Samsung consolidates its mobile phones leadership position in Middle East and Africa region

With the launch of SGH-D500, a multipurpose, mega-pixel phone, Samsung further aims to consolidate and grow its regional mobile phone market share to 25 per cent in 2005 from the present 22 per cent in 2004.

Speaking at the launch press conference, Mr. Steve Han, General Manager - Telecommunications, Samsung Gulf Electronics (SGE) said: "Camera-enabled phones have helped re-stimulate the regional mobile phone industry, facing sluggish demand and stiff product competition. Camera phones have triggered an explosive demand, and with the launch of multipurpose, megapixel phones such as Samsung's D500, we expect camera-enabled phones to become the mobile phone industry's mainstream model. This rising demand will be further fuelled by integrated features such as Bluetooth and MP3 player."

"With a dominant number two position in the Middle East mobile phone market, and an unprecedented competency in core telecom products, Samsung is best positioned to benefit from the mobile phone industry's progression to next-generation multipurpose handheld devices," Mr. Han added.

"Samsung has the distinction of consistently delivering innovation to Middle East's mobile communications industry by introducing TFT-LCD display, high-resolution LCD colour screens, soft-touch slide-up phones, built-in megapixel digital cameras and "intenna" (built-in antenna) technology. Now, Samsung has combined these technologies to introduce the SGH-D500, a multipurpose megapixel slider phone which is on the cutting edge of business communications," said Mr. Sandeep Saihgal, Sales and Marketing Manager - Telecommunications, SGE.

The 1.3-megapixel camera not only allows users to take pictures, but also gives them creative freedom with the availability of embedded special effects and emoticons. Its 128 MB (96-MB user free) dynamic shared memory supports and expands users' business capabilities, allowing people to store megapixel images, capture 60 minutes of video, save MP3 or AAC songs or record up to 6 hours of voice.

With a variety of synchronization options, the D500 supports Email Client, vCard and vCalendar for quick information transfer. It has advanced MMS, Java and GPRS capabilities as well as USB interface and SyncML DS. In addition, the D500's Bluetooth technology provides users with the power of a Personal Area Network to immediately improve communication channels, increase productivity, make data sharing and synchronization easier, supply instant access to key information and create the freedom to work whenever and wherever a business need arises. In particular, Bluetooth solutions in wireless headsets and hands-free car kits allow users to talk easily and comfortably anytime, anywhere.

The D500 also supports video recording and plays back video and MP3 files just like a PC, with a full range of entertainment options. Equipped with a 60-minute recording capacity, the phone has a recording flexibility of 7x digital zoom for pictures and 4x digital zoom for video.

"Worldwide and in Middle East, consumers have been demanding more and more features in their phones. To address the needs of our consumers, we put together our research, marketing, engineering and technology teams together to develop phones like the SGH-D500 that aspire to establish trends in technology and design," Mr. Saihgal, concluded.