Aspirational Bharat Sees 120% Spike in Work Productivity on Smartphones During COVID-19: TECNO-CMR MICI Survey

Survey

* Consumers in Aspirational Bharat are seeing a >50% spike on smartphone usage during lockdown, including 120% on productivity.

* Beyond work, consumers spent increased time on their phone for consuming content, including video OTT (70%) and audio OTT (60%), and gaming (62%).

* Fast-depleting Battery life and limited screen size were the biggest challenges that consumers faced with their smartphones.

A new Mobile Industry Consumer Insights (MICI) Survey, conducted by CyberMedia Research (CMR) in association with TECNO Mobile, has for the first time provided a comprehensive understanding of changing consumer behaviour and smartphone usage patterns in Aspirational Bharat. The CMR MICI survey revealed that consumers of Aspirational Bharat saw a 120% spike in smartphone usage for productivity compared to pre-COVID levels.

According to Prabhu Ram, He ad- Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, “The smartphone is a key daily driver for consumers living in cities and towns beyond Tier I. We call this the Aspirational Bharat. What the survey highlights is how smartphone usage is changing, during lockdown and in the neo-normal, cutting across use cases, such as productivity, personal development, and leisure. In preparation for the neo normal, consumers in Aspirational Bharat are seeking smartphones that offer larger screen size and much better battery life.”

Echoing the sentiment from TECNO’s perspective, Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TRANSSION India said, “As a leading smartphone company commanding substantial presence and market share in the Aspirational Bharat’, we have iterated the growing importance of telecommuting and productivity usage of smartphone in the wake of COVID-19. In Aspirational Bharat, where affordability and utility go hand in hand, smartphones have emerged as a primary medium of work, information and entertainment. The CMR MICI Survey reinforces the fact that TECNO has the sense of the pulse of its aspirational consumers. And with our SPARK series, which focuses on battery, display, and camera in sub-10K smartphone category is a testimony to TECNO’s deep commitment of introducing products with segment-first features at a disruptive price point where the consumer is more ready to experiment with the product. We are optimistic that our latest launches Spark 6 Air smartphone and TWS Minipod M1 will be well-received by the audience and enable our consumers to find a work-leisure balance in this Neo Normal.”

(A) COVID-19 and Impact on Smartphone Usage in Aspirational Bharat during lockdown

* During COVID-19 Lockdown (March 25 - May 31), smartphone usage spiked by 50%, with smartphone usage for work surging by >100%.

* Smartphone users in Aspirational Bharat depend on their smartphone to empower their professional and personal life.

* 84% of consumers depend on their smartphones, for instance, for accessing information on government schemes, weather patterns, and market linkage information for farm produce.

* 83% of consumers use their phones for content consumption including creating and consuming short-form videos, music and videos.

*  83% feel empowered, using their smartphones for online banking, shopping, and utility bill payment, among others.

* Beyond work, consumers spent increased time on their phone for consuming content, including video OTT (70%) and audio OTT (60%), and gaming (62%).

* Around three in every seven users in Aspirational Bharat have started some new activities and hobbies during the period of lockdown. For instance, 21% of the consumers have learnt new skills, 19% have listened to music, while 18% have taken up new hobbies on their phones.

* One in every three parents depend on their smartphone for facilitating their kid’s online education during lockdown.

(B) Smartphone Usage in the Neo Normal (June onwards)

* Two in every seven users (29%) have faced some challenge while working from home.  One in every seven users (15%) faced difficulty in managing work-life-balance as well as productivity issue.

* The top three smartphone features that consumers have started relying more in the neo normal are Camera (61%), battery life (57%) and sound quality (51%).

* Some consumers faced problems with their smartphones –  phone overheating (58%), limited screen size (47%) and swift battery drainage (46%) were the top three challenges.

* When it comes to their next smartphone purchase, consumers are looking for smartphones that offer long battery life (54%) and large screen size (53%) for viewing to cope with neo normal.

About CMR – TECNO Mobile MICI Survey

The Mobile Industry Consumer Insights (MICI) Survey by CyberMedia Research (CMR), in association with TECNO Mobile, is the first-ever, comprehensive study of changing consumer behavior on smartphones in Tier-I, Tier-II and Tier-III cities and towns of India, across three phases: pre-COVID-19, during pandemic, and neo-normal.

