Intex introduces new Dual Sim Mobile Phones in India

Intex, one of the leading computer hardware and software manufacturer has entered into mobile phone production and recently launched dual sim mobile phones in India.

Intex dual SIM mobile phones come as GSM-GSM (two GSM SIM) and CDMA-GSM (one CDMA with one GSM SIM). Now you can have both CDMA and GSM sim in one handset and start talking without using two different handsets. Intex has launched various models that supports two SIMs (dual SIM or dual mode handsets) in one handset.

"3-High" Functionality of Cellphones to Drive Market Growth in 2009: TRi

Topology Research Institute (TRi), the largest private market researcher and consultancy in Taiwan, predicts a certain downturn in the growth of cellphone sales in the first-half of 2009, with the market growth expected to slow to sub-double-digit levels.

TRi suggests cellphone and parts suppliers in Taiwan pay more attention to the smartphone sector.

One ray of optimism lies in the "three highs" functionality of cellphones, including high dependence, high integration, and high-speed Internet accessibility, with such features not only helping potential buyers of cellphones to defy any psychological barriers blocking purchase willingness amid the global economic fallout, TRi says, but also becoming the few warm underlying flows to churn chilly currents ahead.

High Dependence

For many in this generation of global e-connectedness, TRi points out, having a cellphone is perhaps even more critical than packing one`s keys, wallets or purses-becoming virtually an addiction in an age where massive migration of laborers and social uncertainties often exasperate loneliness, with cellphones being an electronic security blanket more than a communication device; not to mention that mobile phones are often the only available telephone in areas with sparse telecom infrastructure: The penetration of cellphones exceeds 51% in developing nations and 94% in developed markets.

TRi also says that cellphones differ from other consumer electronics in the high degree of dependence on the former: where high-dependence translates into high levels of personalization, meaning one user is often driven to own at least one or few mobile phones that are personalized with unique IDs and settings. Such dependence differs from ownership of typical home appliances where users generally do not mind sharing a toaster, iron with family and friends. TRi, however, does not psycho-analyze such market trends. For example, huge numbers of multi-phone owners could rely on such easily portable devices as affordable toys, a distraction that offers personal interaction that seems to be important for innumerable users whose lives are otherwise devoid of "substance;" while cellphone ownership, especially in emerging markets, is very likely a truly-affordable status symbol.

The handset is also, somewhat unsurprisingly, the last-abandoned electronic product, with all telecom providers locking subscribers with "deals that literally cannot be refused": users generally can buy costly cellphones at irresistible prices when they agree to sign two-year contracts in highly competitive markets, a strategy that is an excellent buffer in this global economic downturn, TRi says.

Citing a mainland Chinese example, TRi says that new cellphone subscribers increased about 8.6 million from January to August this year, compared with 7.75 million in the second half of 2007, despite the serious economic impact from the snow storms in February and global financial storm that began in mid-2008. The market researcher says that the cellphone market in China clearly seems unfazed amid the overall global downturn.

"One Price Buys Multi-functionality"

The market consultancy also attributes the upbeat market outlook to the "one price buys multi-functionality" characteristic of cellphones.

TRi says that an economic recession compromises spending willingness that drives consumers to delete various tech products from shopping lists. Multifunctional cell phones, in effect are many tech gadgets in one as defined by TRi, bear increasingly appealing marketability for being simultaneously digital camera, audio/video players, game console, portable navigation device (PND), PDA, or even a micro-computer.

Backing such observations, TRi cites the market changes in India: In 2008, sales of phones with built-in digital camera are rising in India, adding that in 2009 the "one price buys multi-functionality" feature of cellphones will help to significantly drive replacement purchases in that huge market and other developing nations.

While the resolution of camera-integrated cellphones continues to be upgraded, TRi forecasts that more than one billion music-enabled handsets will be shipped in 2009, for a penetration of 69.5%.

The market consultancy also says that smartphones with the highest degree of integration will be a promising product category in 2009, with such product expected to retain 30%-plus shipment growths.

