“It is quite an interesting product but it is lacking a few essential features, such as 3G, which would enable fast data connections,” Vanjoki, whose multimedia unit is a direct rival to Apple, was quoted as saying by Finnish business daily Taloussanomat.

Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs indicated that the company’s goal was 1% of the mobile phone market by 2008, or approximately 10 million iPhonesout of a market total of close to 1 billions sold in 2008.

Mr. Vanjoki was quoted as saying that “Apple’s objective is not at a very high level,” but that the iPhone’s entry would give an additional boost to the multimedia phone market, proving Nokia’s multimedia strategy was correct.

“This is another piece of evidence that we have been on the right track from the beginning,” he said.

Nokia indicated that it has sold close to 70 million phones with integrated MP3 players in 2006.

Source:  Reuters.com

Apple announced a revolutionary multi-media (iPod and widescreen video) mobile phone which featured a unique touchscreen interface. The phone features GSM + EDGE, Quad Band, WIFI, Bluetooth, an acceleromoter (which allows for automatic portrait to widescreen rendering by rotating the device), an ambient light sensor, and seemless integration with iTunes, iPhoto, iCal and a host of other Apple applications. The company terms the new phone as a three in one device: iPod/Video + mobile phone + internet communicator.

The phone uses the Safari browser for mobile browsing and features POP/IMAP for email with a built in client which resembles Apple Mail on Mac OS X. Push email (similar to the Blackberry) is also supported. Apple also announced that Yahoo will offer free Yahoo! IMAP email to all Apple phone (iphone) customers.

Utilizing EDGE or WIFI for internet connectivity the phone can switch automatically between the two as necessary. The device is location aware and works seemlessly with Google Maps, indicating the users location in proximity to local landmarks, stores, restaurants, etc.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt joined Steve Job’s on stage during the MacWorld Keynote address and discussed a Google, Apple collaboration, which was termed a “merger without merging” with Google pushing hard for a partnership with Apple. Google Maps and Google Search are built into the device.

Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo!, joined Steve Job’s as well as discussed Yahoo’s attempt to reinvent email with it feels is a killer application on a mobile phone. Yahoo Go, Yahoo oneSearch and Yahoo IMAP email are built into the device.

Over 200 patents have been granted to Apple over the development of the device, which features precision enclosures, sensors, true desktop-class apps, visual voicemail, widescreen, and a world first “multitouch” screen.

The phone is expected to sell for $499 (4GB model) and $599 (8GB model) with availability expected in June 2007 in the USA, 4th quarter 2007 in Europe, and 2008 in Asia. The prices quoted assume a two year contract.

Cingular Mobile was announced as the exclusive partner in the USA, with CEO Stan Sigman joining Steve Job’s in announcing the phone’s available through both Cingular and Apple stores. The deal was termed as a multi-year exclusive partnership.

With appromixately 957 million mobile phones sold worldwide, Apple indicated that it was after 1 % of the market (or 10 million phones).

The company also announced that to better reflect its new direction, it was changing its name from Apple Computer Inc. to simply Apple Inc.

More details to follow.

Tailored to the mobile screen, oneSearch aims to reduce the number of clicks consumers have to make to find information. Entering a simple query such as a team name will bring up the score of its latest game along with a team schedule, photos and related articles so users don’t have to jump around to different sites.

The new application also includes features to help streamline search such as the ability to remember previous queries and auto-fill technology to speed up entry of common terms. To boost distribution, Yahoo also announced that the latest mobile version of Yahoo Go will be included in various devices made by Motorola, Nokia and Samsung Electronics and Research in Motion.

Source: MediaPost