China's Amoi Electronics Co. Ltd. has introduced a handset based on Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile 5.0 software that costs substantially less than models from other companies.
The new handset, the Amoi E72, was announced at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2006 conference and exhibition in Hong Kong, costs around US$250, while other handsets running the same software typically cost hundreds of dollars more.
The Amoi handset, which supports GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) networks, is the least expensive Windows Mobile device to be released in China so far, Microsoft said.
The E72 will be available in China in January.
Thanks to operator subsidies, users may not pay the cost of the handsets themselves, instead agreeing to be locked into a service contract for a period of time. However, the lower cost of the Amoi handset could make service packages for Windows Mobile devices more affordable in China, where the company does most of its business.
The Amoi E72 smart phone is based on the OMAPV1030 chipset from Texas Instruments Inc., a low-cost chip that helped to reduce the handset's overall cost. Amoi plans to produce three additional phones based on the chipset and Windows Mobile 5.0, but did not release details or expected prices for those phones.
Telecom World runs through Friday.