The CMR Mobile Industry Consumer Insights (MICI) Survey covered 1052 respondents cutting across ten study locations, including, New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Surat, Indore, Guwahati and Sonipat. The study covered consumers in the age groups of 20 to 35, and socio-economic levels of SEC B & SEC C, having a affordable smartphone in the price range of INR 6000 – 10000.

For results based on a randomly chosen sample of this size, there is 95% confidence that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 3% of what they would be if the entire population had been surveyed.

Home Credit India Offers Easy Smartphone Loan Options in Unlock 3.0

Smartphone Loans

* Own a smartphone sitting at home with customer-friendly schemes from Home Credit

* Customers can now process loans from their homes with the help of Home Credit’s robust online program

As the nation sees ease in lockdown, businesses have also started to open. Having been closed for business for over two months, retailers are still unsure about customer walk-ins and how to service their demand. Home Credit India, a local arm of the international consumer finance provider with operations spanning over Europe and Asia, is focused to strengthen its partnership with offline retailers. The company has been functioning business actively in Bangalore with 940 key retailers. Big retail chains like Sangeetha Mobiles, Pai International, Devi International and standalone retailers like Colors Mobiles, Hanuman Telecom, Uday Electronics etc. are now open with all the necessary precautions and adhering to govt guidelines.

The retailers have witnessed 75% footfall in comparison to pre-Covid era. Most of the customers are venturing out for key purchases only and are following social distancing guidelines

In the given times, Home Credit has also built a robust online program for customers who choose to not venture out fearing COVID-19. Customers can now own a smartphone and get their KYC/loan approval procedure executed from the ease of their home without being physically present at the retail shop. Post the formalities, the mobile phone is delivered to their doorstep. Online outreach is further supporting the retailers in their sales during these challenging times. 

On the occasion, Mr. Ankush Khosla, Chief Sales Officer, Home Credit India said; “These unprecedented times have brought in significant behavior change among customers. With the country easing lockdown with restrictions, it is time that the Corporates come forward and take innovative steps towards supporting economic revival in the country. Home Credit is extending full support to its retail partners across the country with the hope to support our customers in every possible way, to make their loan taking journey less stressful even during these anxious times.”  

Home Credit India has resumed its operations country wide based on Government directives. The company has its operations spread over 350 cities across 22 States in India with a strong network of around 31,500 points-of-sale (PoS) and a customer base of around 11.3 million customers. 

TECNO Bolsters its Entry-Level Portfolio with SPARK 6 Air Smartphone and TWS Minipod M1

Technology Devices

* Brings segment first gigantic 7” Dot Notch display, massive 6000 mAh battery & 13MP AI Triple rear camera that will change smartphone experience for category consumers in under 8K segment

* SPARK 6 Air priced @ Rs. 7999 & Minipod M1 wireless earphone @ Rs. 799 will be available on Amazon Prime day starting 6th August 2020 and across offline retail outlets

TECNO, the global smartphone brand, extends its connected device ecosystem by launching today two unique products from its arsenal - SPARK 6 Air smartphone and Minipod M1 single-ear wireless earphone – effectively ramping up its portfolio in the entry level consumer segment. With SPARK 6 Air, TECNO is also back to doing what it does best – break the mould with segment first features that will enable the company to consolidate its position among top smartphone players in the sub-10k segment.

Commenting on the simultaneous launches, Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TRANSSION India said, “With work from home becoming the ‘Neo Normal’, our aim is to extend TECNO’s connected device ecosystem to our category consumers by introducing Minipod & Hipods that will make work and play seamless and enjoyable for them. We, at TECNO, currently have a clear goal in mind of bringing exceptional devices in the sub-Rs. 10,000 segment which empower our customers with premium smartphone experience sans the premium pricing. TECNO SPARK series of smartphones is a validation of the same. Our latest offering TECNO SPARK 6 Air will play a key role in the budget segment as it becomes the first and only smartphone with 7” HD+ Dot display and a 6000 mAh battery. This device will set the trend of bigger display and best battery smartphones in the category.”

Nishant Sardana, Category Leader – Mobile Phones, Amazon India said “Since their launch in India, TECNO has consistently brought quality products for value seeking customers. With the launch of SPARK 6 Air smartphone and TWS Minipod M1, we continue to build a strong portfolio in the mobile phones & accessories category providing customers with vast selection, unmatched value, fast & reliable delivery and a great shopping experience.”

