Samsung showcase

Gearing up for the maturing of third-generation (3G) networks worldwide, Samsung Corp. has paraded a bevy of digital must-haves that are due for shipment starting next quarter at the CommunicAsia2005, Asia’s premier information and communications (ICT) event held in Singapore last month.

South Korea’s rising stars in the ICT arena actually packed interesting showcases of their latest product offerings that may become standard fare sooner than expected.

For handset makers, it was a battle royale in the Lion City as the most awaited tech road show of the year unveiled the latest trends in mobile communications, digital lifestyle, next-generation networks, broadband, satellite and security.

"Southeast Asia is a key growth market for Samsung," said Kitae Lee, president of Samsung Electronics Telecommunication Network Business, in a statement released during the opening day of CommunicAsia2005.

"We are committed to trailblazing the high-end 3G market with innovative multimedia devices that enhance today’s mobile lifestyle with greater efficiency and convenience."

Four new multimedia Samsung phones were showcased in the event – the SGH-D600, SGH-E730, SGH-X810 and SGH-i300. Except for the D600, which has a two-megapixel camera, all the phones have standard 1.3-megapixel cameras. All four have video recording capability, Bluetooth, USB and MP3 players. The i300 has a 3GB hard disk drive that can store up to 1,000 music files.

Samsung’s range 3G line-up for the season includes the SGH-Z700, a uniquely designed three-megapixel camera phone; the SGH-Z500, the world’s smallest 3G phone; and the SGH-Z300, which features audio enhancements to maximize the 3G experience. These three, plus the SGH-Z130 and SGH-Z140, have video telephony and streaming features.

For businessmen, Samsung offers a Symbian OS phone, the SGH-D720; a MS Pocket PC multimedia phone, the SPH-M7000; and the SGH-D550, with push e-mail capability – all designed for mobile connectivity.

Not to be outdone are the fashion phones for the trendy crowd. For a start, the SGH-E530 comes in lavender pink, valentine pink, chic white, oasis blue and festival orange. The SGH-E640 and the SGH-E760 are both stylish clamshell phones with 1.3-megapixel cameras. Samsung also bared that it has partnered with designers to come up with designs that will appeal to the fashion elite in the United States. These limited edition phones include the Couture Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) Mobile, Diane von Furstenberg (DVF), the Whimsical Betsey Johnson and Vintage Anna Sui Mobiles.

In a separate press interview in Seoul a week after the Singapore event, Daniel Chung, vice president of the Overseas Marketing Strategy Group of Samsung Corp.’s Mobile Communications Division, affirmed the company’s mid- to high-end market focus.

"Megapixel camera phones, music and gaming phones are the key trends that the company is following closely," he said.

Lined up for shipment next year are music mobile phones that can play 700 to 800 songs. Chung also talked about plans for digital rights management (DRM) and the adoption of as many operating systems as possible into its handsets.

The Samsung executive predicts that digital multimedia broadcast (DMB) phones will get popular next year, while new segments such as 3G will increasingly gain popular appeal.