31 Oct 2007
Google is close to a deal with Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel over its new mobile phone, according to the online Wall Street Journal.
An agreement is likely to reached within two weeks for launch of a Google phone in the middle of 2008. The central feature of the Google handset will be an open operating system that will encourage developers to create apps.
But the phone will include Google’s own applications – Google Maps, Gmail and a social networking feature combining YouTube and Facebook-style offering called Makamaka.
An agreement with major US operators would be a breakthrough for the search firm in its dealings with wary telecom operators.
As the ATT-Apple iPhone deal demonstrated, the carriers are still the critical elements in handset marketing channel, especially in the US.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
David Peterschmidt, Openwave at 3GSM ...old video in Telecom TV
The president and CEO of Openwave believes in the freedom of connectedness with the control of a personalized user experience to make content easy to discover and share.
HTC gross margin hits record high in 3Q on improved product mix and declining ODM business
31 Oct, 2007
High Tech Computer (HTC) saw its gross margin hit a record high of 37.9% in the third quarter of 2007 on an improved product mix and declining ODM business, according to company CFO Hui-ming Cheng.
A higher than 30% on-year growth in non-ODM business and the launch of the HTC Touch and other PDA phones in the third quarter helped push up the gross margin, Cheng detailed.
Looking forward, revenues from non-ODM business are expected to grow another 40% on year in the fourth quarter, with the proportion of non-ODM business to account for over 90% of HTC total revenues, Cheng estimated.
Total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2007 are expected to grow 20% from the same period last year, Cheng added.
HTC also reported that it posted after-tax profits of NT$7.43 billion (US$229 million) in the third quarter of this year, up 10.8% on year. The third-quarter earnings translate into a net EPS (earnings per share) of NT$12.96.
For the first three quarters of 2007, after-tax profits increased by 6% on year, to reach NT$18.95 billion, which translate into a net EPS of NT$33.05, according to company data.
TCL to re-launch Alcatel-branded handsets in China
31 Oct, 2007
China-based TCL Communication Technology Holdings plans to re-launch Alcatel-branded handsets in the China market before the end of this year, according to a company press release.
With Alcatel-Lucent recently signing a cooperation agreement with RIM (Research in Motion), the upcoming Alcatel-branded handsets will include a Blackberry-enabled model, according to sources close to the company.
There also will be a luxury model, the N3, which is jointly developed by Alcatel and Elle, the sources added.
TCL also reported that its handset shipments jumped 30% on year, to reach 3.6 million units in the third quarter of this year, including 1.2 million units shipped to the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) markets.
The company expects its handset shipments to grow 44% sequentially in the fourth quarter, with total shipments for all of 2007 to top 12-13 million units, the company said in the press release.
Total handset shipments are expected to hit 15-18 million units in 2008 and further expand to 25 million units in 2009, company CEO Liu Fei was quoted as indicating in the press release.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Japan-based IPMobile plans shift to TD-SCDMA
30 Oct 2007,
IPMobile, a licensed mobile telecom services provider in Japan, plans to offer mobile services supporting the TD-SCDMA standard, instead of TD-CDMA technology as originally planned, according to sources in Taiwan's handset industry.
IPMobile's shift to the TD-SCDMA standard is due to the maturing supply chain that supports TD-SCDMA technology, indicated the sources, noting that more than 20 makers, mostly China-based companies, have been able to offer 100-odd terminal devices compliant with the TD-SCDMA standard.
IPMobile originally planned to begin trial operations in October 2006 but was forced to postpone its operations due to financial troubles.
With US-based Nextwave Wireless now taking up nearly a 70% stake in IPMobile, the Japan-based mobile service provider is expected to kick off trial operations based on TD-CDMA technology starting November 9, 2007, before shifting to TD-SCDMA services later on, the sources noted.
In addition to IPMobile, service providers in France and Taiwan are also considering introducing TC-SCDMA services in France and Taiwan, respectively, the sources added.
A number of Taiwan-based companies, including Inventec Appliances, Qisda, Compal Communications and MediaTek, may benefit from an increasing use of the TD-SCDMA standard since those companies have already committed themselves to the development of TD-SCDMA technology, the sources stated.
IPMobile, a licensed mobile telecom services provider in Japan, plans to offer mobile services supporting the TD-SCDMA standard, instead of TD-CDMA technology as originally planned, according to sources in Taiwan's handset industry.
IPMobile's shift to the TD-SCDMA standard is due to the maturing supply chain that supports TD-SCDMA technology, indicated the sources, noting that more than 20 makers, mostly China-based companies, have been able to offer 100-odd terminal devices compliant with the TD-SCDMA standard.
IPMobile originally planned to begin trial operations in October 2006 but was forced to postpone its operations due to financial troubles.
With US-based Nextwave Wireless now taking up nearly a 70% stake in IPMobile, the Japan-based mobile service provider is expected to kick off trial operations based on TD-CDMA technology starting November 9, 2007, before shifting to TD-SCDMA services later on, the sources noted.
In addition to IPMobile, service providers in France and Taiwan are also considering introducing TC-SCDMA services in France and Taiwan, respectively, the sources added.
A number of Taiwan-based companies, including Inventec Appliances, Qisda, Compal Communications and MediaTek, may benefit from an increasing use of the TD-SCDMA standard since those companies have already committed themselves to the development of TD-SCDMA technology, the sources stated.
Monday, October 29, 2007
ZTE Reports Sharp Rise in Q3 Revenues and Profits
29 Oct, 2007,
China's ZTE Corp. has reported that for the nine months ended 30 September 2007, revenue from the Group's operations amounted to RMB23.448 billion (US$3.14 billion), representing an increase of 47% compared to the same period last year. Net profit amounted to RMB603 million (US$80.6 million), representing an increase of 46% compared to the same period last year.
In the third quarter, the revenue of ZTE climbed 53 percent to RMB8.2 billion (US$1.1 billion) as compared to the same period last year, and the net profit surged by 116% to RMB143 million (US$19 million) as compared to the same period last year.
The company said that domestic telecoms market enjoyed stable growth during the nine months ended 30 September 2007. Growth in investments was underpinned by expenditure mainly in three areas, namely TD-SCDMA network building, core network revamping and upgrading by carriers and informatisation projects, while investments in mobile telecommunication network equipment further increased as a percentage of total investments in the telecommunications sector. The Group has also entered a stage of closer cooperation with major domestic carriers such as China Mobile and China Unicom.
