最贵的奢侈手机Vertu品牌被中国收购
The Chinese smartphone family, long known by its average-quality and inexpensive devices, is all set to welcome a new member. Only, the new entrant is a cut above the rest as its major customers are nattily dressed businesspeople who sport customized gadgets handcrafted with sapphire crystal screens and high-end leather.
中国的智能手机产品,以其性价比优势为人熟知,现在,中国智能手机产品这个大家庭又迎来一位新成员。有一点不同的是,这位新成员的客户主要是那些穿着西装革履的高端商务人士,配备该品牌由蓝宝石水晶、高级皮质雕刻制作的手机。The United Kingdom-based luxury smartphone vendor Vertu Co Ltd was sold by its Swedish owner EQT Holdings AB to a group of unknown investors in Hong Kong.
总部设在英国,由瑞典投资集团殷拓EQT所有的智能手机奢侈品牌Vertu(威图)有限公司,日前已被香港某投资集团收购。EQT said the ownership change was completed in mid-October. Details of the transaction, including the amount, were not disclosed.
EQT集团表示,Vertu(威图)在10月中便已易主,但交易的诸多细节,如成交额等信息未予披露。
The private equity firm acquired Vertu from Nokia in 2012 for more than 200 million euros ($220 million). The phone maker subsequently changed its operating system from Symbian to Google Inc's Android and launched a range of new products.
2012年,瑞典的投资集团殷拓EQT以逾2亿欧元的价格从诺基亚手中收购了Vertu。手机制造商随后便放弃其塞班操作系统,加入谷歌的安卓系统阵营,并推出了系列新产品。However, the price of Vertu devices far exceeds the flagship devices sold by Apple Inc or Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Prices for a Vertu phone easily reach 50,000 yuan ($7,900) in China, compared to 7,788-yuan price tag for the most expensive model of the iPhone 6S Plus selling in the country. Vertu provides 24-hour worldwide concierge service to its phone users to access "money-can't-buy" events and experiences.
但是,Vertu的手机价格远远超过了苹果、三星等手机。在中国,一部普通Vertu手机的价格高达5万,而时下热销中国最贵的iPhone 6S Plus也才7788元。此外,Vertu不仅仅是一部手机,它能为用户提供24小时的全球贵宾服务,让用户体验到用钱都难买到的私人服务。The company runs retail outlets in high-end shopping malls in cities including Beijing and Shanghai. Chinese shoppers' zeal for luxury products has been driving Vertu's expansion.
该公司门店主要集中于北京、上海等城市的高端商场。中国消费者对奢侈品的购买欲推动了Vertu的扩展。Vertu, which was originally started by Nokia in 1998, will need to find a new chief executive following the change in ownership.
Vertu,由诺基亚于1998年创建,随着此次所有权的变更,需要一位新的执行总官。Massimiliano Pogliani, the company's chief executive for three years, is believed to have stepped down from his post.
时任三年Vertu首席执行官的MassimilianoPogliani表示,是时候将接力棒交给新团队了。It was also not immediately clear as to how the ownership change would affect Vertu's operations. Hong Kong-based investment company Godin Holdings, a key investor in Vertu, did not reply to e-mails sent by China Daily seeking comments.
Vertu所有权变化对公司的影响也不会立即明确显现。总部位于香港的投资公司戈丁控股公司, Vertu的一个主要投资公司,没有答复中国日报寻求意见的电子邮件。Vertu's Hong Kong office said the company would issue a statement regarding the ownership and leadership changes on Wednesday. But no statement was made by Wednesday evening.
Vertu的香港公司表示,公司会在周三发出关于Vertu所有权和领导权变更的声明。但是,周三晚上并没有相关声明发布。Hong Kong investors have showed a rare interest in buying overseas smartphone makers lately.
香港投资商最近已经表现出收购海外智能手机的极大兴趣。REX Global Entertainment Holdings Ltd, a Hong Kong-listed firm, paid $100 million for 64.9 percent stake in Russian smartphone maker Yota Devices last week.
REX环球娱乐集团有限公司,是一家香港上市公司,上周支付 1亿美元收购了俄罗斯的智能手机制造商Yota公司64.9%的股份。TZ Wong, a senior analyst at Singapore-based research company Canalys, said Vertu is facing strong headwinds because of its pricing strategy.
黄,新加坡一家调研公司的资深分析师表示,Vertu由于其定价策略正面临强大的瓶颈。"The previous owner chose a good timing to exit as Vertu is facing expansion pressures," he said. "The company may shift its focus to China and other Asian markets after the takeover."
他分析到,“Vertu的前老板在面临公司扩展压力时,选择了一个恰当的时机退出”,“目前该公司被收购后,其市场重心可能会转投中国和其他亚洲市场。”