Lenovo, a popular tech company, has confirmed that it is discontinuing its Android-based Legion mobile gaming phones as part of a wider business transformation and gaming portfolio consolidation. The decision to discontinue the gaming smartphones makes sense as Lenovo hasn’t released any new gaming-focused devices since the Legion Duel 2 in 2021.
Lenovo’s Decision and Explanation
The Chinese multinational technology company’s decision to discontinue its Legion line of gaming smartphones comes as no surprise. None of Lenovo’s Legion-branded devices were sold in the United States, mostly focusing on markets in Asia. Moreover, the last gaming phone Lenovo released was the Lenovo Legion Y70 in 2022, which did not do very well in terms of sales.
In a statement, Lenovo explained that they are shutting down their mobile gaming phone business as part of a wider business transformation and gaming portfolio consolidation. It is unclear whether continued support will be offered for existing models. However, this move won’t affect Lenovo’s Legion lineup of gaming laptops.
Asus Continues to Hold the Gaming Phone Market Alive
Despite Lenovo leaving the segment, Asus is still holding the gaming phone market alive with its ROG phones. Xiaomi’s gaming line is also facing difficulties, and most mobile gamers prefer buying a regular high-end smartphone they can also use for gaming rather than a dedicated mobile gaming phone.
Samsung’s Potential to Enter the Dedicated Mobile Gaming Hardware Market
While many companies have tried to tap into the mobile gaming market by offering dedicated hardware such as controllers or phones, it remains a relatively niche industry. Samsung has never created a dedicated gaming phone, and the company seems to understand that there isn’t much potential for it. Instead of investing in its own hardware lineup, Samsung has partnered with Qualcomm to improve performance on its Galaxy S23 flagship series and is working on a new version of its Game Launcher.
Although the potential for dedicated mobile gaming hardware is limited, Samsung’s vision of a true gaming phone could be interesting to see. The market for such devices fills a relatively narrow niche, and the potential for such devices is limited.
In conclusion, Lenovo discontinuing its Legion line of gaming smartphones was an expected move due to its dismal performance in the market. With other tech giants such as Asus and Samsung continuing to hold onto the industry, Lenovo’s exit may not have a significant impact on the mobile gaming sector. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see whether other companies will be able to thrive in this niche market amidst the increasing competition.
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