The international market for telecommunications equipment also sustained stable growth thanks to technological innovations and market demands that had provided increasing driving force. Rapid changes in new technologies and fast growth in emerging markets in Asia and Africa became key factors for growth as well as the focus of competition for the telecommunications industry. The Group had also enhanced cooperation with mainstream carriers.
Looking to the final quarter, ZTE intends to achieve continuous growth by strengthening its ties with leading international carriers, enhancing resource integration and improving operational efficiency, enlarging market shares in prestigious products such as GSM and CDMA and increasing investments in TD-SCDMA, WCDMA, CDMA2000 and other products.
China's ZTE Corp. has reported that for the nine months ended 30 September 2007, revenue from the Group's operations amounted to RMB23.448 billion (US$3.14 billion), representing an increase of 47% compared to the same period last year. Net profit amounted to RMB603 million (US$80.6 million), representing an increase of 46% compared to the same period last year.
In the third quarter, the revenue of ZTE climbed 53 percent to RMB8.2 billion (US$1.1 billion) as compared to the same period last year, and the net profit surged by 116% to RMB143 million (US$19 million) as compared to the same period last year.
The company said that domestic telecoms market enjoyed stable growth during the nine months ended 30 September 2007. Growth in investments was underpinned by expenditure mainly in three areas, namely TD-SCDMA network building, core network revamping and upgrading by carriers and informatisation projects, while investments in mobile telecommunication network equipment further increased as a percentage of total investments in the telecommunications sector. The Group has also entered a stage of closer cooperation with major domestic carriers such as China Mobile and China Unicom.
The international market for telecommunications equipment also sustained stable growth thanks to technological innovations and market demands that had provided increasing driving force. Rapid changes in new technologies and fast growth in emerging markets in Asia and Africa became key factors for growth as well as the focus of competition for the telecommunications industry. The Group had also enhanced cooperation with mainstream carriers.
Looking to the final quarter, ZTE intends to achieve continuous growth by strengthening its ties with leading international carriers, enhancing resource integration and improving operational efficiency, enlarging market shares in prestigious products such as GSM and CDMA and increasing investments in TD-SCDMA, WCDMA, CDMA2000 and other products.
E-Ten to launch mobile TV handsets supporting DVB-T standard in 2008
29 Oct, 2007
E-Ten Information Systems plans to launch own-brand mobile TV handsets in 2008, according to company chairman Hwang Shan-rong.
Initially the handsets will support only the DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial) standard, but the company also plans to introduce models supporting multiple broadcasting standards later on since the chipset solutions currently available are able to support multiple technologies, Hwang indicated.
Hwang also pointed out that the number of mobile TV subscribers is expected to top 500 million in 2010, compared to the current number of around 30 million.
Meanwhile, E-Ten reported that its after-tax profits for the third quarter of this year reached NT$170 million (US$5.2 million), which translate into a net EPS (earnings per share) of NT$1.8.
For the first three quarters of 2007, after-tax profits totaled NT$421 million, or an EPS of NT$2.65, according to company data.
E-Ten Information Systems plans to launch own-brand mobile TV handsets in 2008, according to company chairman Hwang Shan-rong.
Initially the handsets will support only the DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial) standard, but the company also plans to introduce models supporting multiple broadcasting standards later on since the chipset solutions currently available are able to support multiple technologies, Hwang indicated.
Hwang also pointed out that the number of mobile TV subscribers is expected to top 500 million in 2010, compared to the current number of around 30 million.
Meanwhile, E-Ten reported that its after-tax profits for the third quarter of this year reached NT$170 million (US$5.2 million), which translate into a net EPS (earnings per share) of NT$1.8.
For the first three quarters of 2007, after-tax profits totaled NT$421 million, or an EPS of NT$2.65, according to company data.
Samsung Planning to Outsource Handset Production
29 Oct, 2007
Samsung Electronics is planning to outsource some handset production to OEMs, reports the South Korean Electronic Times newspaper. An industrial source told the newspaper that handset casing suppliers will provide up to 700,000 units per month in a "near finished" state.
The so-called 'ready-to-sell' products will be completed the core parts, the window lens and the display attachment process. Therefore, Samsung Electronics will simply install its operating software and serial number.
Intops, one of the suppliers, will provide 300,000 to 500,000 units of the ready-to-sell handsets to Samsung Electronics in every month.
Managing Director Young-tae Jeong of Intops said, "Of course, it would be limited to several models only. However, we will provide handsets, which has been completed 85-90% of the manufacturing process, to Samsung. The average monthly volume is expected to be 300,000 units. But, it is likely to increase to 1 million units."
On the web: Electronic Times
Posted to the site on 29th October 2007
Samsung Electronics is planning to outsource some handset production to OEMs, reports the South Korean Electronic Times newspaper. An industrial source told the newspaper that handset casing suppliers will provide up to 700,000 units per month in a "near finished" state.
The so-called 'ready-to-sell' products will be completed the core parts, the window lens and the display attachment process. Therefore, Samsung Electronics will simply install its operating software and serial number.
Intops, one of the suppliers, will provide 300,000 to 500,000 units of the ready-to-sell handsets to Samsung Electronics in every month.
Managing Director Young-tae Jeong of Intops said, "Of course, it would be limited to several models only. However, we will provide handsets, which has been completed 85-90% of the manufacturing process, to Samsung. The average monthly volume is expected to be 300,000 units. But, it is likely to increase to 1 million units."
On the web: Electronic Times
Posted to the site on 29th October 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Motorola Q3 profits decline but shares rise
26 Oct 2007
Third-quarter profits of the world’s third-largest handset manufacturer plunged 94 per cent, adding pressure on Motorola’s chairman and chief executive, Ed Zander whose leadership is already in question.
Zander has been criticised by billionaire and 3 per cent owner Carl Icahn after Motorola issued two profit warnings in just five months. The US mobile giant reported sales of US$8.8 billion for the third quarter of 2007, down 17 per cent from $10.6 billion last year.
