VinSmart

VinSmart was a Vietnamese technology company and consumer-electronics brand established in June 2018 as part of Vingroup, one of Vietnam's largest privately controlled business groups. It operated through VinSmart Research & Manufacturer Joint Stock Company and used the Vsmart name for many of its consumer products. The business was created during Vingroup's expansion beyond property development into technology, industrial manufacturing, and consumer services. The company entered the smartphone sector after Vingroup acquired BQ, a Spanish technology company whose assets and technical capabilities provided a foundation for VinSmart's product development and manufacturing. VinSmart established its headquarters at Vinhomes Riverside in Hanoi and operated manufacturing facilities in Cat Hai District, Hai Phong, and at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Hanoi. Its smartphone range covered several price segments, including the Active, Joy, Bee, Star, Live, and Aris families. These products were primarily designed for the Vietnamese market and were positioned as locally developed, competitively priced alternatives to international smartphone brands. VinSmart's portfolio expanded from entry-level devices to more advanced products. The Bee and Star lines addressed lower-cost consumers, while Joy and Live models occupied mainstream segments. The Aris family represented the company's more technologically ambitious products; the Aris Pro was associated with an under-display camera concept and received recognition in Vietnam's technology-award programs. VinSmart also produced smart televisions, including 4K HDR models in several screen sizes, reflecting Vingroup's broader ambition to build a connected consumer-technology ecosystem. One notable affordability initiative was the Vsmart Bee Lite, introduced in 2020 at a heavily subsidized price of VND600,000 in cooperation with Viettel. The device was intended to make smartphones more accessible to Vietnamese consumers and to broaden smartphone adoption. VinSmart also received several honors at Vietnam's Tech Awards 2020, including recognition for Vsmart as a Vietnamese phone brand, the Vsmart Aris Pro for product innovation and technology leadership, and the Vsmart Live 4 in a feature-phone category. Despite building a visible domestic presence and launching a broad product line in a relatively short period, VinSmart ended its smartphone manufacturing activity in 2021. On 9 May 2021, Vingroup announced that VinSmart would stop making smartphones and shift attention toward other technology and industrial priorities. Vingroup vice president and chief executive Nguyen Viet Quang said that smartphones and smart televisions no longer offered sufficient opportunities to create breakthrough or distinctive value for users. The decision effectively ended VinSmart's three-year smartphone effort. The VinSmart and Vsmart names subsequently became largely inactive as Vingroup reduced or discontinued the relevant high-tech consumer-electronics operations.

VinSmart was established in June 2018 as a technology and manufacturing subsidiary of Vingroup. Its formation was part of Vingroup's effort to develop capabilities in technology, industrial production, and consumer services in addition to its established commercial and property businesses. The company was created after Vingroup acquired BQ, a move that provided a technical and operational foundation for entering the smartphone market. The company was headquartered at Vinhomes Riverside in Long Bien District, Hanoi. Its first manufacturing facility was located in Cat Hai District, Hai Phong, while a second facility operated at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Thach That District, Hanoi. Under the Vsmart consumer brand, VinSmart developed smartphones for Vietnam across several price tiers. The portfolio included entry-level Bee and Star devices, mainstream Joy and Live products, and higher-positioned Active and Aris models. The company also expanded into smart televisions, selling 4K HDR sets in multiple screen sizes. VinSmart's strategy emphasized domestic manufacturing, accessible pricing, and products adapted to Vietnamese consumers. In 2020, it worked with Viettel on the Vsmart Bee Lite, a VND600,000 smartphone offered with subsidy support. The product was intended to popularize smartphone ownership and increase the reach of the Vsmart name. During the same period, several Vsmart products received recognition at Vietnam's Tech Awards 2020. The Vsmart Aris Pro was associated with product innovation and technology leadership, while Vsmart and the Vsmart Live 4 also received category recognition. The company nevertheless remained in a highly competitive market dominated by larger international smartphone manufacturers. Its product range expanded rapidly, with models such as the Vsmart Live 4 and Aris Pro representing attempts to move beyond basic value competition. The Aris Pro was particularly notable for its advanced camera design. VinSmart also explored 5G development through the planned Vsmart Aris 5G, although the available reference material does not establish a completed commercial launch. On 9 May 2021, VinSmart announced that it would stop manufacturing smartphones. Nguyen Viet Quang, Vingroup's vice president and chief executive, explained that smartphones and smart televisions no longer created sufficient breakthrough or unique value for users. The decision ended VinSmart's smartphone manufacturing journey after approximately three years and signaled a reallocation of Vingroup's resources toward other technology and industrial priorities. The Vsmart and VinSmart names subsequently became largely unused as Vingroup discontinued or reduced the associated high-tech consumer-electronics activities. VinSmart is therefore best understood as a defunct Vietnamese technology brand whose principal historical contribution was the rapid creation of a domestic smartphone and smart-TV business within Vingroup.