SPARK 6 AIR

SPARK 6 Air is launched with two segment first features – a gigantic 7” HD+ dot notch display with more than 90% screen-to-body ratio for immersive viewing experience and a massive 6000 mAh battery with the ability to power TECNO SPARK 6 Air to provide whopping standby time of 743 hours (31 days), 31 hours calling, 21 hours’ internet and wifi, 159 hours music playback, 14 hours game playing and 19 hours video playback.

The new smartphone houses a triple camera set-up with a 13 MP Primary Sensor Supported with an aperture of F1.8, AI Lens, 2 MP Depth Sensor and Quad Flash, enables one to capture clearer pictures even in a low light. The Bokeh Mode, Auto Scene Detection, AI Beauty Mode and AI HDR Mode, enhances the photography experience. The SPARK 6 Air has an 8 MP AI Selfie camera with F2.0 aperture and dual front flash.

The SPARK 6 Air is armed with a fast and secure 0.15 second Smart Fingerprint Sensor and Face Unlock 2.0, enabling one to keep their data safe and secure. The Smart fingerprint sensor enables one to perform functions like receiving and recording calls, taking photos and dismissing alarms. The Face Unlock 2.0 tightens the security on your smartphone by preventing the smartphone from getting unlocked with eyes closed.

SPARK 6 Air is also equipped with a unique audio sharing feature that allows consumers to connect two Bluetooth earphones or three Bluetooth speakers simultaneously to the phone and spruce up family time with music and entertainment – a perfect solution for a much-needed family time in times of self-isolation.

Spark 6 Air will be available in three color variants: Comet Black & Ocean Blue

Minipod M1

The power-packed Minipod M1 houses a 50 mAh battery in the earpod and provides 6 hours of music playback in single charge, and together with the 110 mAh charging case, it provides for more than 18 hours of music to be enjoyed. Encrypted with the latest Bluetooth v5.0, Minipod M1 ensures a stable connection and smooth audio transmission. The hands-free Minipod M1 is also equipped with Environment Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology that blocks ambient sounds to provide an immersive listening and clear voice calling experience. Smart Touch Controls allows for accepting or rejecting calls, changing tracks or activating voice assistant with a single tap of the finger. It also comes with IPX4 protection to provide protection from water and sweat. TECNO Minipod M1 will be available in white and comes accompanied with multi-colored silicone protective cases and snap hook.

About TECNO Mobile

TECNO Mobile is a premium smartphone brand from TRANSSION Holdings. Upholding the brand essence of “Expect More”, TECNO is committed to giving the masses access to latest technology at accessible prices, allowing the consumers to reach beyond their current limitations and uncover a world of possibilities. TECNO understands the needs of consumers from different markets and provides them with localized innovations across a product portfolio featuring smartphones, tablets, and feature phones. TECNO is a major global player with presence in around 60 emerging markets across the world. It is also the global Official Tablet and Handset Partner of Manchester City Football Club. 

TECNO Forays into the True Wireless Space with Hipods H2, Aims to Create a TECNO Connected Device Ecosystem

Wireless Space

* Hipods H2 offers a true wireless audio experience with stereo sound effect, environment noise cancelling technology, smart touch controls and 24 hours of non-stop music

* Priced aggressively at Rs. 1,999, Hipods H2 will be available for sale on Amazon from July 27 (12 noon) and at TECNO’s offline retail network of 35,000+ outlets across PAN India

TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand, expands its footprint into the truly wireless and innovative audio devices space with the launch of its next-gen Hipods H2 Bluetooth earbuds. The brand, which is synonymous with ‘industry-first’ smartphone devices in the affordable segment, promises to offer a true wireless consumer experience with its new audio device that, priced aggressively at Rs 1,999, will also supplement the smartphone experience for its category consumers.

The Hipods H2 offers stereo sound effect augmented by Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) technology to provide a wholesome listening experience. H2 can run for 6 hours on single charge, and up to 24 hours when used with its portable charging case. With a mere 15-minute of charging, H2 can play for 2 hours. The earbuds are also equipped with Environment Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology that can effectively reduce ambient sound to provide crisper audio and allows clear voice calling. The device is also equipped with smart touch controls, IPX4 water protection, smart pop-up interface for instant pairing and comes with the latest Bluetooth 5.0.

