BLU Products

BLU Products, stylized as BLÜ, is an American consumer-electronics company headquartered in Miami, Florida. Founded by Samuel Ohev-Zion in 2009, the company built its business around affordable mobile phones and smartphones sold under the BLU name. The brand’s name is commonly explained as an abbreviation of “Bold Like Us.” Rather than operating primarily as a vertically integrated handset manufacturer, BLU has historically relied on original design manufacturers in China, including companies such as Koobee, QiKU, Gionee, Doogee, and Tinno Mobile, to produce devices that BLU markets and distributes under its own brand. BLU entered the mobile-device market by targeting customers who wanted inexpensive handsets with practical features. Its portfolio has included basic mobile phones, Android smartphones, tablets, and related accessories. The company’s product strategy has generally emphasized accessible pricing, broad carrier and retail availability, and specifications suited to entry-level and lower-midrange users rather than premium industrial design or high-end performance. Product families have included the G Series and Vivo Series, although the exact model range and availability have changed over time. The company reported rapid early growth. According to the company’s Wikipedia account and cited historical material, BLU sold approximately 70,000 units during its first year in 2009 and about 4.1 million units the following year. It subsequently expanded throughout the United States, Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Its regional orientation was reflected in carrier partnerships and local-market distribution. In September 2013, for example, Digicel introduced a low-cost BLU Android phone in Aruba through a post-paid offer, illustrating the brand’s use of operator channels to reach price-sensitive customers. BLU also pursued visibility beyond retail distribution. In 2011, it announced its presence at the CTIA Wireless trade event during a period of rapid growth in the mobile-phone market. In May 2017, the company became the official shirt sponsor of Valencia CF, a Spanish football club, giving the brand exposure in European football while maintaining its core association with affordable mobile devices. The company’s reputation was later affected by security and privacy controversies involving software preinstalled on certain BLU phones. In 2016, security researchers reported that an Adups-related software component on some devices transmitted user information and could provide extensive remote-control capabilities. Amazon temporarily removed BLU products from its website in August 2017 amid reported security concerns and restored them approximately one month later. The Federal Trade Commission subsequently alleged that BLU had misled consumers about the collection and disclosure of personal information. A settlement disclosed in 2018 required BLU to avoid misleading privacy and security representations, maintain a comprehensive information-security program, and undergo independent assessments for two decades. BLU also faced patent litigation from BlackBerry in 2016. These events created a significant contrast between the brand’s affordability proposition and concerns about device security, privacy governance, and legal compliance. BLU remains a private brand associated primarily with budget mobile hardware, although public information about its current corporate structure, leadership, sales, and product availability is limited.

