According to this research, the biggest trends include: Music and mobile TV,
keyboard enabled (Qwerty) phones, support for GPS services, support for 3G, smartphones...
sounds to me like Symbian OS devices has this are covered doesn't it?? Read on
for the PR.
Details of the report from the press announcement follow:
WASHINGTON-- Jan. 19, 2006--Wirefly (www.wirefly.com), an online leader in one-stop comparison shopping for cell phones and wireless
phone plans, today released a list of the five trends that had the biggest impact
on cell phone sales in 2005 and trend predictions for 2006.
"The hottest thing in cell phones last year was, without a doubt, the popularity
of the Motorola RAZR. Thin was definitely in -- the RAZR was Wirefly's #1 best
seller by a bigger margin than held by any phone previously," said Brian Westrick,
President of Wirefly.
In 2005, the five most popular trends driving cell phone purchases at Wirefly.com
were:
1. Motorola RAZR: This ultra-thin phone -- available from
Cingular, T-Mobile, Alltel and now Verizon Wireless -- struck
the right chord with consumers who wanted their phones to make
a statement. The Motorola RAZR continues to be a high-tech
status symbol.
2. Smartphones: Phones that include operating systems and popular
software applications made mobile computing easier and more
convenient for business professionals, who no longer needed to
carry around a full-featured laptop to be productive.
3. 3G technology: The arrival of a variety of third-generation
phones boasting high-speed data downloads is raising the
expectation today's consumers have of wireless handsets. Not
just for talking, many cell phones are portable entertainment
centers that include multimedia messaging, music downloads,
mobile TV, gaming, and much more.
4. Keyboard phones: With data messaging like email and SMS
becoming a more significant part of cell phone use, many
consumers flocked toward the convenience of QWERTY keyboards
integrated into their mobile devices. T-Mobile's Sidekick
popularized the QWERTY keyboard phone among younger consumers
as well.
5. Camcorder/ video phones: Manufacturers took the popular camera
phone concept and expanded it to include not only megapixel
resolution, but also video capture, which allowed users to
take and send video clips to friends and family. Video phones
were affordable enough to penetrate the mainstream very
quickly.
Wirefly offers a more complete inventory of cell phone devices and a broader
selection of carrier rate plans than traditional retail stores are able to offer.
This gives customers a real choice in selecting the phone and plan that is best
for them.
"As the largest online activations agent for all major carriers, Wirefly has
a unique view of the trends driving our industry, and we predict continued popularity
of the things that made 2005 a remarkable year. But ours is a very dynamic market
and this coming year is going to see a new set of trends driving people to switch
or upgrade their cell phones and plans," said Wirefly's Westrick.
Wirefly predicts big trends for 2006 are going to include:
1. Music and mobile TV phones;
2. A bigger selection of smartphones with more robust operating
systems;
3. Phones designed for children;
4. Expanded GPS services; and,
5. Increased comfort ordering services online and expansion of
market share by authorized online agents such as Wirefly.
To view today's best-selling cell phone models, visit Wirefly at http://www.wirefly.com.
About Wirefly
Launched in 2003, Wirefly (www.wirefly.com) is an online leader in one-stop comparison shopping for cell phones, wireless
service plans and wireless accessories. Owned and operated by InPhonic (NASDAQ:INPC),
Wirefly is an authorized dealer for every major cellular carrier, including Cingular
Wireless, Nextel, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and Sprint PCS. Wirefly also offers
discounts and services not available in retail wireless stores, including real-time
online order status and tracking, and the guaranteed lowest price - online or
anywhere else -- on cell phone devices from Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, LG, BlackBerry
and many other cell phone handset manufacturers. In 2005, Keynote Systems awarded
Wirefly "Best in Overall Customer Experience" for wireless providers. According
to Forbes magazine's "Best of the Web" (2004), "(Wirefly) is probably the best
all-around number portability portal available." For more information on Wirefly,
its cellular products and its services, visit www.wirefly.com or the InPhonic Corporate Web site at www.inphonic.com. INPCG.
"Safe Harbor" Statement - Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, this press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties. Important factors, which could cause actual operating
results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, are
detailed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made from time
to time by the Company. This press release and statements are current as of the
date of the individual announcements and the Company undertakes no obligation
to publicly release any revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect
events or circumstances after the date thereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
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