1. 2021Smartphone manufacturing is discontinued

   On 9 May, VinSmart announces that it will stop manufacturing smartphones and redirect its focus toward other areas of Vingroup's technology and industrial operations.

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2. 2020Vsmart Bee Lite affordability initiative

   VinSmart presents the Vsmart Bee Lite, a low-cost smartphone subsidized in cooperation with Viettel to broaden smartphone adoption in Vietnam.

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3. 2020Recognition at Vietnam's Tech Awards

   Vsmart products receive several awards, including recognition for the brand, the Vsmart Aris Pro, and the Vsmart Live 4.

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4. 2018VinSmart is established

   Vingroup establishes VinSmart Research & Manufacturer Joint Stock Company in June as part of its expansion into technology and industrial manufacturing.

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5. 2018Entry into smartphones after the BQ acquisition

   Following Vingroup's acquisition of BQ, VinSmart uses the resulting technical foundation to develop and manufacture smartphones under the Vsmart name.

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A Vietnamese consumer-technology brand focused on locally marketed, value-oriented smartphones and smart televisions, with products spanning entry-level, mainstream, and more advanced segments.

• Vsmart Active seriesSmartphones

  The Active family was one of VinSmart's higher-positioned smartphone lines. It included the Active 1, Active 1+, and Active 3. The series helped establish Vsmart beyond the entry-level market and represented the company's effort to offer more capable hardware and features to Vietnamese consumers.

• Vsmart Joy seriesSmartphones

  The Joy line served the mainstream value segment and included the Joy 1, Joy 1+, Joy 2+, Joy 3, and Joy 4. It formed a substantial part of Vsmart's consumer portfolio, combining accessible positioning with progressively updated smartphone hardware.

• Vsmart Bee seriesSmartphones2020

  The Bee family targeted entry-level users. Models included the Vsmart Bee, Bee 3, and Bee Lite. The Bee Lite was particularly focused on affordability and was offered through a subsidy arrangement with Viettel to encourage broader smartphone adoption in Vietnam.

• Vsmart Star seriesSmartphones

  The Star family was another value-oriented smartphone range, comprising the Vsmart Star, Star 3, and Star 4. It complemented the Bee and Joy families by giving VinSmart a wider presence in lower-cost and mainstream retail segments.

• Vsmart Live seriesSmartphones

  The Live family included the Vsmart Live and Live 4. These models occupied a more feature-focused position within the portfolio. The Live 4 received recognition at Vietnam's Tech Awards 2020, strengthening the line's association with competitive features and domestic product development.

• Vsmart Aris seriesSmartphones

  The Aris family represented VinSmart's more advanced smartphone offering. It included the Vsmart Aris and Aris Pro, with the latter recognized for product innovation and technology leadership in Vietnam. A Vsmart Aris 5G model was associated with the brand's planned technology roadmap, although a completed commercial release is not established here.

• Vsmart smart televisionsSmart televisions

  VinSmart also produced smart televisions, including 4K HDR models in 43-inch, 49-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch formats. The television portfolio reflected Vingroup's broader attempt to build a domestic consumer-electronics business, but this activity was later discontinued or reduced along with the company's high-tech consumer-electronics operations.

• 2021Exit from smartphone manufacturingStrategy

  After approximately three years in the smartphone business, Vingroup reassessed the strategic value of smartphones and smart televisions within its technology portfolio.

  What changed. On 9 May 2021, VinSmart stopped manufacturing smartphones and shifted attention toward other technology and industrial activities.

  Aftermath. The decision ended VinSmart's smartphone business and left the VinSmart and Vsmart names largely unused as Vingroup discontinued or reduced the related high-tech consumer-electronics operations.

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• 2021VinSmart exits smartphone manufacturing

  On 9 May 2021, VinSmart decided to stop manufacturing smartphones. Vingroup said the group would redirect its resources toward other technology and industrial activities after concluding that smartphones and smart televisions no longer offered sufficient opportunities for distinctive breakthroughs.

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• 2020VinSmart launches the subsidized Vsmart Bee Lite smartphone

  VinSmart introduced the Vsmart Bee Lite in cooperation with Viettel at a heavily subsidized price of VND600,000. The initiative was designed to expand smartphone access and familiarize more Vietnamese consumers with the brand.

  Product launchPricing
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• 2020Vsmart products receive multiple Tech Awards 2020 recognitions

  At Vietnam's Tech Awards 2020, Vsmart was recognized as a leading Vietnamese phone brand. The Vsmart Aris Pro received product-innovation and technology-trend recognition, while the Vsmart Live 4 was recognized in a feature-phone category.

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1. VinSmart