The company had a third-quarter profit of $60 million, or 3 cents per share, compared to last year’s $968 million profit, or 39 cents per share."We are pleased with the improvement in the financial performance of mobile devices and we look forward to building upon the progress we have made," said the chief executive officer.The US phone maker shipped 37.2 million mobile handsets during the quarter, well above analyst expectations. This included more than 900,000 RAZR 2 devices, the thinner successor to the original and best-selling RAZR phone."During the third quarter, we maintained our focus on increasing cash flow, enhancing profitability and driving growth," said Tom Meredith, chief financial officer.
Sales in the Mobile Devices segment slumped 36 per cent, to $4.5 billion compared with the year-ago quarter. The firm currently estimates its share of the global handset market for the quarter to be 13 per cent, two percentage points behind Samsung, which recently beat them to the number two global mobile phone maker position.Shares of the company rose 4 per cent, or 75 cents, to close at $19.30
Third-quarter profits of the world’s third-largest handset manufacturer plunged 94 per cent, adding pressure on Motorola’s chairman and chief executive, Ed Zander whose leadership is already in question.
Zander has been criticised by billionaire and 3 per cent owner Carl Icahn after Motorola issued two profit warnings in just five months. The US mobile giant reported sales of US$8.8 billion for the third quarter of 2007, down 17 per cent from $10.6 billion last year.
The company had a third-quarter profit of $60 million, or 3 cents per share, compared to last year’s $968 million profit, or 39 cents per share."We are pleased with the improvement in the financial performance of mobile devices and we look forward to building upon the progress we have made," said the chief executive officer.The US phone maker shipped 37.2 million mobile handsets during the quarter, well above analyst expectations. This included more than 900,000 RAZR 2 devices, the thinner successor to the original and best-selling RAZR phone."During the third quarter, we maintained our focus on increasing cash flow, enhancing profitability and driving growth," said Tom Meredith, chief financial officer.
Sales in the Mobile Devices segment slumped 36 per cent, to $4.5 billion compared with the year-ago quarter. The firm currently estimates its share of the global handset market for the quarter to be 13 per cent, two percentage points behind Samsung, which recently beat them to the number two global mobile phone maker position.Shares of the company rose 4 per cent, or 75 cents, to close at $19.30
Qualcomm and Texas Instruments Solidify Lead in Wireless Chip Sales
26th October 2007
These figures consist of revenue from sales of application-specific semiconductors for wireless applications, including mobile handsets, wireless infrastructure equipment, wireless LANs and connectivity products.
With the global wireless semiconductor market expanding by 4 percent during the period, the two companies increased their market share. Qualcomm's share rose to 18.2 percent in the second quarter, up from 17.4 percent in the first quarter. Texas Instruments' share increased to 16.4 percent in the second quarter, up from 15.9 percent in the first quarter.
"Qualcomm retained the top spot in total wireless semiconductors for the second quarter in a row," said Francis Sideco, senior analyst, wireless communications, for iSuppli. "The company, so far, is weathering its recent legal challenges to capitalize on strong growth in sales of chips for WCDMA mobile handsets and semiconductors for wireless infrastructure equipment."
Meanwhile, Texas Instruments held its second-place position.
"Texas Instruments achieved strong growth in mobile-handset and cellular infrastructure chips in the second quarter, allowing it to outgrow the market," Sideco added. "The company gained market share in mobile-handset semiconductors for 2G mobile phones due to the ramp up of its LoCosto single-chip solution for Ultra Low-Cost Handsets (ULCHs) and entry-level phones."
While Qualcomm and Texas Instruments maintained their market dominance, NXP posted the strongest growth among the Top-5 wireless semiconductor suppliers in the second quarter. NXP's wireless semiconductor revenue rose to $438 million in the second quarter, up 16.2 percent from $377 million in the first quarter. The company increased its market share to 5.8 percent in the second quarter, up six-tenths of a percentage point from 5.2 percent in the first quarter. NXP benefited from strong sales of mobile handset baseband chips.
Qualcomm and Texas Instruments in the second quarter outpaced the wireless semiconductor market, boosting their share of global sales, according to iSuppli. In the second quarter, market-leader Qualcomm achieved wireless semiconductor revenue of US$1.37 billion, up 8.6 percent from $1.26 billion in the first quarter. No. 2 player Texas Instruments sold US$1.23 billion worth of wireless-oriented semiconductors, up 7 percent from US$1.15 billion in the first quarter.
These figures consist of revenue from sales of application-specific semiconductors for wireless applications, including mobile handsets, wireless infrastructure equipment, wireless LANs and connectivity products.
With the global wireless semiconductor market expanding by 4 percent during the period, the two companies increased their market share. Qualcomm's share rose to 18.2 percent in the second quarter, up from 17.4 percent in the first quarter. Texas Instruments' share increased to 16.4 percent in the second quarter, up from 15.9 percent in the first quarter.
"Qualcomm retained the top spot in total wireless semiconductors for the second quarter in a row," said Francis Sideco, senior analyst, wireless communications, for iSuppli. "The company, so far, is weathering its recent legal challenges to capitalize on strong growth in sales of chips for WCDMA mobile handsets and semiconductors for wireless infrastructure equipment."
Meanwhile, Texas Instruments held its second-place position.
"Texas Instruments achieved strong growth in mobile-handset and cellular infrastructure chips in the second quarter, allowing it to outgrow the market," Sideco added. "The company gained market share in mobile-handset semiconductors for 2G mobile phones due to the ramp up of its LoCosto single-chip solution for Ultra Low-Cost Handsets (ULCHs) and entry-level phones."
While Qualcomm and Texas Instruments maintained their market dominance, NXP posted the strongest growth among the Top-5 wireless semiconductor suppliers in the second quarter. NXP's wireless semiconductor revenue rose to $438 million in the second quarter, up 16.2 percent from $377 million in the first quarter. The company increased its market share to 5.8 percent in the second quarter, up six-tenths of a percentage point from 5.2 percent in the first quarter. NXP benefited from strong sales of mobile handset baseband chips.
iSuppli predicts global wireless semiconductor revenue will rise by 4.5 percent in 2007 to reach $56.1 billion, up from $53.7 billion in 2006.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Apple imposes new limits on iPhone sales
26 Oct, 2007
Apple Imposes New Limits on iPhone Sales to Crack Down on Unauthorized Resellers
Apple Inc. no longer accepts cash for iPhone purchases and now limits sales of the cell phone to two per person in a move to stop people from reselling them.
The new policy started Thursday, said Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris. Before then, there was no cash restriction and the purchase limit was five per person.
