Wiko Wim: A small powerhouse from an unexpected corner
At the Mobile World Congress, we saw devices that will probably never exist. And a surprise in the form of the Wiko Wim. The phone plays in a much higher league than expected, but retains the typical price-performance ratio.
A lot of happy people can be found at the stand of French smartphone manufacturer Wiko. Well, most of the stands at the Mobile World Congress MWC in Barcelona are full of professionally happy people - people who put a smile on their face in the morning and take it off again in the evening. But at Wiko, video blogger Stephanie Tresch and I have the feeling that the people in charge of the two-storey stand know something that we should know. We ask about it.
In fact, Wiko has a device in stock that we officially categorise as interesting: The Wiko Wim and its smaller version, the Wiko Wim Lite.
The smartphone that punches one weight class higher
The Wiko Wim is shown to us in one of at least two meeting rooms at the two-storey stand. Outside, the press conference is just beginning in the form of a lifestyle event with pounding bass, applause and drinks. But we are more interested in the tray of smartphones: the Wiko Wim in ten different versions.
Stephanie Tresch sets up the camera equipment. A hands-on is a must.
"These are all the final designs of the Wim," says Alice Zerbone, PR and Communications Specialist at Wiko. She explains that the French company tried out different colours to see how they would look. A shiny gold-coloured phone is definitely the eye-catcher on the table, but probably too bright. It's obvious why it won't be released. Another, my personal favourite, has a dark grey and black pattern that is supposed to resemble carbon fibre. Why this thing isn't being released is beyond me, because it looks really good.
But the Wiko Wim doesn't just look good on the outside. The specs of the device are probably the reason why all the Wiko employees were smiling so happily and knowingly.
- Processor: Snapdragon 626 octa-core with 2.2Ghz
- 4GB RAM
- Battery: 3200mAh
- Display with AMOLED technology
- Android Nougat with Wiko user interface
- 32 or 64 GB internal memory
- Up to 128 GB memory thanks to memory card slot
The press conference in front of the boardroom door comes to the part where the Wim's cameras are explained. The technology is in collaboration with DxO, Qualcomm and Vidhance. The camera delivers good images, shoots quickly from the hip and the images look sharp and crisp on the AMOLED display.
These are not flagship specs, but that's not what Wiko is about. Wiko is aiming for a very healthy price-performance ratio. The reason is probably to be found in Wiko's history, a reputation that the company has and the new territory that the company is entering with the Wim.
The phone between the flagships
If you drop your almost sinfully expensive Samsung Galaxy or your iPhone takes a trip into a full bathtub and ends up dripping instead of texting, then you need a new device. The next flagship is still a few months away, but you can't fall off the face of the earth like that either. That's when Wiko became interesting. As an interim solution.
Although this is a solid business model and has worked well since the company was founded in 2011, the French-headquartered company obviously wants more. It wants the Wim to be a phone that doesn't compete with the flagships, but causes a sensation in the mid-range of Android phones.
The test shows: It works. The Wiko Wim comes with a price tag that declares war on the mid-range. Plus a performance that sticks its tongue out at the upper mid-range and an elegant form factor.
So if you want a new smartphone that doesn't just last until the next flagship, then take a good look at the Wiko Wim. And anyway, it's worth keeping an eye on Wiko as a company. Because we suspect that there is still a lot to come. In any case, everyone at the stand is certain: the Wiko Wim is the first step towards a glorious future.
Journalist. Author. Hacker. A storyteller searching for boundaries, secrets and taboos – putting the world to paper. Not because I can but because I can’t not.