Source: The Verge
Dreame's move into phones is the latest application of a playbook perfected by Chinese hardware brands: build category dominance at home, then use brand equity and supply chain efficiency to enter adjacent categories with competitive pricing. The company isn't betting on phones as a primary business—it's leveraging existing distribution channels, manufacturing expertise, and a growing consumer base to capture wallet share across the smart home ecosystem. Category boundaries dissolve quickly when a brand controls manufacturing and distribution. Dreame didn't need to become a "phone company" to credibly sell phones, just trade on trust built in its core categories.