"Customer response to the iPhone has been off the charts, and limiting iPhone sales to two per customer helps us ensure that there are enough iPhones for people who are shopping for themselves or buying a gift," Kerris said. "We're requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers."
More than 1.4 million units of the hybrid cell phone-iPod have been sold since it debuted on June 29, according to Apple. It is expected to be a hot gift for the holidays.
Apple thinks some people already have purchased multiple iPhones to resell, including those looking to modify, or "unlock," the phones so they work on networks other than Apple's carrier partner in the United States, AT&T Inc.
Apple estimates that buyers of 250,000 of the iPhones sold so far intended to unlock them, Apple's chief operating officer Tim Cook said in a conference call with analysts this week.
Apple's attempts to prevent that "unlocking" activity, which included a software update that blocked the workarounds hackers had developed, have frustrated users — and sparked two lawsuits.
Source: AP News
Friday, October 26, 2007
China mobile phone user base at over 523 million in September 2007
26 Oct, 2007
There were 523.32 million subscribers of mobile communication services in China as of the end of September 2007, growing by 1.48% on month and by 18.09% on year, according to statistics published by China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII) on its Chinese-language web site on October 26.
The number of subscribers at the end of September accounted for 39.9% of the country's population (user density), according to the MII. In contrast, Beijing had the largest user density of 101.6% and Shanghai posted the second largest one of 96.2% among major cities in China in September.
Also at the end of September, there were 371.66 million subscribers of fixed telecommunication networks in China, translating into a user density of 28.3%.
In September, mobile phone subscribers in China sent 52.65 billion short messages, averaging 3.38 short messages per phone number a day.
Internet-access mode
Number of subscribers at end of September 2007
Dial-up (narrow band) 20.73 million
Dedicated lines 69,802
Broadband
xDSL 48.77 million (Y/Y 39.61%)
Aggregate 63.05 million (Y/Y 29.80%)
Source: MII, October 2007
Compal Communications may see handset shipments improve in 4Q
26 Oct, 2007
Compal Communications, the largest handset contract maker for Motorola in Taiwan, is expected to see its handset shipments improve in the fourth quarter after Motorola reported better-than-expected performance for the third quarter, according to sources at Taiwan handset makers.
The seven W-series handsets, the W156, W160, W175, W180, W206, W213, W377, which Motorola launched recently, are all manufactured by Compal Communications, the sources indicated.
Based on the component orders that Compal has placed with suppliers, Compal is expected to ship a total of 10-12 million handsets in the fourth quarter, including 6-7 million W-series models and 4-5 million C-series models, estimated the sources.
Compal shipped 11.6 million handsets in the third quarter of 2007, brining its handset shipments for the first three quarters to 36.9 million units, or 73.8% of its revised target of 50 million units for 2007, according to company data.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Asustek to officially ink 3G licensing agreement with Qualcomm soon
25 Oct, 2007
Asustek Computer should free itself from any 3G chip patent disputes for upcoming 3G handsets as the company will soon ink a related licensing agreement with Qualcomm, according to industry sources.
Asustek has been extending its presence to 3G for several years, but the company and Qualcomm have not established a consensus over a possible cross-licensing as Asustek itself owns some 3G chip intellectual property (IP), the sources explained.
Despite that Asustek only started volume producing 3G handsets in late 2006, the relatively early deployment of the company in this sector has helped the company accumulate about over 90 technological innovations that are recognized by the 3GPP. More than 30 of these items may even be classed as "core IP", the sources noted.
According to estimates from the Technology Transfer Center (TTC) of Taiwan, the number of 3G patents that Asustek holds exceeds 130 in Taiwan – an amount that only Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) surpasses.
Asustek's rivals, which include BenQ and Qisda, Gigabyte Communications, High Tech Computer (HTC), Inventec Appliances and Mobinnova, have all adopted 3G solutions from Qualcomm for their handset offerings, with licensing fees reaching several million US dollars.
Asustek currently utilizes 3G solutions from Marvell and Ericsson Mobile Platforms (EMP).
Asustek Computer should free itself from any 3G chip patent disputes for upcoming 3G handsets as the company will soon ink a related licensing agreement with Qualcomm, according to industry sources.
Asustek has been extending its presence to 3G for several years, but the company and Qualcomm have not established a consensus over a possible cross-licensing as Asustek itself owns some 3G chip intellectual property (IP), the sources explained.
Despite that Asustek only started volume producing 3G handsets in late 2006, the relatively early deployment of the company in this sector has helped the company accumulate about over 90 technological innovations that are recognized by the 3GPP. More than 30 of these items may even be classed as "core IP", the sources noted.
According to estimates from the Technology Transfer Center (TTC) of Taiwan, the number of 3G patents that Asustek holds exceeds 130 in Taiwan – an amount that only Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) surpasses.
Asustek's rivals, which include BenQ and Qisda, Gigabyte Communications, High Tech Computer (HTC), Inventec Appliances and Mobinnova, have all adopted 3G solutions from Qualcomm for their handset offerings, with licensing fees reaching several million US dollars.
Asustek currently utilizes 3G solutions from Marvell and Ericsson Mobile Platforms (EMP).
Huawai to tie up with Taiwan makers for WiMAX CPE, to launch WiMAX handsets in 2008
25 Oct, 2007
China-based Huawei Technologies is expected to tie up with a number of Taiwan makers, including Zyxel Communications, Alpha Networks and an affiliate company of Quanta Computer, for cooperation in the production of WiMAX CPE (customer premise equipment) products, according to sources at Huawei.
WiMAX CPE hardware coming from Zyxel, Alpha Networks and Quanta's subsidiary have passed Huawei's internal IOT (interoperability testing), the sources noted.
For its future cooperation with Taiwan makers, Huawei is expected to allow its production partners to ship WiMAX CPE products directly to its clients, instead of its current practice of placing OEM orders to Taiwan makers, according to sources at Taiwan's WiMAX device makers.
A total of six mobile WiMAX networks installed by Huawei in cooperation with telecom service providers around the globe have entered commercial operations, said sources at Huawei, who also noted that the six WiMAX operators are Saudi Telecom Company (STC) of Saudi Arabia, Summa Telecom of Russia, Mobilink of Pakistan, MTN (Mobile Telephone Networks) and Vodacom of South Africa, and Nextwave of the US.
