With some exceptions such as "HUAWEI P40 Pro 5G", SIM lock-free smartphones in the summer of 2020 will fit in the 20,000 to 40,000 yen range including tax. This time, we picked up the main SIM lock-free smartphones released in Japan after May 2020 and summarized the selling price, so please refer to it when choosing a terminal. * All prices include tax.
First, let's review the market trends. Most of the 2020 summer models released as SIM lock-free smartphones are made up of terminals made by Chinese manufacturers. The main players are Huawei, which is struggling due to the effects of sanctions, Xiaomi, which just landed in Japan at the end of 2019, and TCL, which introduces its own brand smartphone, with OPPO, which expands terminals to multiple sales channels and strengthens its presence, at the top. ..
As for the main models, we would like to pay attention to those that develop multiple MVNOs as sales channels. In terms of the size of the sales channel, "OPPO Reno3 A", "HUAWEI nova lite 3+", and Motorola "moto g8 / g8 Power" stand out. In addition, "Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite" and "Redmi Note 9S" are also handled by "IIJmio", "LINE Mobile", and "goo Simseller" operated by NTT Resonant, and are attracting a lot of attention.
"OPPO Reno 3 A" has a wide sales channel and can be purchased for 20,000 yen depending on the MVNO.On the other hand, models with limited sales channels could be a powerful option for some users. For example, the new model of the "HUAWEI P40" series cannot use the Google Play store due to sanctions from the United States, but it is handled with cautionary notes in IIJmio and Rakuten Ichiba. In addition, "TCL 10 Lite" TCL 10 Pro ", which is sold under the TCL brand by TCL Communication, which is familiar with brands such as" alcatel "and" Blackberry ", is also sold at goo Simseller.
Don't miss the "Pixel 4a" released by Google on August 20th. It is sold at the Google store except for Softbank, a major carrier.
Sony Mobile has begun launching SIM lock-free smartphones in earnest, but the "Xperia 1" and "Xperia 5" are only available at Sony stores and some mass retailers, and are not planned to be sold by MVNO. On the other hand, the mid-range "Xperia 8 Lite" is handled by the MVNO and can be purchased at an easy price of around 30,000 yen.
How will "Xperia 8 Lite" be evaluated in the SIM-free market?The table below summarizes the selling prices of major SIM-free smartphones released after May on IIJmio, goo Simseller, mineo, LINE Mobile, and UQ mobile (as of late August 2020).
Price including tax for major SIM lock-free smartphones (summer 2020 model).Excludes discounts such as campaignsWith the exception of the HUAWEI P40 Pro 5G, which costs more than 100,000 yen, most models fit in the 20,000 to 40,000 yen range. If you choose to pay 24 times, these terminals will pay about 1000 to 1500 yen per month.
For models handled in multiple sales channels, the price difference may be large for each sales channel. For example, Reno3 A has an MVNO in the high 30,000 yen range, while UQ mobile sells it for 23,760 yen, and LINE Mobile sells it for a sale price of 24,000 yen.
Redmi Note 9S, which has two models of 64GB and 128GB, has a 64GB model in the mid-20,000 yen range for IIJmio and LINE mobile, while the 128GB model is a limited color special price until September 8th at goo Simseller. It is 16,280 yen.
When purchasing a SIM lock-free smartphone, the terminal purchase assistance provided by major carriers cannot be used, so the burden is basically as shown on the sales site. In addition to lump-sum payments, you can usually choose to pay in installments of 24 times. As mentioned above, there may be price differences depending on the sales channel, so if you want to get it at a slightly lower price, it is a good idea to compare the prices in multiple sales channels at the time of consideration.
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