There are a range of phones that have been developed for emerging market economies.

Part of this drive has been due to the GSMA Emerging Market Handset Initiative, which was set up in 2005 as part of the GSMA’s ‘connecting the unconnected’ campaign, with a target of 80% of world population having access to mobile communications by 2010. The rationale was that although 80% of the world population have access to wireless services, only 25% can afford to make use of it.
Motorola have been the main supplier of phones for the initiative, as they offered two low-priced phones, both under US$30 a piece – the C113, and C113a.
The Motorola C113 is specifically designed for emerging markets, with a very long battery life and talk time, no extra features such as camera, colour screen or internet, but has basic useful features such as a calculator and stopwatch.
The other handset, the C113a appears to be very similar, with a couple of extras such as an analog clock and slightly more talk time.

Since 2005, Motorola also released the FONE F3 which is designed to be hard wearing and dust proof, as well as having an intuitive interface which is intended to be easy to understand for first time users, it does not have many extra features (no mp3 player, internet or external memory for example) but does come with a function that allows you to keep track of your charges, and a long battery life.

Nokia have also developed handsets targeting emerging markets. The 2626 was released in 2006, and included more features than the Motorola, such as email, WAP, mp3 ringtones etc. It is also available in a variety of colours. Not to be presumptious, but I haven’t seen yet exactly what makes this phone emerging-market specific?

A point that supports this question is that it appears the 2626 design is trying to kill two birds with one stone – in the sense that it is targeted at emerging markets, and also targeted at a ‘style conscious customer on a budget’ in the developed world (as advertised on pocketpicks.co.uk). Perhaps this is the key design flaw that answers the above question with the answer – it isn’t emerging-market specific.

As yet, Motorola seem to be the most appropriately designed phones. Any more examples would be very welcome…

Relevant links:
GSMA Emerging Market Handset Programme:
GSM world
The Motorola C113
GSM arena
The Motorola C113a
GSM arena
The Motorola FONE F3
Mobile gazette
Mobiledia

Nokia 2626
Tech Digest article
Pocket Picks article

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 20th, 2007 at 2:50 pm and is filed under mobilePhones. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.