According to the company sources, Huawei also plans to launch WiMAX handsets before the end of 2008, focusing on GSM/WiMAX, CDMA/WiMAX and 3G/WiMAX dual-mode models.
China-based Huawei Technologies is expected to tie up with a number of Taiwan makers, including Zyxel Communications, Alpha Networks and an affiliate company of Quanta Computer, for cooperation in the production of WiMAX CPE (customer premise equipment) products, according to sources at Huawei.
WiMAX CPE hardware coming from Zyxel, Alpha Networks and Quanta's subsidiary have passed Huawei's internal IOT (interoperability testing), the sources noted.
For its future cooperation with Taiwan makers, Huawei is expected to allow its production partners to ship WiMAX CPE products directly to its clients, instead of its current practice of placing OEM orders to Taiwan makers, according to sources at Taiwan's WiMAX device makers.
A total of six mobile WiMAX networks installed by Huawei in cooperation with telecom service providers around the globe have entered commercial operations, said sources at Huawei, who also noted that the six WiMAX operators are Saudi Telecom Company (STC) of Saudi Arabia, Summa Telecom of Russia, Mobilink of Pakistan, MTN (Mobile Telephone Networks) and Vodacom of South Africa, and Nextwave of the US.
According to the company sources, Huawei also plans to launch WiMAX handsets before the end of 2008, focusing on GSM/WiMAX, CDMA/WiMAX and 3G/WiMAX dual-mode models.
Top 5 Mobile Phone Manufacturers Consolidate Their Market Share Lead
25 Oct, 2007
How much did Nokia increase its mobile-phone unit shipments in the third quarter? More than the total second-quarter mobile-handset shipments of Fujitsu, Ningbo Bird, TCL-Alcatel, Panasonic, Pantech & Curitel, and UTStarcom - combined.
Indeed, Nokia's third-quarter gains were impressive, with its global mobile-handset shipments rising by a stunning 10.9 million units compared to the second quarter. The Finnish mobile-handset sales leader increased its shipments to 111.7 million units in the third quarter, up 10.8 percent from 100.8 million in the second quarter. This gave the company a global market share of 39.5 percent, up from 37.9 percent in the second quarter, helping it to pad its market dominance.
The only disappointment in Nokia's third-quarter results was its performance in the Americas region. Nokia in the third quarter suffered a unit-shipment decline of 12.7 percent in Latin America and of 1.7 percent in North America compared to the same period in 2006.
A Q3 to remember
The strong results from Nokia came during a robust period for the global mobile-handset business and its leading players. Worldwide mobile phone shipments during the period amounted to 283 million units, up 6.4 percent from 266 million units in the second quarter and a 15.4 percent increase from 245.3 million units in the third quarter of 2006.
High first-time sales of phones in emerging markets and high replacement rates in Europe were the major factor driving the growth.
The Top-5 mobile handset suppliers benefited from the healthy growth, with all of these companies increasing their shipments during the third quarter compared to the second.
Combined shipments for these companies rose 9.6 percent during the third quarter compared to the second. At this margin of expansion, these companies outgrew the overall market and thus gained aggregate market share at the expense of the smaller suppliers.
Samsung soars again
While Nokia's unit shipment gain was impressive, Samsung Electronics actually posted a slightly larger increase on a percentage basis, helping the company to maintain the second rank in the industry.
Samsung's global mobile-handset shipments rose to 42.6 million units in the third quarter, up 13.9 percent from 37.4 million in the second quarter. Compared to the third quarter of 2006, Samsung's shipments rose by 38.8 percent, the highest rate of all the Top-5 mobile-handset makers.
This boosted Samsung's market share to 15.1 percent, up from 14.1 percent in the second quarter, giving the company a 2.2 percentage point lead over No. 3 ranked Motorola. This is up from a 0.7-point gap in the second quarter.
"Samsung's strong performance was due to impressive increases in shipments in the European and Americas regions," Teng said. "The company's shipments in Europe and the Americas rose by 28.1 percent and 26.6 percent respectively in the third quarter. This more than offset the 6 percent sequential decline in shipments in Asia during the same period."
Samsung has chosen not to participate in the Ultra Low Cost Handset (ULCH) market and instead has put increased focus on high-end, high-margin 3G handsets. This strategy paid off, with the company boosting its average operating margin by $1 during the period.
The company in the third quarter yielded a 12.3 percent operating profit margin, up from 8.4 percent in the second quarter.
Motorola on the comeback trail?
Based on iSuppli's preliminary estimate of Motorola's share, the company shipped 36.5 million mobile handsets during the third quarter, up 2.8 percent from 35.5 million in the second quarter. This lagged the handset market's overall shipment growth rate of 6.4 percent, but kept Motorola's market share fairly steady at around 13 percent. However, on a year-to-year basis, Motorola's shipments plunged by 32.7 percent, making it the only company not to post an increase on an annual basis in the third quarter.
Motorola in the second quarter lost its long-time No. 2 ranking to Samsung. The company struggled to achieve an operating profit in the first and second quarters.
"Despite Motorola's recent woes, there are signs the company is gradually regaining its footing in the global mobile handset market," Teng said. "With its new product line coming out during the holiday season, Motorola should be able to achieve continued growth in shipment volume during the fourth quarter."
Final figures on Motorola's shipments will be available after it issues its third-quarter results later this week.
LG lives large
LG was the clear leader in terms of volume-shipment percentage growth in the third quarter, with its sales rising by 14.7 percent sequentially. The company's global mobile-phone shipments increased to 21.9 million during the third quarter, up from 19.1 million in the second quarter.
However, all the growth was driven by emerging markets such as the Middle East, Latin America, India and China, as was reflected in its Average Selling Price (ASP). Slow sales in North America and Europe resulted in LG's mobile-handset ASP falling to $124, down 18.6 percent from $152.3 in the second quarter.
Despite a revenue decline of 7.9 percent measured in South Korean won, LG still managed to maintain its operating profit at 8.4 percent in the third quarter.
How much did Nokia increase its mobile-phone unit shipments in the third quarter? More than the total second-quarter mobile-handset shipments of Fujitsu, Ningbo Bird, TCL-Alcatel, Panasonic, Pantech & Curitel, and UTStarcom - combined.
