Taiwan market: Samsung to launch Giorgio Armani-Samsung dual-brand handset in April

Samsung Electronics plans to introduce the Giorgio Armani-Samsung dual-brand EDGE-enabled handset in Taiwan at the end of April, according to Jae Hyun Ryu, director of mobile communications unit at Samsung Taiwan.

The dual-brand handset, which features a 2.6-inch touch screen panel and a 3-megapixel camera, will carry a suggested retail price of NT$33,800 (US$1,116), according to sources at Samsung Taiwan. Shipments of the dual-brand fashion handsets in Taiwan will be limited to 3,000 units, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) quoted Ryu as indicating.

Samsung's cooperation with Giorgio Armani in the production of handsets is a long-term project with new models to be rolled out constantly, Ryu continued.

In addition, Samsung and Giorgio Armani have already extended their cooperation from handsets to LCD TVs, and Samsung plans to debut Giorgio Armani-Samsung dual-brand LCD TVs at the upcoming Salone Internationale del Mobile di Milano, said Ryu.

In addition to strengthening its cooperation with Giorgio Armani, Samsung is cooperating with other international brand vendors, including B&O of Denmark and Adidas of Germany, Ryu revealed.

In other news, Samsung's IPC (international purchasing center) office in Taiwan purchased over US$3 billion worth of IT products and components from Taiwan suppliers in 2007, according to Ryu.

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