Low-cost handsets gain traction in India.(GLOBAL DESIGNER)

Low-cost handsets gain traction in India.(GLOBAL DESIGNER)

EDN Asia

Browse back issues of this publication by date

February 1, 2006 | Giridhar, Chitra | Copyright

Burgeoning demand from mobile-service operators for ultralow-cost handsets to service price-sensitive emerging markets, such as India, is motivating semiconductor vendors to develop single-chip-handset offerings. For example, Texas Instruments recently demonstrated the first less-than-$40 handsets built in India from concept to design to production. BPL Ltd (www. bplmobile.com) and Quasar Innovations (www.quasarinnovations.com) based the Primus GSM phones that they developed on TI's TCS chip set. These handsets incorporate only basic voice and short-message service-no cameras, color screens, or MP3 players, instead emphasizing low cost and an intuitive user interface.

"We expect the industry will be selling an ultralow-cost mobile phone for less than $20 by the start of 2006. …

To read the full text of this article and others like it, subscribe today!