Indeed, Nokia's third-quarter gains were impressive, with its global mobile-handset shipments rising by a stunning 10.9 million units compared to the second quarter. The Finnish mobile-handset sales leader increased its shipments to 111.7 million units in the third quarter, up 10.8 percent from 100.8 million in the second quarter. This gave the company a global market share of 39.5 percent, up from 37.9 percent in the second quarter, helping it to pad its market dominance.
"Nokia is capitalizing on the increasing popularity of multimedia- and business-oriented applications for mobile phones," said Tina Teng, analyst, wireless communications, for iSuppli. "The company's shipments of 'convergence' mobile phones that integrate multimedia and smart-phone features grew by 53.8 percent in the third quarter of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006."
The only disappointment in Nokia's third-quarter results was its performance in the Americas region. Nokia in the third quarter suffered a unit-shipment decline of 12.7 percent in Latin America and of 1.7 percent in North America compared to the same period in 2006.
A Q3 to remember
The strong results from Nokia came during a robust period for the global mobile-handset business and its leading players. Worldwide mobile phone shipments during the period amounted to 283 million units, up 6.4 percent from 266 million units in the second quarter and a 15.4 percent increase from 245.3 million units in the third quarter of 2006.
High first-time sales of phones in emerging markets and high replacement rates in Europe were the major factor driving the growth.
The Top-5 mobile handset suppliers benefited from the healthy growth, with all of these companies increasing their shipments during the third quarter compared to the second.
Combined shipments for these companies rose 9.6 percent during the third quarter compared to the second. At this margin of expansion, these companies outgrew the overall market and thus gained aggregate market share at the expense of the smaller suppliers.
Samsung soars again
While Nokia's unit shipment gain was impressive, Samsung Electronics actually posted a slightly larger increase on a percentage basis, helping the company to maintain the second rank in the industry.
Samsung's global mobile-handset shipments rose to 42.6 million units in the third quarter, up 13.9 percent from 37.4 million in the second quarter. Compared to the third quarter of 2006, Samsung's shipments rose by 38.8 percent, the highest rate of all the Top-5 mobile-handset makers.
This boosted Samsung's market share to 15.1 percent, up from 14.1 percent in the second quarter, giving the company a 2.2 percentage point lead over No. 3 ranked Motorola. This is up from a 0.7-point gap in the second quarter.
"Samsung's strong performance was due to impressive increases in shipments in the European and Americas regions," Teng said. "The company's shipments in Europe and the Americas rose by 28.1 percent and 26.6 percent respectively in the third quarter. This more than offset the 6 percent sequential decline in shipments in Asia during the same period."
Samsung has chosen not to participate in the Ultra Low Cost Handset (ULCH) market and instead has put increased focus on high-end, high-margin 3G handsets. This strategy paid off, with the company boosting its average operating margin by $1 during the period.
The company in the third quarter yielded a 12.3 percent operating profit margin, up from 8.4 percent in the second quarter.
Motorola on the comeback trail?
Based on iSuppli's preliminary estimate of Motorola's share, the company shipped 36.5 million mobile handsets during the third quarter, up 2.8 percent from 35.5 million in the second quarter. This lagged the handset market's overall shipment growth rate of 6.4 percent, but kept Motorola's market share fairly steady at around 13 percent. However, on a year-to-year basis, Motorola's shipments plunged by 32.7 percent, making it the only company not to post an increase on an annual basis in the third quarter.
Motorola in the second quarter lost its long-time No. 2 ranking to Samsung. The company struggled to achieve an operating profit in the first and second quarters.
"Despite Motorola's recent woes, there are signs the company is gradually regaining its footing in the global mobile handset market," Teng said. "With its new product line coming out during the holiday season, Motorola should be able to achieve continued growth in shipment volume during the fourth quarter."
Final figures on Motorola's shipments will be available after it issues its third-quarter results later this week.
LG lives large
LG was the clear leader in terms of volume-shipment percentage growth in the third quarter, with its sales rising by 14.7 percent sequentially. The company's global mobile-phone shipments increased to 21.9 million during the third quarter, up from 19.1 million in the second quarter.
However, all the growth was driven by emerging markets such as the Middle East, Latin America, India and China, as was reflected in its Average Selling Price (ASP). Slow sales in North America and Europe resulted in LG's mobile-handset ASP falling to $124, down 18.6 percent from $152.3 in the second quarter.
Despite a revenue decline of 7.9 percent measured in South Korean won, LG still managed to maintain its operating profit at 8.4 percent in the third quarter.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Handset start-up Mobinnova lands smartphone orders from i-mate
24 Oct 2007
Taiwan-based Mobinnova, a start-up handset maker that reportedly has strong connections with Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry), has landed smartphone orders from Dubai-based handset vendor i-mate, according to market sources in Taiwan.
Taiwan-based Mobinnova, a start-up handset maker that reportedly has strong connections with Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry), has landed smartphone orders from Dubai-based handset vendor i-mate, according to market sources in Taiwan.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Nokia, Motorola and Qisda plan to launch WiMAX devices and handsets in 2008
23 Oct, 2007
Nokia and Motorola as well as Taiwan-based Qisda (formerly BenQ) all plan to launch WiMAX CPE (customer premise equipment) products in 2008, according to sources in Taiwan's WiMAX industry
Motorola is expected to take the lead to introduce a CDMA/WiMAX dual-mode handset in the first half of 2008, while Nokia, is expected to launch during the same period an Internet tablet device supporting WiMAX technology, the sources indicated.
Motorola's product research center in Taiwan will extend its coverage to include WiMAX technology and the center will offer IOT (interoperability testing) services to its production partners as well as other WiMAX CPE makers in Taiwan, said Simon Liang, president of Asia Pacific at Motorola.
Qisda is expected to launch its EDGE/WiMAX dual-mode phone before the end of 2008 that will be a modified version of the BenQ E72 smartphone, according to sources at the company.
The company is currently developing a WiMAX module utilizing baseband chips from Runcom and RF chips from NXP Semiconductors, the sources noted.
With the exception of WiMAX-enabled handsets, Qisda has no plans to develop other WiWAX CPE products, the sources stated.
Nokia and Motorola as well as Taiwan-based Qisda (formerly BenQ) all plan to launch WiMAX CPE (customer premise equipment) products in 2008, according to sources in Taiwan's WiMAX industry
Motorola is expected to take the lead to introduce a CDMA/WiMAX dual-mode handset in the first half of 2008, while Nokia, is expected to launch during the same period an Internet tablet device supporting WiMAX technology, the sources indicated.
