Kyocera Wireless Makes Strategic Jump Into GSM
Handset Market
Kyocera Wireless Corp. (KWC), announced
its entry into the GSM handset market with four
new GSM handsets. The new phones will launch
initially in Latin America, where a number of
CDMA service providers recently switched to GSM
networks. Combined with its extensive CDMA
expertise, Kyocera’s
addition of GSM to its technology portfolio also
positions the company to address the rapidly
growing WCDMA market. The announcement coincides
with today’s
finalization of Kyocera acquiring Sanyo’s
mobile handset business, making Kyocera the
world’s sixth largest
manufacturer of wireless phones.
“The addition of
GSM is an important strategic step in our plans
to grow Kyocera’s
position and brand in the global wireless
industry,” said Dave
Carey, vice president and general manager of KWC’s
Consumer Products Group. “In
the short term, diversifying our technology base
will allow us to maintain working relationships
with some very strong Latin American customers
who have made the switch to GSM. Beyond that, it
represents a huge long-term opportunity to grow
our business by addressing the vast GSM and
WCDMA markets around the world.”
KWC’s first four
GSM handsets offer a variety of designs, feature
sets and price points to suit the diverse needs
of its customers:
- E4600
– A
multimedia powerhouse with a sleek sliding
design, the E4600 incorporates an MP3
player, 2-megapixel camera with video
record/playback, Bluetooth®
wireless technology, expandable memory and a
vibrant 2.2-inch display. It is quad-band
(850/900/1800/1900 MHz) with up to eight
hours of talk time and 500 hours of standby.
- E3500
– Also
supporting MP3 and video record/playback,
the E3500 features a stylish clamshell
design with external music controls, dual
color displays, a 1.3-megapixel camera,
expandable memory and Bluetooth wireless
technology. Like the E4600, it is quad-band
and provides up to eight hours of talk time
and 500 hours of standby.
- E2500
– The E2500
is an ultra-slim candy bar-style phone with
an MP3 player, 1.3-megapixel camera with
video record/playback, Bluetooth wireless
technology and expandable memory. It is
quad-band and delivers up to 6 hours of talk
time and 400 hours of standby.
- S1600
– For the
cost-conscious consumer most concerned with
basic phone features, the S1600 is strikes
an ideal balance between style and
affordability. It is a thin candy bar-style
phone with a VGA camera that supports SMS,
MMS and WAP. It is dual-band (900/1800 or
850/1900 MHz) and supports downloadable
ringtones and photos.
KWC has begun shipping to customers in Latin
America. Retail launches will be announced on a
carrier-by-carrier basis in the weeks and months
ahead.
