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Digitimes saying "Apple may launch own handsets"

Apple may launch own handsets, vendors in Taiwan market prepare

DigiTimes.com [Friday 31 March 2006]

Apple Computer may soon launch its own music handsets, leveraging the success of its iPod music players, said market sources, noting that Apple has contacted a number of Taiwan handset makers, including High Tech Computer, Inventec Appliances, Quanta Computer and Foxconn Electronics (the registered trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry) for possible cooperation in handset production.

Handset makers declined to comment on the news.

As part of its preparation for the anticipated onslaught of music capable handsets, Sony Ericsson yesterday launched its Walkman handset, the W810i, in the Taiwan market. The W810i, which offers a built-in 2-megapixel camera and music management software Disc2Phone, carrys a price tag of NT$17,500 (US$538)

Sony Ericsson plans to launch an additional six to seven new handsets, including its J100, J220, J230, Z530, K610 and K800 models in the second quarter in the Taiwan market, said Steve Yeh, president of Sony Ericsson Taiwan, as quoted by the Chinese-language Commercial Times.

Sony Ericsson, the third largest vendor in Taiwan, aims to boost its share in the Taiwan market to 14-15% by year-end of 2006, up from the 10.3% it recorded in February, the paper reported Yeh as saying.

New music handsets coming from other vendors include Nokia’s XpressMusic handsets and Motorola’s iRadio lineup, said market sources.