Dreame, a company known for its cleaning appliances such as robot vacuums and floor scrubbers, seems to be venturing into the smartphone market. Earlier reports indicated that Dreame's first smartphone, the "Dreame Smartphone E1" (model W5110), has quietly passed EU energy efficiency label certification, and even the user manual has been leaked.
The specifications of this phone seem rather "subtle," featuring a high-resolution camera while retaining many retro elements.
Specifications revealed: Mid-range positioning, surprisingly includes a "decorative lens"?
According to leaked documents, the hardware configuration of the Dreame E1 is as follows:
• screen:It features a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel and supports under-display fingerprint recognition.
• camera:The rear camera features a 1.08MP wide-angle lens, a 200MP depth sensor, and a 200MP macro lens, while the front camera is a 5000MP front-facing camera.
• Battery and charging:It features a 5000mAh high-capacity battery and supports 33W wired charging.
• Connectivity and Expansion:It supports 5G connectivity and NFC, features a triple-card slot (dual Nano-SIM or SIM + microSD), and has an IP64 dust and water resistant design.
• Retro sentiment:The 3.5mm headphone jack is retained.
Interestingly, the instruction manual honestly notes that there is also a "decorative lens," which is a common practice in mid-to-low-end ODM models to maintain a symmetrical appearance or to mimic multi-lens designs.
Interestingly, although the EU energy efficiency label indicates that the battery is "user-replaceable," the user manual states "do not attempt to remove the battery yourself." This may be a compromise made in the design to comply with new EU regulations.
From "astrophotography" to "mid-range camera", what gap is being pursued?
In September of this year, Dreame made a high-profile announcement about its first mobile phone, Dreame Space, highlighting its "astronomical" imaging system and claiming that it could capture nebulae even in cities with severe light pollution. It even proclaimed the ecological slogan of "people, cars, homes, the universe, and everything in between".
However, judging from its specifications, the E1 revealed this time is not the flagship camera that focuses on astrophotography. It seems to be a mid-range entry-level product aimed at mass production, or a litmus test to gauge the market demand in overseas markets.
Analysis: How to find 99% of the possibilities in a crowded 1% market?
Dreame founder Yu Hao once proposed a famous entrepreneurial philosophy:"Find the 99% untapped market, and avoid investing in the crowded 1% of sectors."He believes that instead of fighting in the red ocean, it's better to use technology to create new blue oceans (for example, applying high-speed motor technology to vacuum cleaners and hair dryers).
However, the smartphone market is already widely recognized as the "most crowded 1%," with numerous competitors including Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi. Dreame's decision to enter the market at this time may seem to contradict the founder's principles, but I believe it can be interpreted from the following three perspectives:
• The real intention isn't "selling phones," but rather creating a "super remote control": As Dreame's product line expands from robotic vacuums to lawnmowers, pool robots, and even bionic quadruped robots, the stickiness of a single app might not be enough. Launching its own branded phone may be to create a dedicated hardware control hub. Just as Sony made Xperia phones to promote its technology, the Dreame E1 may have deep UWB (Ultra-Wideband) or AI connectivity with its own home appliances, becoming the "best accessory" for high-end appliances.
• Targeting the Niche Market: Looking back at the "astrophotography" phone teased in September, this might be the "99% blank space" Yu Hao mentioned. While mainstream phones can currently photograph the moon, dedicated equipment for deep sky photography remains niche and expensive. If Dreame can leverage its optical and algorithmic technologies to launch a phone "specifically for shooting stars," it won't be competing with the iPhone in everyday user experience, but rather with telescopes. As for the E1, it might be a smokescreen before the big battle, or a strategic model targeting a different market.
• Bundling strategy in overseas channels: Dreame has a fairly high market share in Europe. The fact that the E1 was first revealed in the EU suggests that it is likely not intended for standalone sale, but rather as a gift or bundled sales package with high-end robot vacuums (such as flagship models like the X40 Ultra). Using a cost-controllable ODM phone to boost sales of high-priced home appliances makes perfect sense from a business perspective.
In summary, Dreame's move into smartphones is most likely not to become the next Xiaomi, but rather to protect and extend its core cleaning robot empire. Whether that "decorative lens" will be accepted by consumers depends on the final pricing strategy.