Motorola's product research center in Taiwan will extend its coverage to include WiMAX technology and the center will offer IOT (interoperability testing) services to its production partners as well as other WiMAX CPE makers in Taiwan, said Simon Liang, president of Asia Pacific at Motorola.
Qisda is expected to launch its EDGE/WiMAX dual-mode phone before the end of 2008 that will be a modified version of the BenQ E72 smartphone, according to sources at the company.
The company is currently developing a WiMAX module utilizing baseband chips from Runcom and RF chips from NXP Semiconductors, the sources noted.
With the exception of WiMAX-enabled handsets, Qisda has no plans to develop other WiWAX CPE products, the sources stated.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Texas Instruments 3Q Profit Rises 11 Percent on Analog Demand, Lower Manufacturing Costs
22 Oct, 2007
Texas Instruments Inc., the largest maker of chips used in wireless phones, said Monday that its third-quarter earnings rose 11 percent as demand for analog chips and lower manufacturing costs overcame a drop in revenue.
In the third quarter, net income rose to $776 million, or 54 cents per share, from $702 million, or 46 cents per share, in the year-earlier period.
The latest quarter included a previously disclosed gain of 2 cents per share from the sale of a business unit.
The results surpassed estimates on Wall Street, where analysts expected profit of 50 cents per share, according to Thomson Financial.
Texas Instruments, which makes chips used in more than half the world's cell phones, said the company is seeing strong growth in the analog market. Analog chips are used in a variety of electronic devices, included cell phones and digital music players.
"Analog is increasingly shaping our financial performance," said Ron Slaymaker, TI's vice president of investor relations.
Revenue fell 3 percent to $3.66 billion from $3.76 billion a year ago, in line with Wall Street expectations. The company said the year-ago figure was bolstered by customers' boosting inventory.
Looking ahead, TI issued a fourth-quarter revenue target that is lower than the average analyst estimate. The company expects revenue between $3.40 billion and $3.68 billion in revenue, while Wall Street projects $3.72 billion. The company projects profit of 48 cents to 54 cents per share, compared with Wall Street's average estimate of 50 cents for the quarter.
Slaymaker said the reason for the lighter revenue projection comes down to wireless. He said that while the industry overall has been strong, the company expects customers for its wireless chips to pull back on demand in December once they complete their holiday build. That was the pattern the company experienced a year ago, he said.
Slaymaker said TI is also seeing some impact from Ericsson bringing on an additional supplier, costing TI some market share.
Cody Acree, an analyst with Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., gave TI a "mixed" review, saying that while the company was in line for the quarter, its outlook was cautious.
"We definitely respect their view and their prudence, but it may paint a picture of weakness in the wireless market that is yet unknown," Acree said. "We'll have to see how the consumer demand shakes out during the holidays."
In electronic aftermarket trading, TI shares added 28 cents to $34.55 after closing Monday up 35 cents to $34.27.
TI also announced Monday that it would cut about 300 manufacturing jobs from its facility in Tucson, Ariz., while keeping about 300 engineering jobs there. About 200 of the manufacturing jobs will be added to the company's facility in Sherman, about 65 miles north of the company's headquarters.
The transition will take two years and result in a restructuring charge of about $35 million, with the company expecting to save $20 million when the transition is complete. The company said the move was made to more effectively use manufacturing capacity.
Last month, TI detailed plans to lay off 191 workers whose manufacturing jobs in Dallas are being eliminated and who couldn't find other positions at the semiconductor company.
The layoffs will begin in early November and continue until the end of January, the Dallas-based company has said. The workers will be put on paid leave for 60 days after their release.
Texas Instruments is also finishing the last of 233 layoffs from two other facilities in Dallas by year end.
http://www.ti.com
Source: AP News
Texas Instruments Inc., the largest maker of chips used in wireless phones, said Monday that its third-quarter earnings rose 11 percent as demand for analog chips and lower manufacturing costs overcame a drop in revenue.
In the third quarter, net income rose to $776 million, or 54 cents per share, from $702 million, or 46 cents per share, in the year-earlier period.
The latest quarter included a previously disclosed gain of 2 cents per share from the sale of a business unit.
The results surpassed estimates on Wall Street, where analysts expected profit of 50 cents per share, according to Thomson Financial.
Texas Instruments, which makes chips used in more than half the world's cell phones, said the company is seeing strong growth in the analog market. Analog chips are used in a variety of electronic devices, included cell phones and digital music players.
"Analog is increasingly shaping our financial performance," said Ron Slaymaker, TI's vice president of investor relations.
Revenue fell 3 percent to $3.66 billion from $3.76 billion a year ago, in line with Wall Street expectations. The company said the year-ago figure was bolstered by customers' boosting inventory.
Looking ahead, TI issued a fourth-quarter revenue target that is lower than the average analyst estimate. The company expects revenue between $3.40 billion and $3.68 billion in revenue, while Wall Street projects $3.72 billion. The company projects profit of 48 cents to 54 cents per share, compared with Wall Street's average estimate of 50 cents for the quarter.
Slaymaker said the reason for the lighter revenue projection comes down to wireless. He said that while the industry overall has been strong, the company expects customers for its wireless chips to pull back on demand in December once they complete their holiday build. That was the pattern the company experienced a year ago, he said.
Slaymaker said TI is also seeing some impact from Ericsson bringing on an additional supplier, costing TI some market share.
Cody Acree, an analyst with Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., gave TI a "mixed" review, saying that while the company was in line for the quarter, its outlook was cautious.
"We definitely respect their view and their prudence, but it may paint a picture of weakness in the wireless market that is yet unknown," Acree said. "We'll have to see how the consumer demand shakes out during the holidays."
In electronic aftermarket trading, TI shares added 28 cents to $34.55 after closing Monday up 35 cents to $34.27.
TI also announced Monday that it would cut about 300 manufacturing jobs from its facility in Tucson, Ariz., while keeping about 300 engineering jobs there. About 200 of the manufacturing jobs will be added to the company's facility in Sherman, about 65 miles north of the company's headquarters.
The transition will take two years and result in a restructuring charge of about $35 million, with the company expecting to save $20 million when the transition is complete. The company said the move was made to more effectively use manufacturing capacity.