BLU Products was founded in 2009 by Samuel Ohev-Zion in Miami, Florida. The company entered the mobile-phone business with a value-oriented model: it sourced devices from original design manufacturers and sold them under the BLU brand. This approach allowed BLU to offer handsets at lower prices than many established global manufacturers while adapting model portfolios to regional carrier and retail requirements. The company’s name is associated with the phrase “Bold Like Us,” and its visual identity has also been written as BLÜ. BLU reported strong early expansion. It sold approximately 70,000 units in its first year and about 4.1 million units in the following year, according to historical information summarized in the company’s Wikipedia entry. The company described itself as one of the fastest-growing mobile-phone providers in its region and promoted its presence at CTIA Wireless in 2011. Its distribution footprint extended across the United States, Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean. The regional strategy was particularly important because many consumers in those markets were seeking inexpensive Android smartphones and feature phones, often through mobile operators and prepaid or post-paid channels. A representative distribution event occurred in Aruba in September 2013, when Digicel introduced a low-cost BLU Android handset with a post-paid plan. Such arrangements illustrated BLU’s emphasis on affordable hardware paired with local telecommunications distribution. The company’s portfolio broadened beyond basic phones to include Android smartphones, tablets, and accessories. The G Series and Vivo Series became recognizable families within its smartphone lineup, though BLU’s model names, specifications, and availability have varied over time. The brand also invested in international marketing. In May 2017, BLU became the official shirt sponsor of Valencia CF. The agreement gave the company prominent exposure in European football and represented an attempt to build awareness beyond its principal American and Caribbean markets. The sponsorship formed part of a broader effort to associate BLU with an international consumer audience while retaining its affordable-device proposition. BLU’s expansion was accompanied by legal and reputational difficulties. In August 2016, BlackBerry Limited filed a lawsuit alleging that BLU infringed 15 patents. The litigation added intellectual-property risk to a business model dependent on sourcing and commercializing mobile technology developed by outside manufacturers. More consequentially, security researchers raised concerns about software installed on certain BLU phones. In November 2016, Kryptowire reported that an Adups component on some devices transmitted information and had remote-control functions that could, depending on the configuration, execute commands, install applications, capture screenshots, record screens, place calls, or erase devices. The reports prompted scrutiny because consumers were not adequately informed about the extent of the collection and access. Amazon removed BLU devices from its website in August 2017 amid the controversy and restored them approximately one month later. The Federal Trade Commission investigated the privacy practices described in the reports. In 2018, the FTC announced a settlement alleging that BLU and Samuel Ohev-Zion had misrepresented the extent to which third parties collected information from BLU devices. The settlement barred BLU from making misleading claims about privacy and security, required a comprehensive security program covering new and existing devices, and required regular independent assessments for 20 years. The episode became a defining part of BLU’s corporate history: it demonstrated the risks that low-cost device brands face when software supply chains, data practices, and consumer disclosures are not adequately controlled. Publicly available information does not establish a complete current ownership structure, leadership roster, financial profile, or definitive worldwide product catalog. BLU is therefore best characterized as a private American mobile-device brand with a historically strong value-market orientation and a distribution presence spanning the United States and parts of the Americas and Caribbean.

1. 2018FTC privacy settlement

   BLU entered a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission concerning alleged misrepresentations about personal-information disclosure and device security.

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2. 2017Valencia CF sponsorship

   BLU became the official shirt sponsor of Valencia CF.

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3. 2016BlackBerry patent lawsuit

   BlackBerry sued BLU, alleging infringement of 15 patents.

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4. 2013Digicel distribution in Aruba

   Digicel introduced a low-cost BLU Android handset in Aruba through a post-paid plan.

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5. 2011CTIA Wireless presence

   BLU announced its presence at CTIA Wireless while promoting rapid growth in the regional mobile-phone market.

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6. 2010Early sales expansion

   The company reported sales of approximately 4.1 million units in its second year, following reported first-year sales of about 70,000 units.

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7. 2009BLU Products is founded

   Samuel Ohev-Zion founded BLU Products in Miami, Florida, establishing a brand focused on affordable mobile devices.

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Affordable, practical mobile devices for budget-conscious consumers, with a strong historical focus on the United States, Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

• BLU G SeriesSmartphones

  The G Series is a BLU smartphone family associated with affordable Android devices. Models in the family have generally been aimed at entry-level or lower-midrange customers, emphasizing accessible pricing, large displays or practical everyday functions, and broad availability through online and regional retail channels. Specific specifications and model availability have varied across generations.

• BLU Vivo SeriesSmartphones

  The Vivo Series is a BLU-branded smartphone line that has included Android handsets positioned for value-conscious users. The series has served as one of the company’s recognizable smartphone families, with models typically balancing low purchase prices against mainstream functions such as mobile connectivity, cameras, and multimedia use. Individual models and current availability are not established by the supplied sources.

• BLU feature phonesMobile phones

  BLU has sold basic mobile phones alongside its smartphone portfolio. These devices support the company’s value-market strategy by focusing on core calling and messaging functions, simple operation, and low acquisition cost. They have been relevant in markets where prepaid service and inexpensive handsets remain important distribution segments.

