ST-Ericsson, a global leader in
mobile
platforms and semiconductors, has developed a platform that supports
Android,
which manufacturers could use to produce smartphones with a wholesale
price
of
less than EUR100, depending on the final device specification. A
highly-integrated and very power-efficient platform, the U6715 promises
to
significantly broaden the smartphone segment, making these advanced and
customizable handsets affordable for the mass-market.
ST-Ericsson anticipates manufacturers will launch the first commercial
products
based on the U6715 platform in the first half of 2010, meeting growing
demand
for compact and low-cost smartphones. These handsets will be capable of
downloading and running a wide range of applications that enable
consumers
to
customize their phones to access the services that fit their lifestyle.
"There is a huge surge in consumer demand for handsets that can be
customized
with downloadable apps, but, up to now, smartphones have been too
expensive
for
many potential buyers," said Marc Cetto, Senior Vice President and head
of
3G
and Multimedia division at ST-Ericsson. "Our U6715 platform has been
designed to
enable the smartphone to break out of its current high-end niche and
become
a
true mass-market product in 2010."
Designed to run Linux-based operating systems, such as Android, the
U6715
platform can support all the essentials of the smartphone experience,
enabling
consumers to enjoy navigation, web browsing, video streaming, email,
WiFi,
a
five megapixel camera, a touch screen and much, much more.
The U6715 also includes an HSPA modem capable of delivering downlink
speeds
of
up to 7.2 Mbps. Equipped with a 1000mA battery, smartphones based on the
platform can play music for up to 40 hours and provide a talk time of up
to
7
hours on a 3G network on one battery charge, or even remain on standby
for
up to
25 days.