New Business Model

Another important feature, according to TRi, that will help to further drive the development of cellphone market in 2009 is High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA). Such high-speed wireless data- transmission service has been gaining increasing popularity in some mature markets, as telecom carriers actively promote such value-added service by providing flat-rate incentives and bundled handheld devices such as Apple`s iPhone and HTC Diamond smartphones.

In the emerging business arena, TRi points out a potentially practical service to be offered by telecom carriers, who can tap into detailed subscriber data to offer personalized value-added services. One excellent example is LBS (location-based services) or a voice-activated Q&A service: a user merely asks routine questions as "where is the nearest diner" on-the-road to get convenient answers.

TRi also says that advancing 3.5G mobile service and software architectures have also been speeding the development of multimedia value-added services, with Microsoft, Apple, Google, Sony, Nokia, HTC, and Motorola all likely taking part.

Alongside the growing sophistication of the above-mentioned mobile phone functions are new challenges placed upon OE parts suppliers, who are required to develop components for lighter, thinner handsets, with newcomers boasting price, technology advantages expected to replace older, less-competitive players.

TRi suggests handset and parts makers in Taiwan focus on tapping the business potential of smartphones in 2009. The consultancy forecasts a shipment decrease of six million code division multiple access (CDMA) 2G and 2.5G handsets in 2009, as well as an increase of 48 million GSM/FPRS/EDGE models and 60 million 3G, 3.5G (WCDMA, CDMA 2000) models. Overall the research firm says cellphone shipment in 2009 is expected to grow 7.4%, or about 100 million units to reach 1.45 billion units.

Apple 3G iPhone brightens up grey market

The launch of Apple iPhone by Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar seems to have revived the dwindling sales of the gizmo in grey markets.

The reason: the price tag announced by the two GSM giants is too high and all those who had been waiting to buy it officially, are now rushing to the grey markets to get the 16GB iPhone for as low as Rs 20,000-Rs 22,000.

“Sales had dipped after it was announced in May that Airtel and Vodafone will bring iPhone to India. Many postponed buying the phone from us. However, since the prices announced are almost 50-60% more than at what we sell, we are getting back business,” said a dealer at Heera Panna, Mumbai’s best known grey market for all high-end phones.

New iPhone provokes frenzy in Hong Kong and London

APPLE’S new iPhone made its hotly awaited debut on Friday, with buyers storming stores in Asia and queues forming in European cities. Sales of the device, which combines a music and video player, cell phone and Web browser, kicked off in New Zealand, where a22- year- old student became its first owner. “I’m going to put this on charge, have a play around with it and have anice long sleep,” said Jonny Gladwell, who queued in freezing temperatures for about 60 hours to be the first person to buy the iPhone at a minute past midnight on Friday. Guards in bullet- proof vests and helmets brandished shotguns and guarded over 500 devices on sale in Hong Kong. Softbank Corp, which sells the iPhone in Japan, said over 1,500 people lined up outside its flagship Tokyo store. Policemen yelled at passers- by to make room. In London, an orderly queue in front of the flagship store of O2, a unit of Telefonica, extended around the corner. “We ordered lots. We’ve seen the demand the first time, but we’re blown away by it. I think it is unprecedented,” said Steve Alder, O2 UK’s iPhone director. “We’ve got stocks coming in every week Iam confident that by the end of the summer, everyone who wants one will have one.” “The iPhone phenomenon is going to stimulate the adoption of smart phones. It will change the landscape, the way the iPod did for the MP3 player industry,” said Charles Guo, analyst at JPMorgan. Analysts expect the new iPhone to draw as many as 10.5 million buyers worldwide this year.

How to buy an Apple iPhone in India ?

How to buy an Apple iPhone in India ? What is the price of iPhone in India? Will an unlocked iPhone you bought in US or UK work here?

