), and have continued to sell great budget handsets with trendy new characteristics and rock bottom prices. For example, as Amazon’s best-selling unlocked mobile phone, the $150 BLU VIVO XL4 defeats the Moto G6 as well as Samsung Galaxy S8. In fact, in last two years, the Amazon.com best sellers list has had several BLU products on it.
The VIVO XL4 is a handset that feels, as well as it performs, beyond its price tag with a 6.2-inch knotted screen and a 4,000 mAh battery which can power the device all day long. This is the best model to get if you really want to try out a BLU mobile phone.
The best BLU phone is BLU VIVO XL4:
- Big 5/2A Fast Charge 4,000mAh battery; Encoded Fingerprint Sensor. The device can charge in less than 2.5 hours.
- 32 GB of internal storage.
- 3GB RAM.
- Micro SD up to the 128 GB.
- 2.0GHz MediaTek P22 + AI CPU.
- 6.2” HD+ 19: 9 All Display Design with the Curved Glass screen.
- Double AI Camera’s: 13MP + 2MP with the flashlight, Front Camera: 13MP with the flashlight.’
Do you own a BLU phone? If so, tell us what you think of it. If not, would you consider buying one? Let us know what you think about BLU in the comment section below.
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