Japanese toaster maker Balmuda launches stripped back smartphone

Balmuda CEO Gen Terao holds the company's new smartphone at a news conference in Tokyo.

TOKYO Reuters - High-end Japanese toaster maker Balmuda Inc unveiled a stripped back smartphone on Tuesday, aiming for a toe-hold in a market dominated by Apple's iPhone.

The 5 G enabled Android device is expected to contribute 3 billion yen $26 million to Balmuda's sales in the current financial year, Chief Executive Gen Terao said at the launch event.

The Balmuda Phone costs $ 104,800 yen $920 and has a small 4.9 inch screen and curved back.

It is built by Kyocera Corp and offered by wireless carrier SoftBank Corp, which first brought the iPhone to Japan.

Terao, who was a high school dropout and in a rock band before founding Balmuda, said the iPhone has become too much of a standard.

The device has a custom home screen with Balmuda's version of basic apps like the calendar and clock and fits in the hand, Terao said.

Balmuda, which was listed last December, was listed on the website www.reuters. A com article Us-balmuda ipo-idUSKBN 28 Q 0 DQ, has carved out a niche selling minimalist household appliances at premium prices such as The Toaster priced $225 and a $520 coffee machine named The Brew Its smartphone, which will face stiff competition from Apple, which has reported iPhone sales in Japan of $28.5 billion in the year to September. In Japan, the 5.4 inch iPhone 13 mini is almost 20% cheaper than the Balmuda Phone.