Sony Ericsson unveils UMTS P990i SmartPhone

The P990i will be the first commercially available SmartPhone to adopt the enhanced Symbian OS version 9.1 and UIQ 3 software platform. This flagship UMTS SmartPhone is Wi-Fi enabled, has a 2 megapixel camera with autofocus and features a new hardware keyboard beneath the flip-down keypad.

The P990i is the next in a line of successful Sony Ericsson SmartPhones - the
P800i, P900i and P910i - and is based on the same proven concept and recognisable form factor. All have been popular with users, operators and software developers thanks to their powerful productivity features. Operator feedback and download statistics from the Sony Ericsson Application Shop have shown that consumers, both business and personal, are interested in using their SmartPhones to the fullest potential. Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) can be as high as 4 to 5 times that of more traditional voice-centric mobiles.

To ensure a large proportion of applications are available on the new Symbian and UIQ software platform when the P990i goes on sale, Sony Ericsson has decided to announce the SmartPhone well in advance of availability so that developers have time to create and certify as many applications as possible. "The technical prowess of the P990i will be brought to full life by applications from the third party developer community," said Husni Al-Assi, General Manager of Sony Ericsson, Middle East and Africa. "Demand for applications on the P800i, P900i and P910i has been very high. Our SmartPhones have been recognised as the most advanced and useful on the market, and we want to maintain this reputation with the P990 by ensuring there's a rich supply of top applications for enterprise, productivity, leisure and gaming when users make their first visit to the Sony Ericsson Application Shop."

As with its predecessors, the P990i is designed to be first and foremost a great mobile phone. It also offers all the benefits of UMTS including video calling, high-bandwidth multi-media downloads and the ability to browse the Internet with full HTML pages. These are viewed in landscape on the new Opera 8 browser. In addition, the P990i is prepared for all major push e-mail clients enabling full e-mail access with attachments, anywhere, anytime.

The P990i has multiple text input methods enabling it to support all users' needs and preferences. Writing e-mails is made easier by the new hardware keyboard positioned beneath the flip-down keypad on the main body of the phone. Reading them is made simpler on the large 2.8 inch QVGA touch screen. Multi tasking - being able to browse the Internet, send and receive files at the same time as talking - is now possible due to the enhanced capabilities of the new software platform.

Memory has been extended in order to handle all multi-media downloads and e-mail attachments. Memory Stick PRO Duo up to 4GB will be available in the market at launch and the P990i now has up to 80 MB user free memory. A 64 MB Memory Stick PRO Duo is included in the box preloaded with a VPN client and trial version of a virus scan package.

The combination of UMTS and WLAN features will also significantly improve the efficiency and flexibility of applications such as e-mail, browsing the Internet/Intranet and video telephony. WLAN, available in hot spots all over the world, acts as a complement to high speed 3G services, enabling widespread access to corporate network services.

Other new features include automatic time zone change to the Calendar diary and updated PC sync software with extended synchronization possibilities.

Additionally the 2 Megapixel camera with autofocus, digital zoom, photo light plus the bright TFT screen and video recording provide a high quality imaging experience.

The popularity of the Sony Ericsson SmartPhones in the Middle East is very well-established. Recently, PC Magazine cited the Sony Ericsson P910i with the Best Performer and Editor's Choice Awards, pushing Sony Ericsson to top honours as the prestigious magazine's SmartPhone Manufacturer of the Year for 2005.

"We are excited about this new development, which will further enhance Sony Ericsoon's leadership in the SmartPhone category in this region," said Al-Assi, , Middle East and Africa. "Without doubt, the Sony Ericsson P990i will exceed customer expectations about functionality, ingenuity and ease-of-use."