Mobile phone market in Middle East region witnesses increased demand for MMS-enabled phones

In keeping with this trend, Panasonic, the leading global manufacturer of consumer electronics and telecom products will be showcasing the new ultra-sleek X70 mobile phone, with instant picture sending ability, at GITEX Dubai 2003.

The ultra-compact X70 is Panasonic's only GSM mobile phone with a built-in 110k pixel digital camera and full multimedia functions, that enable users take rich colour photos anytime, anywhere and store, view or send the images instantly. X70 comes with not only MMS, but also Bluetooth and IrDA to exchange richer content.

'The mobile phone market in the Middle East has seen positive growth, with an estimated 2.3 million mobile phone users in the UAE alone, constituting 65 per cent of the total UAE population. We have introduced a range of innovative mobile phones packed with advantages to meet consumer's expectations of sleek cell phones that offer good value for money', said Shigeru Uno, General Manager, Systems Products Dept, Panasonic Marketing Middle East FZE.

'The new X70 capitalises on the current demand for MMS enabled cell phones in the Middle East, by offering superior picture quality and instant messaging facility, which allows users to share images on the spot. In addition, we have also unveiled the 'Super Mini' G50 mobile phone with colour display which supports Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS), Wallpaper download and WAP browsing. By introducing the 'Super Mini' mobile phone with colour display into the market, Panasonic aims to strengthen its line-up in the Middle East', he added

The X70 takes advantage of Panasonic's famous digital imaging and zooming and is fitted with a large colour display of 132 x 176 pixels for enhanced image display. Super stylish and ergonomically designed, the X70 neatly folds up to just 87x47x23mm making it small enough to fit in the palm of the hand like a jewel. In keeping with the increasing demand for high quality sound in mobile phones, the X70 offers a 16-tone polyphonic ringer with tones that sound almost as good as the original song.

The Panasonic G50 takes full advantage of its 4096-colour which is ideal for users who are interested in a compact and stylish phone which contains super messaging and sound capabilities. The Panasonic G50 is small and light, measuring only 80 x 43 x 18 mm and weighing a mere 75 grams. With its bright 4096-colour display and 40 polyphonic ring tones, the Panasonic 'Super Mini' G50 brings you all the pictures and sounds you need to express your individuality.

Panasonic has announced plans to further increase its presence in the mobile phone market with the introduction of several exciting models. 'The Middle East consumer is attracted to high-tech phones that offer the benefits of aesthetics and advanced performance. For our fashion-conscious consumers, we have already introduced the sleek GD-55 and plan to launch soon the G70 that is so light and stylish it can be worn as a fashion accessory', added Uno.

The GD55 mobile phone is a small, slim and light mobile phone weighing only 65 grams. It offers excellent clarity with its specially designed large display screen, allowing the phonebook and short text messages to be read at a glance. It is designed to reflect the user's personality. Its Graphical User Interface allows the user to easily follow the icons making navigating through the phone's functions quite simple. GD55 supports EMS (Enhanced Messaging Service), has a 4-tone polyphonic ringer producing a high quality ring tone sound and allows the user to compose their own music using it as a personal ring signal.

Also to be launched is the new sensationally designed G70 which can be termed as the fashion series from Panasonic. It is so stylish that it can be worn as a fashion accessory because it is shaped like a round clamshell. Targeted specially at women, it incorporates a mirror display that can be used while applying make-up. With a 4000 pixel colour display and 40 different polyphonic ring tones, it has other features like EMS/SMS and WAP 1.2.1.