Commenting on the venture, Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TRANSSION India said, “We are excited to announce the launch of TECNO Hipods H2 which also marks our foray into the TWS category. The India TWS market has been growing consistently and the industry is expected to further grow in 2020 with COVID-19 setting off a trend where people working from home and connecting through voice and video calls become more appreciative of the convenience and reliability of TWS devices. The increasing audio consumption, portability and smart assists are making TWS extremely popular among smartphone users and driving demand. With Hipods H2, we, at TECNO, endeavour to build our own connected device ecosystem of TECNO smartphones and extend the best audio experience at an affordable price.”

With Hipods H2, TECNO reinforces its commitment to its ‘ahead of the curve’ approach that aims to provide future-ready, innovative products to its customers. TECNO will be coming out with another TWS & smartphone offerings soon to further strengthen its position in the entry level and affordable segments. The new products are expected to play a strong role in revolutionizing the affordable connected device ecosystem in India.

Available in two color variants – Black and White; The USP of the Hipods H2 include:

* Real Stereo sound with AAC: To enhance the listening experience, the Hipods H2 are equipped with an Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) technology. The earbuds have undergone Acoustic measurements and testing to provide a natural and deep bass.

* 24 hours of non-stop music: In-built with a 45 mAh battery in each earbud, the Hipods H2, provides music playback for up to 6 hours on a single charge, enabling users with a long lasting, seamless audio listening experience. When used with its portable charging case, the playback time can be extended up to 24 hours. Also just a 15-minute charge gives an additional 2 hours of playback.

* IPX4 water resistant: The IPX4 level protects the device from rain or sweat, making it the most suitable device for fitness lovers or people doing outdoor activities, who don’t have to worry about interruptions or spoilage of the device during their activities.

* Noise Cancellation (ENC): The environmental noise cancellation, deep bass and loud treble, altogether intensifies the listening experience. The high performance, dual microphones are induced with noise reduction technology, reduces environmental noise and offers clear phone calls in a noisy environment.

* Smart touch controls: Control calls, music, volume, and activate the phone’s voice assistant with Smart Touch Controls, by just a tap on the earbuds.

* 120ms super low latency: The Hipod H2, provides the perfect sync between audio and video while playing games or watching videos, by reducing the latency to 120 ms.

* Latest BT 5.0: The wireless earbuds encrypted with Bluetooth v5.0, provides a fast and stable connection with both the earbuds for instant synchronization, with the transmission speed being 2 times faster and the capacity being 8 times larger, altogether enhancing the audio listening experience.

* Smart Pop-Up Interface: The Hipods H2 Bluetooth Earbuds features a Smart Pop-Up interface for Instant Pairing that supports an automatic pop-up connection interface on recent Tecno smartphones, as soon as the charging case is opened and Hipods H2 can be easily connected in one click.

TECNO Hipods H2 will be available for sale on Amazon from July 27 (12 noon) and at TECNO’s offline retail network of 35,000 outlets.

About TECNO Mobile

TECNO Mobile is a premium smartphone brand from TRANSSION Holdings. Upholding the brand essence of “Expect More”, TECNO is committed to giving the masses access to latest technology at accessible prices, allowing the consumers to reach beyond their current limitations and uncover a world of possibilities. TECNO understands the needs of consumers from different markets and provides them with localized innovations across a product portfolio featuring smartphones, tablets, and feature phones. TECNO is a major global player with presence in around 60 emerging markets across the world. It is also the global Official Tablet and Handset Partner of Manchester City Football Club. 

itel Mobile Brand Launches ‘itel Smart Gadgets’ to Enhance Smartphone Experience of Consumers in India

Smart Gadgets

* itel Smart Gadgets to empower aspirers and first-time users to live life uninterrupted by providing them relevance, quality, and affordability.

* Launches comprehensive gadgets portfolio by introducing 14 products under 4 categories ranging from power, audio, speaker to fit band

* The product range attempts to accentuate the user’s experience of accessories and bridge the market gap.

 

After establishing its leadership position in entry level Smartphone and feature phone segment, itel mobile forays into the accessories segment by announcing the launch of ‘itel Smart Gadgets’ to enhance and provide a superior mobile experience to its users.

itel ‘Smart Gadgets’ is built on the brand positioning of ‘Make Every Moment Magical’ for consumers by harping on the relevance, that it would make their day to day life complete without any interruptions. The portfolio of itel smart gadgets aims to fuel the aspirations of both aspirers and minimalist set of consumers by providing them with trendy and quality technology at an affordable bracket of price.

