Chinese online video provider Letv aims to extend its foray into smartphones through a new partnership with China Unicom.
The companies have jointly launched the Le 1 China Unicom Edition, a 4G smartphone built around the Letv ecosystem and content
The Le 1 has launched China-wide for 1,899 yuan ($306), which includes a smartphone, one-year premium membership to the Le streaming service and a montly 6GB data package. The companies have also launched contract packages for both new and old subscribers.
In a statement announcing the partnership, the companies said they believe this marks “the beginning of the era of [the smartphone ecosystem] when hardware and data are free.”
“It is in our hope that China Unicom and Letv can change people's life in a brand-new mobile internet age and bring new value to the users”, said Wu Zhaoxiang, General Managing Director for the Operations Center of Woego.cn, China Unicom.
Wu also expresses that this partnership is a result of stringent assessment of high standards. China Unicom will give its full support to the smart devices in Letv's innovative ecosystem and work together with Letv to promote the development of mobile internet ecosystem.
China Unicom and Letv will both sell the devices at their retail offices and partner channels, as well as via China Unicom's 10010.com and Letvs lemall.com online stores. The companies will together provide a total of 500 million yuan to subsidize the cost of Le 1 hardware for customers.
Letv has set a target of achieving 3 million annual smartphone sales by the end of the year.