CHINA. Luxury mobile phone brand VERTU today opened its first-ever duty free store, in partnership with China Duty Free Group (CDFG) at cdf Mall within the cdf Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haitang Bay, Hainan province.
The opening represents a key landmark for the Chinese luxury mobile company as it simultaneously unveiled as ambitious strategic plan to establish stores in the worldwide travel retail and duty free channels.
The store is located in the B Zone on the ground floor of the Sanya shopping emporium, adjacent to luxury jewellery brand Tiffany & Co. It is designed to immerse travellers into the world of VERTU by highlighting the brand’s craftsmanship and technology.
VERTU said the store reflects the company’s mission to provide unparalleled service and exclusivity.
The boutique offers a range of luxury services and collections. Highlights include a dedicated British butler concierge service , unique to VERTU, which gives customers access to their own personal assistant, as well as the debut of METAVERTU and channel-exclusive iVERTU collection.
METAVERTU is described as the world’s first WEB3 phone (WEB3 is a term used to describe the next generation online world which occupies Metaverse and virtual spaces). The phone leverages blockchain and decentralised applications to offer enhanced security, privacy and connectivity.
Exclusive to duty free
The duty free exclusive iVERTU collection reimagines iVERTU, one of the brand’s most popular models, which has been upgraded with new hardware, software and design.
The metallic V logo has been upgraded to a sleek black finish, enhancing its tactile appeal, and the leather components have been enhanced for a fuller and better feel.
Introducing Vertu’s first AI Experience Store
In what VERTU called a groundbreaking move, the store is the first to offer a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) experience. Customers can explore the fusion of technology and luxury as they interact with VERTU’s AI assistant V-GPT.
Unlike Apple’s App Store version, METAVERTU allows free and unlimited usage of ChatGPT without a subscription fee.
Accessible via MetaSpace, METAVERTU grants users a wide array of functionalities, including seamless one-click log-in, unlimited free conversations (in contrast to the paid model on other platforms), and voice input for user queries. ✈
