Sony Ericsson plans more specialized phones
25 May 2006 by axxxr After an enthusiastic consumer reaction to Walkman-branded cell phones, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications is planning more handsets that are focused around a single, major feature, the company's president said in an interview in Tokyo this week.
The company put its first Walkman handset on sale in August 2005. Several more models, all of which have more of an emphasis on music than a conventional handset, have followed and sold "way beyond our expectations," said Miles Flint. From launch to the end of 2005 the company sold 3 million Walkman handsets and sales in the first quarter of this year totaled 2.5 million phones. The K800, launched earlier this year, is the first model to borrow another famous Sony brand name: Cybershot. Flint said its digital still camera functions are a notch above other handsets and the phone includes a link with Google's Blogger service that allows users to quickly upload photos and messages to their blogs. It's another example of a handset more tightly focused than a traditional model and also something operators are welcoming because it drives up data traffic, he said. Sony Ericsson's third area of interest this year, after Walkman and Cybershot handsets, is Blackberry-enabled models for the business and corporate market, he said. As new handsets come out users are likely to see more phones that combine several functions but are tuned to one primary use, Flint said. "I don't think we're heading to the Swiss Army knife that does everything," he said. He likened the handset market to the digital camera market, where video cameras can take still images and still cameras can do video but no single device does both very well. As for the future of mobile music and the much-rumored iPod phone, Flint said it could be good for Sony Ericsson's business if such a device is developed. "If there was one, it would probably accelerate the whole music on mobile [market]," he said. "With the head-start we've got, I think we can compete with anyone else whoever they may be." Source: infoworld
Comments On 13 Jun 20:36 Nemesis wrote I don't like the idea of 'handsets that are focused around a single, major feature', however, take a look at K800i. I can't see any headset with so many features, all great. This one has it all, plus, flight mode, and the player is better than the the ones in the first walkman headsets. Well... The P990 is another great headset, but it's really just for business ppl, or geeks :P On 29 May 20:38 edw wrote I'm not liking this development. I like making good pictures and that's the reason I want the k800. But I always (daily) listen to music (mp3/radio) and that's why I want the w850i/w950. And there is the problem. I have to choose between 2 goods and bads. I'm going for the product that can give me both of these 2 (or more) worlds and not discard a functionality. Even if that means it is not a SE phone... On 27 May 08:06 Julidzg wrote I dont like that stupid idea, i love walkman branded phones but it doesnt mean that i dont want an excelent cam on my phone, and i love cybershot branded phones, but those dont have such a good memory and media player. That makes me think that w800 was the perfect balance phone-all in one and thats the reason of its succes. I hope that the strategy fails and sales go down if they do that. That could be a bye bye to SE for me. And to a lot of people. On 27 May 00:13 richard wrote i like having phones that can do everything pretty well, like good music, video and camera. it's not impossible, they are just being nasty buggers and trying to get people to buy around 5 phones a year On 26 May 13:16 zendilar wrote when I sayed that they are starting to produse b***shit and there is no ericsson any more but only sony, someone sayed that he want to shot me in the fase. On 26 May 02:58 laddi wrote i love p990i phone this is wonderfull phonel. On 26 May 00:39 thisisdum wrote based on what se are doing to their products now, in the future you will not be able to enjoy music and take a picture worth keeping, or a video that captures in quality, send coporate emails, play 3d java etc etc from one phone. You will only get one feature. Others are made not worth having. So, you will only get one feature. Not good for us :( On 25 May 21:43 nikos wrote I don't like the fact that a nokia is replaced fast, the same will apply for sony ericsson. On 25 May 21:31 alex wrote tbh this sounds like a nokia-ish kinda of idea...just the fact its known as sonyericsson now. i think that they should do whatever keeps them with a decent market share of mobile phones, or raises it...whatever...but if they do something like this, i suppose saying that they're not going to have the huge things like nokia are making now, but the p900 series is/was pretty much that. But not as good and better at the same time...its very hard to decided whether sony ericsson will manage to stay alive in the future. On 25 May 19:48 Chamak wrote I'm kinda hurt hearing they're not goin' for multi-function phones. as till now they had multi-function phones and till now it was superb..each nd every sector was stunning, so why moving away from this path, while u've head start in everything? :( On 25 May 18:54 Sloopjohnb wrote I kinda like multi-function phones... The idea of a small computer in your hands... If se start specializing too much their models people will start thinking they dont do much else On 25 May 18:44 korbindallis wrote I knew they would be heading down this path, towards more specialized sets. Not like the bolkia multi media bricks that cost a bomb :) On 25 May 18:30 pow wrote well start then is wot i say On 25 May 17:47 nelly6602 wrote yeah sony ericsson 4-ever |
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