The current location of the domestic smart home appliance market, asking + Style under Softbank

Light bulbs, electric fans, coffee makers, belts, earpicks, folding smartphones for about 180,000 yen.

IoT maker "+ Style" under Softbank handles all of these.

We are also developing our own brand smart home devices, but why do you handle such a wide range of products? I asked Mr. Masamitsu Kondo, the president, about the intention.

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"There is no point in dealing with what is sold at mass retailers."

Folding smartphone "motorola razr 5G" (Photo is Softbank version).

Photo: Yutaro Kobayashi

First of all, what impressed me very much for the author who chased the smartphone was the handling of the limited color of "motorola razr 5G" announced by Plus Style on March 19.

The motorola razr 5G is a 5G compatible foldable smartphone announced by Motorola in September 2020, and the SIM-free version and Softbank version will be released on March 26, 2021 in Japan. Due to its unusual mechanism, the direct sales price is 179,800 yen (tax included), which is quite a price.

Mr. Masamitsu Kondo who has a limited color "Blush Gold" version of motorola razr 5G.

Source: Plus Style

Plus Style has been dealing with SIM fleece smartphones for a long time, but recently there were many models sold on the manufacturer's direct sales site.

However, for the razr 5G, we decided to sell "limited colors" that the manufacturer and parent company Softbank do not have.

Mr. Kondo said, "We are dealing with things that are sold at mass retailers." It can't be helped. "

Plus Style also sells the US Nextbit smartphone "Robin" (39,980 yen excluding tax), which sang "Cloud First", which was rare at that time, in 2016. According to Plus Style, Robin's sales are the highest in the history of Plus Style.

Inquiries about smart home appliances are for the general public

A smart home appliance corner developed at "DCM Homac Atsubetsu Higashi Store".

Source: Plus Style

Robin and the razr 5G are, if anything, products for innovators who like "pointed" things. Other than such people, the products for the so-called general class are the company's original brand smart home appliances.

Mr. Kondo says that the Japanese smart home appliance market is "expansion is still small compared to other countries", but the growth rate is strong due to the demand in the house due to the Korona-ka.

In addition, although the company's main sales channels are its own website and online shopping such as Amazon and Rakuten, it is also focusing on experience at actual stores.

In addition to some SoftBank shops, a special corner for smart home appliances has been set up alongside DIY products in collaboration with the home center "DCM Homac" developed in Hokkaido, etc., and Mr. Kondo "has been well received." I talked to him.

Strengthen cooperation with other companies in 2021

Mr. Kondo talks about cooperation with other companies.

Photo: Yutaro Kobayashi

Mr. Kondo says that the plus style is 2021, "a year to attack more than ever." Some have already been released, but not only will they increase the number of products, but they will also emphasize alliances with others.

As a specific example of collaboration with other companies, he mentioned "popIn Aladdin," which is a combination of a popIn ceiling light and a projector that has already been implemented.

For voice operations, popIn Aladdin only supports its own commands via its own voice remote control (sold separately), and cannot be operated from external assistants such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

A screen with smart multi-remote control (left photo) and popIn presets (right).

Photo: Yutaro Kobayashi

However, Plus Style worked with popIn to directly receive the data from Aladdin's infrared remote control and incorporate it into the Plus Style "smart multi-remote control". As a result, Google and Amazon voice assistants can be used via the smart multi-remote control.

In the past, the author has a lineup of smart light bulbs and ceiling lights with plus-style products, including smart multi-remote controls. This is because it can be managed with one app, and "automation" can be easily set within the app.

As new products in 2021, new original brand smart sensors and "smart electric fans" (released on May 13, direct sales price of 14,980 yen), which will be popular in the future, are also appearing and are being handled steadily. Expanding the genre.

A plus-style smart light bulb that is also active at my home.

Photo: Yutaro Kobayashi

Mr. Kondo did not talk about specific future performance goals, but he said, "The goal is to be asked by his parents (about smart homes) in about three years."

(Written by Yutaro Kobayashi)