Lenovo launches concept store in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Lenovo opened last Monday its sixth concept store in the Philippines inside Ayala Center Cebu and unveiled to the Cebuano market their newest premium product called Vibe X.

The expansion and unveiling came on the back of the country's continued exponential three-fold growth in smartphone volume sales.

According to Lenovo Philippines marketing communications manager Anna Abola, the opening will help bolster Lenovo's grip in the southern Philippines market.

The Cebu store is their second outside Metro Manila. It follows the opening of the Glorietta 3 Makati and SM City Taytay stores, attesting to Lenovo's aggressive pursuit of new high-growth opportunities in the smartphone market.

Juan Armando Rojo, business unit head of Lenovo's local partner Open Communications Corp., said that they hope to sustain in 2014 their showing in the global market last year.

"Part of sustaining that growth is to build on our Visayas and Mindanao market," Rojo said,

While Lenovo is well known as a PC brand, the company wishes to further buoy up its smartphone segment with the addition of Vibe X to its portfolio.

The Lenovo Mobile exclusive store in Ayala Center, like the five other mobile concept stores, offers smartphone products such as the Lenovo A series and the recently launched premium smartphone Vibe X, along with tablets like Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 and Yoga Tablet 10. The store also merchandises Lenovo accessories.

Vibe X smartphone, officials said, is remarkably thin and light with slim featherweight frame that measures 6.9mm, just as thin as a pencil. It weighs much less than other smartphones at just 121 grams or about the weight of five AA batteries.

Other features of Lenovo Vibe X are its two advanced cameras that allow users to capture photos and videos. The smartphone is said to be a hit for consumers who are fond of doing selfies.

"We are bullish on the growth prospects of the smartphone market in the Philippines and the launch of Lenovo Vibe X is a reflection of our belief in the potential and importance of the Philippine market to Lenovo," country general manager Michael Ngan said in a statement.

Ngan said that globally, Lenovo is the top PC brand and second in the PC plus tablet category.  It is also ranked third in the smart connected devices which include the PCs, tablets and smartphones.

By strengthening their retail presence for mobile with the opening of more Lenovo exclusive mobile stores across the country, Ngan is hopeful the company will sustain this growth momentum.

Latest available data from top market research agency GfK show that the Philippines registered 326 percent growth in smartphone volume sales, making it the country with the highest jump in smartphone market share within a year, from 9 percent to 24 percent. (FREEMAN)