Sony Ericsson – plans, strategy, products. Announcement of June, 14
Mobile-review posted a very interesting article regarding Sony Ericsson's products, plans and strategies now and the future (2008). If you are a hardcore SE fan like me then it is worth reading. Below are some pics form the article comparing the K850 with the K810 and T650. I extracted the most interesting part of the article below. It talks about what the futures holds for us (lots of good stuff to come from SE...the problem is how long it will take them).
Technological innovations in 2007-2008
Formally all new capabilities build upon the same hardware design utilized in the current products. Changing the hardware component will become possible only in 2008, so for now it is all about boosting A100 platform functionality.
Mobile Services Architecture (MSA). Support for Java JSR-248 is an industrial standard, combining a couple of JSR standards and making use of these in the next generation of mobile phones a must for all makers. Also, the standard specifies how libraries with extended capabilities can interact. The major features that the JSR-248 brings to the table are:
- Security & Trust Services API (JSR 177) – electronic transactions, mobile banking, etc;
- Location API (JSR 179) – navigation-based applications, GPS;
- SIP API for Java ME (JSR 180) – VoIP functionality for regular terminals;
- Mobile 3D Graphics API (JSR 184 1.1) – 3D graphics;
- Content Handler API (JSR 211)
- Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API for Java ME (JSR 226)
- Payment API (JSR 229) – mobile commerce;
- Mobile Internationalization API (JSR 238) – localization description.
Additionally to the core JSR in the JSR-248, Sony Ericsson tacks on two own – support for OPEN GL and also support for inbuilt motion sensors. While the current Java platform version is called JP-7, its upgraded edition with all the above JSR is dubbed JP-8.
Built-in motion sensor. We have already seen motion sensors in Sony Ericsson’s products – in the Sony Ericsson W710i it acts as a pedometer, in the Sony Ericsson W580i its functionality has been extended to workout diary and an extra application, in its turn, having none of these apps, the Sony Ericsson K850i automatically adjusts display layout by the handset’s position (auto-orientation). On top of that, all devices running JP-8, the sensor’s data can be accessed by Java-applications, which allows creating games where moving the phone would action on the screen. Marble Madness is a good example of what it may look like.
Another field, where the sensor is welcome, is music playback management – the feature the Sony Ericsson W910i carries onboard. All you have to do is tilt the handset to jump between tracks, and shaking it back and forth activates shuffle.
All these features are no bells and whistles, since other handsets had them before, like in the Samsung E750/E760, Nokia’s solutions, for example the Nokia 5500. The major difference lies in the fact that the developers have finally been permitted to manipulate this function and thus write own applications with it involved. Unlike Nokia, Sony Ericsson offers this ability on feature phones, rather than smartphones, which also adds more value.
3D games, accelerator. At present a three-dimensional picture is put up by the main CPU, since there is no stand-along graphics chip to do this job. But expect it to come along with the release of gaming-oriented mobile phones PSM in the middle of 2008.
Support for microSD. Sony Ericsson is the only on the market that allows for two types of cards on a single device – M2 and microSD – with the Sony Ericsson K850i being first of a kind, where you can insert either card into the slot. This is a reaction to the criticism on M2 cards going for more money than similarly sized microSD (which is not true).
The company has taken this step willingly, as it feels the opportunity to ship bigger cards a tad earlier than their microSD counterparts. The company couldn’t be happier with this scenario – if you need a more capacious memory card, you go for an M2, want to save some coins – you might want to look at microSD type.
GPS-navigation. Mass production of various applications, adaptation of already existing ones to feature phones. In 2007-2008 the company won’t be into bundled GPS-receivers, and will offer than rather as units built in headphones (no additional power source needed). What they rely on is great share of the mid-range products running A100 in Sony Ericsson’s portfolio.
3,5 mm audio jack. A number of products in 2008 will finally acquire 3,5 mm audio jacks on casing. This is also a reaction to a common opinion that this socket is a must for music-heavy phones.
microUSB socket. This slot’s fate hasn’t been decided for sure as yet, but still it has made several appearances on spec sheets of some products. There is a good chance that in 2008 this socket will become par for the course for Sony Ericsson’s solutions, as well as Nokia’s and Motorola’s products.
On-screen touch-sensitive buttons. The technology similar to that employed by the Motorola RAZR2 V8 and the Sony Ericsson K850i. The display gets three touch-sensitive zones, which are context-sensitive and may act differently depending on the menu you are currently in. Initially only prime solutions will come with this onboard, though later on it will go down to the mid-range.