Last month, TI detailed plans to lay off 191 workers whose manufacturing jobs in Dallas are being eliminated and who couldn't find other positions at the semiconductor company.
The layoffs will begin in early November and continue until the end of January, the Dallas-based company has said. The workers will be put on paid leave for 60 days after their release.
Texas Instruments is also finishing the last of 233 layoffs from two other facilities in Dallas by year end.
http://www.ti.com
Source: AP News
HTC to launch Touch Cruise PDA phone in November
22 Oct, 2007
High Tech Computer (HTC) plans to launch a new GPS-enabled touch-controlled PDA phone, the HTC Touch Cruise, in November, according to sources familiar with the company's roadmap.
The Touch Cruise, originally the HTC Polaris, is powered by a Qualcomm MSM 7200 400MHz processor and Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 OS (operating system), the sources noted.
In addition, the new PDA phone, equipped with a 2.8-inch QVGA screen and a 3-megapixel camera, supports HTC's TouchFLO technology and the HSUPA (high speed upload packet access) standard, the sources added.
HTC also plans to add at least three new models to its HTC Touch lineup that will include two 3.5G smartphones and one EDGE-enabled model, the sources indicated.
High Tech Computer (HTC) plans to launch a new GPS-enabled touch-controlled PDA phone, the HTC Touch Cruise, in November, according to sources familiar with the company's roadmap.
The Touch Cruise, originally the HTC Polaris, is powered by a Qualcomm MSM 7200 400MHz processor and Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 OS (operating system), the sources noted.
In addition, the new PDA phone, equipped with a 2.8-inch QVGA screen and a 3-megapixel camera, supports HTC's TouchFLO technology and the HSUPA (high speed upload packet access) standard, the sources added.
HTC also plans to add at least three new models to its HTC Touch lineup that will include two 3.5G smartphones and one EDGE-enabled model, the sources indicated.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Arima Communications ships over one million handsets in September
3 Oct, 2007
Handset shipments from Arima Communications reached over one million units, buoyed by increasing shipments to Sony Ericsson and LG Electronics, according to estimates by Taiwan-based handset component makers.
Arima's third-quarter handset shipments totaled about 2.8 million units, compared to 1.78 million in the first quarter and 1.66 million in the second quarter, the sources estimated.
For the fourth quarter, Arima is expected to ship 4.0-4.5 million handsets, bringing the total shipments for all of 2007 to 10-11 million, the sources projected.
Sales of Sony Ericsson's T250s, of which the company is outsourcing production to Arima, are booming, and this has prompted Sony Ericsson to add four follow-up versions of the T250 in the fourth quarter, the sources noted.
Arima's handset shipments to LG are expected to top two million units in 2007 making the South Korea vendor the second largest client for Ariam, accounting for 20% of Arima's total handset shipments, said the sources.
Additionally, Arima has landed 2.5G handset orders from Sharp with shipments set to start in the first quarter of 2008.
Handset shipments from Arima Communications reached over one million units, buoyed by increasing shipments to Sony Ericsson and LG Electronics, according to estimates by Taiwan-based handset component makers.
Arima's third-quarter handset shipments totaled about 2.8 million units, compared to 1.78 million in the first quarter and 1.66 million in the second quarter, the sources estimated.
For the fourth quarter, Arima is expected to ship 4.0-4.5 million handsets, bringing the total shipments for all of 2007 to 10-11 million, the sources projected.
Sales of Sony Ericsson's T250s, of which the company is outsourcing production to Arima, are booming, and this has prompted Sony Ericsson to add four follow-up versions of the T250 in the fourth quarter, the sources noted.
Arima's handset shipments to LG are expected to top two million units in 2007 making the South Korea vendor the second largest client for Ariam, accounting for 20% of Arima's total handset shipments, said the sources.
Additionally, Arima has landed 2.5G handset orders from Sharp with shipments set to start in the first quarter of 2008.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Taiwan market: Sales of BenQ-branded handsets hit high in September
2 Oct, 2007
BenQ sold more than 10,000 own-brand 3G handsets in Taiwan in September, bringing the company's total branded handset shipments for the month in Taiwan to over 33,000 units, the highest level for BenQ-branded handsets for nearly a year, according to Hank Hung, general manager of BenQ Taiwan.
Brisk sales of the company's E81 3G handsets helped push up the shipment volume, Hung noted.
For the first nine months of 2007, BenQ's handset shipments reached 70% of a target of 300,000 units for the year, Hung stated.
BenQ plans to launch one to two 3G or multimedia handsets by the end of this year in addition to the T51, T33 and E72 launched on October 1, Hung added.
BenQ also plans to introduce its first MID (mobile Internet device) product in Taiwan in 2008 and to distribute the device through notebook and handset channels as well as telecom carriers, Hung said.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Qisda to start shipping UMA-compliant smartphone to Europe
1 Oct, 2007
Qisda, parent company of BenQ, has landed orders for a smartphone compliant with the UMA (unlicensed mobile access) standard from a telecom service provider with shipments to begin in October, according to sources close to Qisda.
The UMA-compliant cellphone is the E72 smartphone launched recently by BenQ, the sources indicated. The E72 is powered by a Texas Instruments (TI) OMAP 1030 processor and Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 OS (operating system) and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0.
After officially spinning off its brand-product business unit BenQ in September, Qisda is now focusing on the development of market-niche handsets, including models supporting UMA and NFC (near field communication) standards, the sources noted.
Qisda will also aim at getting OEM orders from telecom services providers in Western Europe, while BenQ will focus on selling its own-brand handsets to markets in Eastern Europe and China, the sources stated.
Qisda, parent company of BenQ, has landed orders for a smartphone compliant with the UMA (unlicensed mobile access) standard from a telecom service provider with shipments to begin in October, according to sources close to Qisda.
The UMA-compliant cellphone is the E72 smartphone launched recently by BenQ, the sources indicated. The E72 is powered by a Texas Instruments (TI) OMAP 1030 processor and Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 OS (operating system) and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0.
After officially spinning off its brand-product business unit BenQ in September, Qisda is now focusing on the development of market-niche handsets, including models supporting UMA and NFC (near field communication) standards, the sources noted.
Qisda will also aim at getting OEM orders from telecom services providers in Western Europe, while BenQ will focus on selling its own-brand handsets to markets in Eastern Europe and China, the sources stated.
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