The Japanese maker of a ¥25,850 toaster with a cult-like following is hoping it can elbow its way into the smartphone market with the announcement of a handset that bucks the trend for big screens.
The company, which debuted its pricey toaster in 2015, started taking reservations for the phone Wednesday. It will be available exclusively through SoftBank Group Corp. and will go on sale for ¥104,800 ($912) from Nov. 26, Balmuda Inc. said on its website.
Balmuda, a maker of small but expensive appliances, is known for its simple and stylish designs. Balmuda phones, which come in black and white, have a 4.9 inch high-definition screen with a curved back and features wireless charging. The compact size bucks the industry trend, seen in products from global players such as Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Production will be outsourced to Kyocera Corp. as Balmuda doesn’t own factories.