Cherry Mobile: Price is their brand strategy

Philippines holds a commanding market for the mobile phone industry, with Filipinos almost changing makes and models almost every six months. We are so distraught about our handset unit that it has somehow become part of our fashion signature, and for some, a symbol status. We would not have been a world's "text capital" if not because of our incurable fancy to mobile phones despite our economic improbability. But there are thrifty few in some of us who preferred the most practical option.

If you are that person, how practical can you get when it comes to mobile phone. Have you ever scrimped with your trusty Nokia 5110 for the longest time now? Or stayed in love with that Ericsson T-series one liner clamshell phone? Or the Alcatel "Safeguard-looking" phone.

Or you'd better be grab the new price-buster models from Torque and Cherry Mobile that would cost cheaper than you regular balance. Ok, I'm exaggerating, I just couldn't believe that there are phones in the market that would cost Php1,000 or less.

Lately, a friend Jordan lost his Nokia phone at one of the drinking bars we are frequenting to. He even tried going back to the bar just to check with the waiters if there's any phone left from the table he was seated. To the unlucky him, none was found. Or admitted found.

Right now, the fellow is just sporting a Cherry Mobile P1, smaller than the size of my Filipino astronomer membership ID. So small, it is as small as its price range. If that isn't the cheapest phone out there, I don't know what is.

The P1 is housed in a sturdy plastic with five different eye-catching candy colors: Black, Red, Green, Blue and White/Silver. The user interface is straightforward. 8-year-olds would find the UI of the Cherry Mobile P1 a piece of cake. The phone’s functions come with its price tag. It’s limited to texting and calling making it an awesome secondary phone. So if you’re looking for an affordable phone and your only requirements are being able to text and call, this is one phone to consider.

It's a no frill phone. It can do your expected basic phone function: SMS with predictive T9 input, GSM 900/1800, and 8-tone polyphonic melodies reminiscent of a Tamagochi. Not bad for a subPhp1,000 price point device. Indeed, Cherry Mobile's brand positioning is the price. Nothing beats that.

I particularly like Jordan's comment when we started raising our eyebrows upon looking his phone that we initially thought to be just a calculator or a keychain. He said, "it's ok, I may have the most backward of phones in terms of features, but I am driving a Honda Civic SIR, let's just drag the road and I will let you bite the dust." The guy has a point. Or he is just pissed off.