Displays. QVGA resolution for displays is getting to be top-priority, the year 2008 will also see first two devices boasting VGA-screens.
Technological innovations in 2007-2008
Formally all new capabilities build upon the same hardware design utilized in the current products. Changing the hardware component will become possible only in 2008, so for now it is all about boosting A100 platform functionality.
Mobile Services Architecture (MSA). Support for Java JSR-248 is an industrial standard, combining a couple of JSR standards and making use of these in the next generation of mobile phones a must for all makers. Also, the standard specifies how libraries with extended capabilities can interact. The major features that the JSR-248 brings to the table are:
- Security & Trust Services API (JSR 177) – electronic transactions, mobile banking, etc;
- Location API (JSR 179) – navigation-based applications, GPS;
- SIP API for Java ME (JSR 180) – VoIP functionality for regular terminals;
- Mobile 3D Graphics API (JSR 184 1.1) – 3D graphics;
- Content Handler API (JSR 211)
- Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API for Java ME (JSR 226)
- Payment API (JSR 229) – mobile commerce;
- Mobile Internationalization API (JSR 238) – localization description.
Additionally to the core JSR in the JSR-248, Sony Ericsson tacks on two own – support for OPEN GL and also support for inbuilt motion sensors. While the current Java platform version is called JP-7, its upgraded edition with all the above JSR is dubbed JP-8.
Built-in motion sensor. We have already seen motion sensors in Sony Ericsson’s products – in the Sony Ericsson W710i it acts as a pedometer, in the Sony Ericsson W580i its functionality has been extended to workout diary and an extra application, in its turn, having none of these apps, the Sony Ericsson K850i automatically adjusts display layout by the handset’s position (auto-orientation). On top of that, all devices running JP-8, the sensor’s data can be accessed by Java-applications, which allows creating games where moving the phone would action on the screen. Marble Madness is a good example of what it may look like.
Another field, where the sensor is welcome, is music playback management – the feature the Sony Ericsson W910i carries onboard. All you have to do is tilt the handset to jump between tracks, and shaking it back and forth activates shuffle.
All these features are no bells and whistles, since other handsets had them before, like in the Samsung E750/E760, Nokia’s solutions, for example the Nokia 5500. The major difference lies in the fact that the developers have finally been permitted to manipulate this function and thus write own applications with it involved. Unlike Nokia, Sony Ericsson offers this ability on feature phones, rather than smartphones, which also adds more value.
3D games, accelerator. At present a three-dimensional picture is put up by the main CPU, since there is no stand-along graphics chip to do this job. But expect it to come along with the release of gaming-oriented mobile phones PSM in the middle of 2008.
Support for microSD. Sony Ericsson is the only on the market that allows for two types of cards on a single device – M2 and microSD – with the Sony Ericsson K850i being first of a kind, where you can insert either card into the slot. This is a reaction to the criticism on M2 cards going for more money than similarly sized microSD (which is not true).
The company has taken this step willingly, as it feels the opportunity to ship bigger cards a tad earlier than their microSD counterparts. The company couldn’t be happier with this scenario – if you need a more capacious memory card, you go for an M2, want to save some coins – you might want to look at microSD type.
GPS-navigation. Mass production of various applications, adaptation of already existing ones to feature phones. In 2007-2008 the company won’t be into bundled GPS-receivers, and will offer than rather as units built in headphones (no additional power source needed). What they rely on is great share of the mid-range products running A100 in Sony Ericsson’s portfolio.
3,5 mm audio jack. A number of products in 2008 will finally acquire 3,5 mm audio jacks on casing. This is also a reaction to a common opinion that this socket is a must for music-heavy phones.
microUSB socket. This slot’s fate hasn’t been decided for sure as yet, but still it has made several appearances on spec sheets of some products. There is a good chance that in 2008 this socket will become par for the course for Sony Ericsson’s solutions, as well as Nokia’s and Motorola’s products.
On-screen touch-sensitive buttons. The technology similar to that employed by the Motorola RAZR2 V8 and the Sony Ericsson K850i. The display gets three touch-sensitive zones, which are context-sensitive and may act differently depending on the menu you are currently in. Initially only prime solutions will come with this onboard, though later on it will go down to the mid-range.
Displays. QVGA resolution for displays is getting to be top-priority, the year 2008 will also see first two devices boasting VGA-screens.
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