The portfolio boasts of 14 brand new and exciting gadgets ranging from power, audio, speaker and fit band in an attractive price range of INR 100 to INR 1999. Designed to enhance the smartphone experience of its consumers, the product range offers a complete mobile solution to users which incorporate a wide range of technology and features.

Announcing itel’s entry into accessories market, Mr. Arijeet Talaptra, CEO, TRANSSION India said “With ever-evolving lifestyle and technological advancements, there exists a remarkable need for high quality smart accessories in the entry-level segment, especially in Tier 3 cities and towns. With this growing demand for smart accessories, India has proven to be one of the crucial markets for itel with its existing loyal consumers base. itel smart gadgets are not targeted towards a specific age group or demography but to a mind-set who belong to semi-urban and rural areas, who are looking for stylish, efficient and quality product at a reasonable price point.”

He further added, “With this launch, itel aims to fulfil the aspirations and desires of its consumers to own smart accessories that not only are relevant for day to day transactions, but also upgrades their smartphone experience to a superior level.  The new range boasts latest technology, innovation, style all under an affordable bracket of price point. We are confident that the launch of itel smart gadgets range will enjoy similar success in India as we witnessed in the mobile handset segment.”

While developing the product, itel has ensured that each product is quality-driven, light weighted, highly portable and equipped with best in class specifications which helps in empowering users to live life on their terms and at their own pace. itel smart gadgets range will be available in attractive color variants and will go on sale across offline stores starting today.

itel hosted its first-ever innovative virtual Channel Partners meets to take the launch to its distributor fraternity amidst this lockdown. Insightful and interactive meetings were conducted to abreast the partners with the product portfolio and future business plans. To promote itel smart gadgets, itel will focus extensively on social and digital marketing communication to engage with consumers. Innovative product communications through aggressive WhatsApp marketing will be one of the crucial approaches the brand will follow to reach out to its customers.

itel smart gadgets range consists of 14 new products under 4 categories including power bank, phone charger, car charger, data cable, phone battery, wired earphone, Bluetooth earphone, wireless earphones, wired speaker, Bluetooth speaker and Fit Band. Let’s have a quick look at a few key products category wise:

1) Power

itel IPP-62 | 10000mAh Super Slim pocket size Power Bank

itel IPP-62 boasts of the ultra-slim and stylishly designed body along with multi-protection safety system to avoid any phone damage. Providing a massive capacity of 10000mAh, it allows 2.1A fast charging to support your devices throughout the day. This lithium polymer battery cell enabled power bank, comes with dual output with itel’s high speed charging technology, which enables users to charge two devices simultaneously. This portable power gadget can be fully charged at a fast speed in 4.5- 5 hrs and can be carried anywhere.

itel ICC-11 Car Charger | 3.4A Fast Charging for Two

itel car charger comes with dual USB ports that are designed to provide appropriate power to each connected device. itel's assurance of best quality, charger's compact design, multi-layered protection and its compatibility with most cars in the market make it a must-buy for your cars. It detects optimum charging protocols and delivers total 3.4A full speed charging to your devices. A perfect companion on the go! 

2) Fitbands

itel IFB- 11

itel Fitband comes with HD color screen and 20 days long-lasting battery life. itel fitness tracker is a must-have when it comes to keeping a daily check on your calorie counts, footsteps, keeps a track of your sleeping time, etc. It’s your perfect partner to your workout, swimming and jogging sessions with IP67 splash resistant technology. itel Fitband helps you with notification alerts of calls, messages and WhatsApp.

3) Speakers

itel IBS-10 Powerful Sound

The itel Bluetooth speaker is compact, portable and provides unmatched experience to the listener. It contains dual speaker of 5W each within 1 unit thus making output as 10W and comes with stereo stabilization and 1500mAh battery which makes it your perfect partner to turn any place into a music station or a disco. The wireless speaker also supports Bluetooth 5.0 along with music playtime of 6 hours. It comes along with three options so that you can listen to your favourite music anytime and anywhere—Aux connectivity, T-Card support along with Wireless FM. This will soon hit the market.

