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Sony Ericsson Set To Unveil Updated Smart Phone -Web Site
Thursday October 2, 12:20 pm ET
STOCKHOLM -(Dow Jones)- Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (NasdaqNM:ERICY - News) is set to unveil an updated version of its popular P800 smart phone, industry followers have said.
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Swiss Web site mobile.bpit.ch has a series of pictures and detailed descriptions of a phone it said Sony Ericsson will release as the P900, while the unofficial Club Sony Ericsson Web site has what it said is a yet-to-be- launched commercial for what looks to be the same phone, although dubbed the P810.
The handset looks broadly the same as the P800, although in silver rather than pale blue common to the P800 and with a slightly differently designed keypad. It still has a large color screen under the keypad and an integrated digital camera.
Mobile BPit said the new phone weighs 145 grams and will run on Symbian PLC's (U.SYN) 7.0 operating system. The camera will be able to take videos up to 10 minutes in length, it said.
The P800, unveiled in March 2001 and in stores just before Christmas last year, was a combination personal digital assistant and phone, able to play video and MP3 files, polyphonic sound and 3D games. It comes with a 16-megabit memory stick and 12 megabits internal memory.
Nomura analyst Richard Windsor in London said he has been expecting an updated version of the P800 from the joint venture between Sweden's Telefon AB LM Ericsson and Japan's Sony Corp. (NYSE:SNE - News) .
"It will be smaller and lighter, with some tweaks such as a better battery life," Windsor said.
The new phone will, though, be a product of the joint venture rather than a device that ostensibly came from Ericsson even if it will look similar to the P800, which Windsor described as best smart phone currently on the market.
Sony Ericsson declined to comment on the possibility of an updated P800, which spokesman Peter Bodor said has done very well in stores. He said, though, that the company does plan to unveil further devises in the smart phone segment.
Web sites: mobile.bpit.ch www.clubsonyericsson.com
www.sonyericsson.com
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