Launches two new dual SIM handsets in the Indian market
Samsung will be launching its proprietary smartphone operating system (OS) – Bada (ocean in Korean) – in the second quarter of this year. The company currently sells smartphones running on Microsoft Windows, Symbian and Google’s Android OS platforms.
“We will focus more on open OS mobiles and will launch a new range of handsets with our own OS soon,” Ranjit Yadav, director (mobile and IT) of Samsung India, told mediapersons here on Wednesday. He however, declined to elaborate further.
He said the company would strengthen its presence in the dual SIM mobile handset market and had lined up six new models for launch over the next few months. “Our market share in the dual SIM segment will double from 7-8 per cent in 2009 to around 16 per cent this year,” he added.
According to Yadav, the dual SIM handset market in India is the largest growing mobile phone category and from a marginal 3 per cent share in November 2008, this currently accounts for nearly 18 per cent of the overall market. The dual SIM market in the country is expected to grow 2.5 times in 2010, he said.
In 2009, sales of dual SIM handsets accounted for 8 per cent of Samsung's total mobile sales. “We expect our dual SIM handsets to contribute close to 15 per cent in 2010,” he said.
Samsung today launched two new dual SIM handsets in the Indian market, taking its portfolio in this segment to six – four GSM-GSM and two GSM-CDMA.
Yadav said the company was planning to launch Java-based applications on Samsung Fun Club, which currently has 3 million unique users. “At present, users can download 40 applications, including IP and VoIP, messaging, entertainment, personal finance, lifestyle, learning, social networking, maps on mobile and mobile internet. We will be adding another 10 applications by this month end,” he said.