4) Audio

Bluetooth Earphones| BT Necklace (IEB-62)

BT Necklace is attractive Bluetooth earphones that are ergonomically designed, sweatproof and houses a precision-engineered with less than 20gm weight combines with the best quality BT Chip and In- line remote and microphone that redefines the audio experience for the music lovers. These earphones have flexible around-the-neck design & have magnetic buds and produce uber sound quality with extreme bass and big sound that ensures long-lasting comfort. The Necklace earphones exhibit a standby of 120 ours and its battery provides a talk time of up to 6 hours and music playtime of 5 hours continuously.

Service Proposition

itel is offering a 12 months’ warranty for its accessory portfolio, ranging from power banks, chargers, fit bands to Bluetooth headsets and speakers. The brand is also offering a 6 months’ warranty for other accessories in the portfolio which includes batteries, earphones, USB cables.  The service proposition provides an additional benefit of over the counter replacement for selected itel smart gadgets.  New itel accessories range will utilize time-tested robust Go-to-market strategy of itel smartphone business which has deeper regional penetration backed by a strong service network of 970+ service centers spread across the nook and corners of the nation.

Smartphone Users Crossed 500 Million in India During 2019 : Report

Over 50 crore Indians are now using smartphones, a 15 per cent increase from 2018 primarily due to brands like Xiaomi and Realme which continue to bring new users to the ecosystem, a new report* said recently. According to market research firm techARC, India had 502.2 million smartphone users as of December 2019, which means over 77 per cent of Indians are now accessing wireless broadband through smartphones. Samsung with 34 per cent led the smartphone installed base in the calendar year 2019, followed by Xiaomi at 20 per cent, Vivo at 11 per cent and OPPO at 9 per cent, respectively.

"After a slow migration rate from feature phones to smartphones for a couple of years, it's good to see that the market has started to expand again," Faisal Kawoosa, Founder and Chief Analyst, techARC said in a statement*. Although the market does have options in the entry segment (sub-Rs 5,000) for smartphones, users prefer to start their smartphone journey with the basic segment (Rs 5,001 to Rs 10,000). Realme, Vivo and OnePlus led smartphone brands in terms of percentage net addition to the user base in 2019. Realme increased its user base by 49 per cent, Vivo 44 per cent and OnePlus by 41 per cent. Other major brands including Samsung, Xiaomi and OPPO added 9 per cent, 25 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively to their user base in 2019.

"Factors like availability of good-quality affordable smartphones, expansion of online as well as offline channels, expansion of 4G/LTE networks by the operators are among the key reasons driving the smartphone user growth," said Kawoosa. However, it's going to be challenging hereon as the market is saturating in terms of addressable market, he added. The next goal for smartphone brands should be to ramp up services where they could consistently generate revenue from the existing customers. At present, smartphone brands are able to generate $0.5-$1.5 a month from users depending on what all the services they offer, including advertising.

"Even if a brand is able to generate $1 revenue per user per month, with a base of 50 million users to be there for an average of 3 years, this means a revenue potential of $1.8 billion from services alone," the findings showed. The other strategy is to offer accessories and other connected electronic devices like smart TVs and smart speakers. Vivo, OPPO and Realme will be the three main gainers for 2020 in terms of additions to the net user base, forecast the techINSIGHT report. "Realme could enter in top five brands by installed user base displacing Lenovo MBG (Lenovo + Motorola) brands. Xiaomi will continue to exhibit growth in user base while Samsung could start showing off decline in its user base or grow with a low percentile," the report added.

* Agencies

Motorola unveils Cliq smartphones

Motorola introduced its first smartphone based on Google's Android software, in a move that's key to the company's goal of regaining its place among the world's top cellphone manufacturers.

The device, dubbed the Cliq, will first be made available later this year in the US through T-Mobile. The touch-screen phone will run a new service from Motorola called MotoBlur, which synchronises all user messages and contacts, Motorola chief executive Sanjay Jha said at the Mobilize conference in San Francisco.

"MotoBlur makes text, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter feeds and photos from sources like MySpace, Gmail, Yahoo and corporate e-mail appear in a single stream and sync them together with no different logins," Jha said. "This means you can focus on what people have said instead of how and where they said it."

The Cliq will feature a full, slide-out keyboard, a 5-megapixel camera and access to all the Google programmes and applications available for the company's Android platform.

The phone will be called the Dext in markets outside the U.S. and will launch in France, Britain and Latin America later in the year, Jha said. No pricing was available for the device.