• BLU tabletsTablets

  Tablets have formed part of BLU’s broader consumer-electronics range. The company’s tablet offering extended its budget-oriented mobile-device approach beyond phones, providing larger-screen products for basic web access, media consumption, and general household use. The supplied sources do not identify a definitive current tablet lineup.

• BLU mobile accessoriesAccessories

  BLU has also marketed accessories associated with its mobile devices. These may support handset ownership and retail bundling, although the supplied reference material does not provide a complete catalog or identify specific accessory families.

• 2017Valencia CF shirt sponsorship

  Spain · International

  BLU became the official shirt sponsor of Valencia CF, using football sponsorship to raise international awareness for its mobile-device brand.

  Outcome. The available source confirms the sponsorship but does not establish its total duration, financial terms, or measurable commercial outcome.

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• 2018Implement a formal privacy and security compliance programOther

  Reports about Adups software and consumer-data handling led to scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission.

  What changed. Under its FTC settlement, BLU was required to avoid misleading privacy claims, maintain a comprehensive security program for new and existing devices, and undergo regular independent assessments for 20 years.

  Aftermath. The settlement created long-term compliance obligations and reinforced the reputational risks associated with software and data practices in low-cost mobile hardware.

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• 2017Increase international brand visibility through football sponsorshipStrategy

  BLU had a substantial presence in the Americas and sought broader international consumer recognition.

  What changed. The company became the official shirt sponsor of Valencia CF.

  Aftermath. The sponsorship gave BLU prominent exposure in European football, but the available material does not report its duration, cost, or sales effect.

  Source
• 2013Expand through operator-led low-cost distributionProduct launch

  BLU sought to reach price-sensitive customers in Caribbean and Latin American markets through telecommunications operators.

  What changed. A low-cost BLU Android handset was introduced in Aruba through Digicel’s post-paid channel.

  Aftermath. The launch demonstrated BLU’s use of local carrier partnerships to distribute inexpensive smartphones, although broader commercial results are not documented in the supplied sources.

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• 2009Adopt an asset-light handset-brand modelStrategy

  BLU entered a market in which established manufacturers competed across premium and mass-market segments, while many consumers sought lower-cost mobile phones.

  What changed. The company built its brand around sourcing devices from Chinese original design manufacturers and selling them under the BLU name.

  Aftermath. The model supported rapid geographic expansion and a broad low-price portfolio, but also created dependence on external manufacturing and software supply chains.

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• 2018Federal Trade Commission privacy settlementControversy

  The FTC alleged that BLU and Samuel Ohev-Zion misled consumers about how third parties collected and disclosed personal information from BLU devices. The settlement imposed restrictions on privacy representations, required a comprehensive security program, and mandated independent assessments for 20 years.

  Source
• 2017Amazon removes BLU devices over security vulnerabilitiesControversy

  Amazon temporarily removed BLU devices from its website after reports that software associated with Adups transmitted consumer data to China and presented security risks. Amazon later restored the products.

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• 2016Preinstalled Adups software and privacy concernsControversy

  Kryptowire reported that certain BLU phones contained preinstalled software linked to covert transmission of user information and extensive remote device-control capabilities. The reports triggered criticism of BLU’s disclosures and security practices.

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• 2017BLU Products becomes Valencia CF shirt sponsor

  BLU became the official shirt sponsor of Spanish football club Valencia CF, expanding its marketing presence through sports sponsorship.

  Campaign
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• 2017Amazon reinstates BLU Products devices

  Amazon restored BLU Products devices to its website approximately one month after their removal over reported security vulnerabilities.

  Other
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• 2013Digicel introduces a low-cost BLU Android phone in Aruba

  Digicel launched a low-cost BLU Android handset for the Aruba market through a post-paid service offer.

  Product launchPricing
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• 2011BLU Products announces presence at CTIA Wireless

  BLU presented itself at CTIA Wireless during its early expansion and described rapid growth in the mobile-device market.

  Other
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1. BLU Products
2. BLU Products official website