Vodafone and Airtel will launch iPhone 3G model but does India have 3G? Read this quick iPhone FAQ Guide before you purchase an iPhone from Indian mobile phone dealers.
1. Is the Apple iPhone available in India – Yes but not through the official channel yet.
2. If iPhone is available where can I buy iPhone in India – The Apple phone is not available here officially but you can order it on eBay or buy it from some shops in Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderbad, Mumbai, Chennai, etc.
Alternatively, some online underground sites are also selling unlocked iPhone in India but these unofficial iPhone suppliers in India do not share their contact address so be careful in case you run into shipping problems.
3. Will Indian iPhone work with the GSM SIM card of Airtel, Idea, BSNL or Vodafone? If you buy an unlocked iPhone, it will work with GSM networks here but but you cannot use the Visual Voicemail feature of iPhone. Also, iPhone is GSM based so it may not work with Tata Indicom or Reliance CDMA network.
4. Can I buy an unlocked iPhone in US and use it in India - Yes, the iPhone bought in US (or UK or Canada) works in India - you can just buy a local SIM card in India and replace the AT&T SIM. Make sure you read the Apple policies as this may break the warranty.
5. I bought an iPhone in US and am traveling to India on a business trip. How can I save on iPhone international roaming charges while making phone calls in India - Do not use the AT&T call service, instead make phone call over VoIP using the Wi-Fi option of iPhone. You can use Jajah or even Skype to make cheap international calls over the Internet.
6. Is Apple not selling unlocked iPhone - Yes, they have launched an unlocked iPhone in France so not need pay anyone for unlocking the iPhone.
7. What about Apple Store in India – iPhone will be sold via Airtel and Vodafone. The Apple stores that you have in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, etc are for selling Macbooks, iPod, Apple TV and other Apple products but they won’t stock iPhone.
8. What is the price of iPhone in India – The unlocked 4GB iphone is around 20k while the 8GB unlocked iPhone costs around 30k. (includes shipping and taxes) The prices will fall once iPhone 3G arrives here this year and is expected to sell for Rs 10,000 – 12,000.
9. Should I wait for iPhone or invest in BlackBerry or Nokia N95 ? Read this comparison of smartphones - iPhone vs Blackberry, N95. Check these iPhone typing tutorials to see if you can type faster with the touch-screen keyboard. And this online size tool will help you compare the dimensions of iPhone with you existing mobile phone.
10. How do I buy an iPhone officially ? While you can’t buy that yet, pre-register iPhone with either Airtel or Vodafone.
11. What is the launch date of iPhone in India – No official confirmations but Steve Jobs hinted that iPhone will land in September.

iPhone is a quad-band GSM mobile phone so it will working internationally in countries outside the US though you’ll have to ask AT&T to turn on international roaming on the iPhone and that the places you’re going offer GSM coverage.

Of PHONES TOO MOBILE

Cellphone giant Nokia is fast catching up with Apples iPhone. The announcement of the new iPhone-like Nokia 5800 Tube swept many geeks off their feet. Expected to be out by the last quarter of 2008, this phone is designed like the iPhone and can perform similar functionals. It is expected to give a huge boost to the mass adoption of mobile Internet. It is designed to run on the Symbian operating system, the S60.

The company has not disclosed much, but only mentioned that it would come with an iPhone- like tilt touch screen with 3G or even higher G features and of course a camera with a minimum of 3.2 megapixel plus autofocus.

TOO MOBILE ASUS P750: This PDA phone from ASUSTek Computer, Inc, comes with tri- band GSM and runs on Windows Mobile 6.

The phones high point is that it supports the TMC (Traffic Message Channel), which will help you get real- time information on traffic snarls so that you can reach your destination on time. Even with features like the 3MP camera and 64MB SDRAM with 256MB Flash memory, the phone manages to be reasonably light at 130 gm. Price: Rs 28,900.

