Unihertz
 | |
| Unihertz | |
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
| Founded | 2016[1] |
| Founder | Stephen Xu (CEO)[2] |
| Headquarters | , China |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Smartphones |
| Website | unihertz |
Unihertz is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer headquartered in Shanghai, China.[1] The company makes mobile devices running Android OS, targeted at niche audiences utilizing design features such as physical keyboards, small form factors, and ruggedisation. The brand has been funded through the Kickstarter platform, launching 8 campaigns between 2017 and 2022. The company's first product was the small-form Unihertz Jelly in 2017, raising over 1.25 million dollars via crowdfunding.
Company[edit]
Unihertz was founded as Unihertz E-Commerce Co., Ltd. in 2016,[1] by Stephen Xu (CEO).[2] Unihertz was granted a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) trademark on October 4, 2016,[3] a European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) trademark on July 28, 2016,[4] and a US patent on December 25, 2018.[5]
Crowdfunding Smartphones[edit]
Unihertz gained attention in 2017 with the launch of a crowdfunding project for a credit card sized Android smartphone named Unihertz Jelly, with the Kickstarter project achieving its goal of $30,000 in under an hour, ultimately obtaining US$1.25 million.[6][7] Another Kickstarter campaign was created to raise funds for the Unihertz Atom, a similarly sized device with a more rugged design.[8] In 2019 Unihertz launched the Titan, which features a physical QWERTY keyboard.[9]
Unihertz has launched several crowdfunding projects for subsequent models including the Atom XL Walkie-Talkie rugged smartphone with a 4-inch display, the Jelly 2 – a full-featured mini phone with a 3-inch display, the Titan Pocket – a compact QWERTY keyboard smartphone,[10] the TickTock, a 5G rugged phone with dual-screen, and the Titan Slim, their latest QWERTY phone in 2022.[11]
| Model | Main Features | Crowdfunding Achievement | Release Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jelly/ Jelly Pro | Unihertz's first Kickstarter project on Kickstarter. It was then the smallest 4G smartphone (2.45-inch screen display). It runs Android 7.0, which was later upgraded to Android 8.1 Oreo. The smartphone was also released on Indiegogo.[12] | US$1.25M
10,964 backers |
2017 |
| Atom | The rugged version of Jelly. Atom is IP68 certified with a screen of the same size as Jelly. First released with Android 8.1 Oreo and later upgraded to Android 9 Pie. Atom has a 2,000mAh battery.[13] | US$1.29M
5,310 backers |
2018 |
| Titan | Titan was Unihertz's first QWERTY smartphone running Android. It is IP67-rated with a 6,000mAh battery capacity and rugged design.[9] Initially released with Android 9 and later upgraded to Android 10 Queen Cake. | US$ 776K
3,085 backers |
2019 |
| Atom XL/L | Atom XL and Atom L are upgraded versions of Atom, with a larger 4-inch screen size and a 4,300mAh battery. Unihertz emphasises the one-handed usability of this handset. The only difference between XL and L is the walkie-talkie function. Initially released with Android 10 and later upgraded to Android 11 Red Velvet Cake.[14] | US$ 568K
2,341 backers |
2020 |
| Jelly 2 | Jelly 2 is the successor of the first generation Jelly. It runs Android 10 and has a 2,000mAh battery capacity.[15] An upgrade to Android 11 has since been released. | US$ 979K
5,343 backers |
2020 |
| Titan Pocket | Titan Pocket is an android QWERTY smartphone aimed at PKB enthusiasts. It is smaller than the previous Unihertz Titan and is equipped with Android 11.[16] The Titan Pocket features a 4,000mAh battery. | US$ 794K
3,425 backers |
2021 |
| TickTock | 5G rugged smartphone with a 6,000mAh battery, featuring a dual screen design and runs Android 11.[11] Its target audience is people who engage in outdoor activities and often stay outside or travel for days. | US$ 184K
608 Backers |
2022 |
| Titan Slim | The Titan Slim adopts a rectangular screen. It is made narrower than its previous QWERTY models, with the stated objective to be easiest to hold and type among the Titan series.[17] It features Android 11 and a 4100mAh battery. | US$ 589K
2,281 Backers |
2022 |
Other Smartphones[edit]
Unihertz owns a self-operated smartphone manufacturing plant with a full production line. Unihertz also releases and launches complementary products to its featured product series when it has sufficient funds. Examples include the Tank series of devices, a lineup of ruggedised mobile phones, and the Luna phone.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "About Unihertz - Linkedin".
- ^ a b Mini phone maker admits performance shortcomings. BBC. October 23, 2017.
- ^ "Trademark Status & Document Retrieval". tsdr.uspto.gov. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
- ^ "UniHertz Trademark of Shanghai Unihertz E-Commerce Co., Ltd. Application Number: 015311277 :: Trademark Elite Trademarks". www.trademarkelite.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
- ^ "United States Patent, Mobile Terminal". US Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- ^ Jelly, the world’s smallest LTE and Nougat smartphone, reaches Kickstarter goal in under an hour. pocketnow.com
- ^ Cervantes, Edgar (June 3, 2017) Unihertz Jelly review: a tiny phone with huge aspirations. androidauthority.com
- ^ Cervantes, Edgar (December 27, 2018) Unihertz Atom review: You won't want to use it, and that's the point. androidauthority.com
- ^ a b Unihertz Announces Launch of Titan – Unbreakable Smartphone With QWERTY Keyboard. PR Newswire. July 30, 2019
- ^ O'Donnell, Deirdre (May 20, 2021) Unihertz puts its smallest physical-keyboard phone yet up for crowdfunding. notebookcheck.net
- ^ a b Ltd, Shanghai Unihertz E.-Commerce. "New Kickstarter Campaign of Unihertz - TickTock, a 5G Rugged Phone with Unique Dual-Screen". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ "Unihertz Jelly Pro Review". PCMag. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Miller, Mathew (June 5, 2018). "Unihertz Atom hands-on: Rugged tiny 4G smartphone keeps you connected in the field for less than $300". ZDNET.
- ^ Bernath, Chase (July 24, 2021). "Unihertz Atom XL review: Walkie-talkie meets smartphone". Android Authority.
- ^ Hager, Ryne (August 22, 2020). "Unihertz Jelly 2 review: Size matters". Android Police.
- ^ Wedel, Chris (August 24, 2021). "Unihertz Titan Pocket review: A phone that's trying to do so much in too little space". Android Central.
- ^ Unihertz. "Unihertz's Latest QWERTY Smartphone Raised 400K+ USD on Kickstarter in 12 Hours". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved February 23, 2023.