New Delhi: Less than a decade ago, all mobile phones were black. Today, however, consumers are increasingly becoming more sophisticated in their selection of handsets and are now basing their purchase decision on a blend of technology and style that a mobile phone offers.
Nokia India has already announced its association with Ashish Soni, India’s leading fashion designer to create a collection inspired by an upcoming luxury handset from Nokia.
The company is also committed to creating new shapes (Nokia 3250 with a barrel design, and the transformable shape of the N90 and N93) and trying out new materials.
Director of marketing at Nokia India, Devinder Kishore says, "A recent consumer segmentation study completed by Nokia globally, found that a majority of the mobile phone consumers fall in the 'style' category. This segment places great emphasis on the aspiration value of a product and considers design to be a key parameter when making their purchase decision. Given analyst projections that one billion new consumers will join the mobile phone user group and influence how they want their phones to look and function, it would be fair to say that the era of mass market design is coming to an end!"
Another luxury mobile phone manufacturer, Vertu, recently unveiled its latest series of handcrafted phones under the Vertu Constellation collection.
Vertu has launched seven handcrafted models in black, tan, chocolate and pink leather and is available in stainless steel or gold finishes.
This collection will be available at most of the 300 authorised retailers across 40 countries worldwide from September 2006.
These Vertu designs were conceived in order to complement the style and design quality of the Vertu brand said the company.
Vertu’s principal designer Frank Nuovo says, "The fluid surface developments are inspired by classic aircraft - in particular, the classic cross-section of the leading edge of wings, combined with the high polished metal and small fasteners along many edges. Symbolically, the microphone port design is a subtle tribute to the powerful force that made our first aircraft fly - a classic propeller fan. Leather is a dominant material to increase the tactile delight in the hand."
According to the latest ARC Chart’s research report, it is estimated that there will be a huge demand to support the sale of 23 million fashion handsets by 2010.
As with wristwatches, it now appears that some mobile phones will soon become synonymous with style, success and achievement of their respective owner.
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