Samsung, the world No 2 handset maker,
unveiled its flagship smartphone model Wave -- using a new touch screen
technology and the first phone to use its bada operating system.
"Samsung's
commitment to Bada is underlined by the fact that it is using it to
power its flagship product for the show but it's going to be an uphill
struggle to get the developer community on board," said Ben Wood,
research director at CCS Insight.
Earlier this month Samsung unveiled a plan to treble smartphone shipments in 2010 and promote its own bada software platform.
Analysts,
however, have been doubtful of Samsung's efforts to belatedly build a
new open platform. With limited volume, phones using bada will have
difficulty attracting application developers or operator support.
"I think the ecosystem is just not ready yet," said analyst Carolina Milanesi from research firm Gartner.
Samsung said it plans to launch five to seven phone models using bada software in 2010.
GROWING MARKET
Samsung
and Sony Ericsson have seen consumers seeking Web and other PC-like
functions increasingly turning away from their feature phones to
computer-like smartphones from top vendors Nokia , Apple and Research
In Motion.
JK Shin, the head of
Samsung's mobile operations, told Reuters in an interview that with the
help of bada - which can be used also in cheaper models -- the company
would benefit from surging demand for new smartphones in emerging
markets.
"I believe that the
smartphone market will grow more than 20 percent every year for a
three-year time frame, and the growth rate in emerging markets is much
higher than that of advanced countries," he said in an interview.
JK
Shin said the company could make phones for Google's Nexus lineup in
the future, but Sony Ericsson Chief Executive Bert Nordberg said the
company had turned down an offer to make phones for Google.
"(We) will only sell phones under our own brand," Nordberg said.
SONY ERICSSON: HOPE FROM NEW MODELS
The
world's fourth-largest phone maker Sony Ericsson, which has reported
seven straight quarterly losses, unveiled three smartphone models,
using Google's Android operating system in two of them, and Nokia's
Symbian in one.
"Some of the
obituaries that have been written on Sony Ericsson may be a little
premature. There is no doubt the company still has challenges but these
new products are a first step to help fuel a recovery," CCS's Wood said.
Sony Ericsson new mini smartphones remind consumers from last small models of Ericsson itself about a decade ago.
"I
think the products are competitive and certainly encouraging. The user
interface is pretty good and will help them over LG Electronics," said
Gartner's Milanesi.
Sony Ericsson
said it aims to return to profit as soon as possible. Analysts have
said parent companies could be forced to put more money into the
venture already during the first half.
"We firmly support Bert (Nordberg) and his leadership team," Sony's chief Howard Stringer told a news conference.