SMARTPHONES ROLL IN

The avalanche of new handsets with their sets of pluses and minuses boggle ones mind, forcing it to reach the no conclusion stage each time one attempts to tally the pros and cons of different instruments. I don't intend to harangue you on what to choose and what not to. Instead, I'll share what I found striking about some of the phones that have just hit the market. TyTN II: HTCs newly introduced smartphone TyTN II has some very interesting features. Global high- speed HSDPA connectivity, in- built GPS for personal navigation and a novel adjustable screen angle make for a good package, especially, when it boasts of 3.5G high- speed Internet access at speeds nine times faster than 3G and advanced WiFi to ensure quick surfing, uploading and downloading wherever you may be in the world. The added applications, like the business card scanner and MapKing R12 to complement the in- built GPS, are the proverbial cherry on the cake. The TyTN II has an in- built GPS for personal navigation Nokias 5800 Tube will compete with the Apple iPhone ( left) Get real- time information on traffic snarl on the ASUS P750 ( right) The TyTN II has an in- built GPS for personal navigation

Apple iPhone in India - Your Questions on Unlocked iPhones

Want to buy an Apple iPhone in India ? Not sure if unlocked iphone works in India. Read this quick iPhone Guide before you purchase the iPhone from Indian mobile phone dealers.

1. Is the Apple iPhone available in India – Yes. You can easily purchase iPhone phones here.

2. If iPhone is available where I can buy iPhone in India - Apple hasn’t introduced iPhone officially in India but you can grab one from Palika Bazaar of Delhi or Heera Panna shopping complex of Mumbai. Alternatively, some online sites are also selling unlocked iPhone in India. The iPhone was earlier expected to debut in India via Reliance Retail. Most online iPhone suppliers in India do not share their contact address.

3. Will Indian iPhone work with the GSM SIM card of Airtel, Idea, BSNL or Vodafone? Yes but you cannot use the Visual Voicemail feature of iPhone. Also, iPhone is GSM based so it may not work with Tata Indicom or Reliance CDMA network.

4. Can I buy an unlocked iPhone in US and use it in India - Yes, the iPhone bought in US (or UK or Canada) will be compatible in India - you can just buy a local SIM card in India and replace the AT&T SIM. Make sure you read the Apple policies as this may break the warranty.

5. What about HCL and Wipro selling iPhone in India legally? There was a rumor that iPhone may be available in India through a legal route from Wipro and HCL as they were expected to sign a distribution deal soon with Apple for selling iPhone in India. No confirmation still.

6. Does Apple official sell an unlocked iPhone - Yes, they have launched an unlocked iPhone in France and it could soon be available in India. No need to pay mobile phone dealers for unlocking iPhone cell phones.

7. What about Apple Store - The first store will open in Bangalore for selling Macbooks, iPod, Apple TV and other Apple products but they won’t stock iPhone.

8. What is the price of iPhone in India - It varies but the time of writing, the unlocked 4GB iphone was around 20k while the 8GB unlocked iPhone was 30k. (Includes shipping and taxes)

9. Should I wait for iPhone or invest in BlackBerry or Nokia N95 ? Read this comparison of smartphones - iPhone vs Blackberry, N95

10. I have bought an iPhone and manage to unlock it. Now what - If you are connecting to iTunes for transferring music, videos and photographs from the computer to the iPhone, iTunes may suggest that you upgrade the iPhone firmware to version 1.1.1 - Cancel and do not allow iTunes to update your iPhone as it will get locked again and become useless. Update: The new unlocked iPhones are shipping in India with firmware version 1.1.1.

11. I bought an iPhone in US and traveling to India on a business trip. How can I save on iPhone international roaming charges while making phone calls in India - Do not use the AT&T call service, instead make phone call over VoIP using the Wi-Fi option of iPhone. You can use Jajah or even Skype to make cheap international calls over the internet.

iPhone is a quad-band GSM mobile phone so it will working internationally in countries outside the US though you’ll have to ask AT&T to turn on international roaming on the iPhone and that the places you’re going offer GSM coverage. If you want to learn more about iPhone, here are iPhone books and iPhone tutorial DVDs that you may buy from Amazon.