3GSM 2007: i-mate becomes full-blown manufacturer of Windows Mobile phones - the Ultimate series announced
February 13, 2007 [General] | By Edward J. R.
Starting June 2007 i-mate will start selling phones fully designed by i-mate engineers and manufactured according to i-mate designs in Asia.
No longer therefore i-mate is a just a distributor of phones designed and manufactured by others, but i-mate has de-facto become a manufacturer.
Here we present i-mate's story about it + photos of new phones in Ultra series in super-high resolution.
Information from i-mate follows.
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i-mate Unveils a New Roadmap of Devices and Services for
Mobile Operators
Specialist in Windows Mobile Solutions Launches the Ultimate Range
i-mate (London AIM: IMTE), the specialist in Windows Mobile powered devices, today announces at 3GSM World Congress 2007 a dazzling array of new products and services including a category-defining range of mobile devices for business users and consumers. The Ultimate range is a collection of high-end, sophisticated 3G Windows Mobile devices in a selection of form factors to suit any user, the first of which will be available mid-year.
The Ultimate range consists of a collection of five devices in various form factors to suit individual preferences, from classic bar to PDA to a notebook replacement and was designed to provide the latest and best in phone and PDA technology. From the 530MHz processor, to the XGA direct video out, from HSDPA connectivity to the 262k colour VGA LCD touch screen, every component of each device is specified at a very high level.
“2007 will see i-mate offer a portfolio of new and iconic devices and highly sophisticated services,” said Jim Morrison, CEO, i-mate. “The Ultimate range, with its great design and strong specifications will appeal to business users who require, as the name implies, the best of breed combination of innovation, design and technology. Each of our devices is designed with different users in mind giving our customers real choice.”
i-mate is also launching the JAQ4 – the first i-mate device to ship with Windows Mobile 6 – a sturdy QWERTY keyboard GPS phone with a five-way joystick and scroll wheel allowing for easy navigation and use of services including email. Furthermore, the landscape 2.8” colour touch screen supports the use of the stylus as an increasingly popular means of accessing and writing email and messages. Windows Mobile 6 offers new capabilities to manage email and contacts through new shortcuts, view html emails and access new calendar views to help people be productive on the go with just a single device.
“People today are looking for a sophisticated phone that helps them stay connected to the communities and information they need, in a style that meets their requirements,” said Pieter Knook, senior vice president of Mobile and Embedded Devices at Microsoft Corp. “The combination of i-mate’s new Ultimate line and Windows Mobile 6 will deliver a powerful range of phones that bring a familiar, personal computer experience to the small screen with features that help customers stay on top of their jobs when they’re away from the office.”
i-mate is also addressing the more fashion-conscious 18-34 year old segment with a range of brightly coloured SPL devices in red, pink and blue in addition to black. These SPLs will extend the benefits of Windows Mobile’s productivity functionality with popular consumer features such as a 2.0 mega pixel camera and video capabilities to an all-new audience.
Morrison reveals, “We are thrilled to be bringing this exciting portfolio of devices to the market made possible by the freedom we now enjoy as an OEM in our own right.”
As part of i-mate’s service proposition, 3GSM will also mark the launch of i-mate’s Customization Order and Management Solution (COMS). COMS, a web-based application that integrates customization and logistics to ensure that i-mate devices are ready to use “out-of-the-box”, complete with corporate, enterprise or small volume customizations. System Integrators (SI) and Value Added Resellers (VAR) will use COMS to customize Windows Mobile powered devices according to specific customer needs, from security and data synchronization to applications, ring-tones and look-and-feel in as little as 48 hours. Mobile Operators can use COMS to improve their services to the enterprise segment and to accelerate their time-to-market with new mobile devices to address the rapidly expanding mobile workforce. IDC estimates that the worldwide mobile worker population will grow to 878.2 million in 2009 to account for 21.3 percent of the global work force.
Morrison concludes, “The mobile industry is starting to develop an approach where a customer can select a device based on what they want and need, not because they are restricted by available options. With the Ultimate, SPL and the JAQ4 powered by Windows Mobile and customised for the enterprise, we believe we are delivering what our customers are asking for.”
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Photos of the new Ultimate range you can see below!
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