Analysts said the integration of social networking into phones could give Motorola and other manufacturers a foot in the door in their battle to challenge the iPhone as the world's dominant smartphone.

Motorola has been especially hard hit by the move to smartphones, selling just 18.8 million handsets in the most recent quarter, down from 28.1 million a year ago. Earlier this decade, the company's Razr was the world's most popular cellphone.

Jha said that Motorola was now refocused on producing cutting-edge mobile devices. He said the Cliq was crucial to the company's recovery.

"It's a very important starting point for us," Jha said. "I see smartphones as the future of computing. If it doesn't fit in your pocket, I don't think it's going to be a relevant device."

Agencies

OLED technology emerges big in new smartphone

It consumes little power, gives superior picture quality and was touted as the future of all displays, but organic screen
technology has been languishing in manufacturers' backrooms until now.

Active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AM-OLED) displays are making a belated appearance in pricier smartphones as makers latch on to the technology to get an edge in a sector where competition is fierce and features matter more than price.

Samsung Electronics, the world's No.2 mobile phone maker and a main proponent of the technology, has eight models featuring organic screens and plans to roll out about 10 more by the year-end.

In the United States, its Impression model is sold via AT&T, and Sprint Nextel will also offer at least one Samsung phone using AM-OLED technology.

Global cellphone leader Nokia is offering AM-OLED in its N85 and N86 high-end models as it fends off smartphone rivals such as Research In Motion and Apple.

Fans of the technology say that while AM-OLED mobile phone screens are 50-80 percent more expensive than conventional LCD screens and their high price has kept them from mass-production, their time may have come.

"I think the economics of it are somewhat irrelevant," said Ben Wood, an analyst at wireless research firm CCS Insight. "It's a real differentiator. I predict you'll see AM-OLED devices from all the major manufacturers within 12 months from now."

But AM-OLED technology failed to catch on for a reason. The screens are more expensive to produce, and supply is restricted to a few manufacturers, primarily Samsung Mobile Display, which has 97 percent share of the market.

"I've no doubt about (AM-OLED) growth over the long term. But whether all players would immediately follow the trend set by Samsung, I'm not sure," said Oh In-bum, an analyst at Dongbu Securities.

The appeal of AM-OLED technology lies in the thin layer of organic materials that allow screens to glow on their own, unlike liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, resulting in slimmer screens that use less power, boast faster response speed and have more vivid colours.

Samsung is the main proponent of a wider adoption of the technology, and forecasts 37.5 percent of all mobile phones sold in 2015 will have AM-OLED screens, up from 2.3 percent in 2009.

Samsung Mobile Display aims to sell 23 million units of AM-OLED displays this year, up from 7 million in 2008. Jeff Kim, an analyst at Hyundai Securities, expects Samsung's sales to reach 49 million next year.

LCDS TOUGH TO BEAT

Analysts are hopeful that AM-OLED prices will come down as output increases, lifting the biggest hurdle for wider adoption.

"Technologies have been advancing at a faster-than-expected rate and even in the downturn, consumers are keen to buy high-end products," said Hyundai Securities' Kim.

He expects the premium for a 2.8-inch AM-OLED display (used largely in handsets) over the same-size LCD screen to narrow to 10-20 percent within two years from 50 percent now. Displays typically make up 10-20 percent of a phone's manufacturing cost.

But some analysts have lower expectations as many manufacturers remain comfortable with mass-produced LCD screens. Vinita Jakhanwal, analyst at iSuppli, expects AM-OLED phones to account for only about 10 percent of all phones sold in 2013.

"This still means LCD has the bulk of the market," Jakhanwal said. "LCD screens are evolving too and they're improving their performance." LG Electronics, Samsung's home rival and the third-ranked handset maker, went for a premium LCD display on its 'New Chocolate' touchscreen phone.

Its screen-making affiliate LG Display is also building a new production line for more technologically advanced LCD screens for mobiles.

And for the AM-OLED business to grow in scale and turn profitable, the technology needs more manufacturers. Apart from Samsung, the only other two manufacturers are LG Display and a unit of Taiwan's Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp.

Industry specialists also note that while organic displays for handsets appear ready to take off, the sheer cost of using the technology on larger PC and TV screens is still prohibitive. Japan's Sony Corp launched the world's first OLED TV in late 2007, but has not followed with new models.

Agencies