Mobile handset makers vie with new sound effects
insight@koreaherald.co.kr)
By Yang Sung-jin Staff reporter
2001.10.03
Heralding a new round of competition in the domestic mobile market, mobile handset makers are focusing on new sound effects in their latest models as subscribers embrace the so-called 16 polyphony system.
The 16 polyphony alarm melody system allows users to handle richer and fuller sounds than conventional models, appealing to trend-conscious mobile subscribers.
Unlike mono-sound alarm bells, the new handset models create multi-layered sound effects. As the system requires a specially designed chip manufactured by Yamaha, a Japanese musical gear maker, the price is usually 5-10 percent more expensive than conventional handsets.
But the steep price has not discouraged handset makers from intensifying their development drive. Major mobile service providers are increasingly focusing on wireless Internet services, many of which are related to sound, such as mobile karaoke, promising new niche markets.
Sophisticated sound systems are particularly crucial for forthcoming wireless multimedia services such as audio on demand (AOD) and video on demand (VOD).
Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, both of which are major handset makers in Korea, are working on 32 polyphony models to stay ahead in the race for more powerful models.
Samsung introduced a color-screen handset, SPH-X2500, armed with a 16 polyphony sound system in June. Samsung's upgraded models in July, SCH-X130 and SCH-X350, are powered to offer a downloadable karaoke sound feature based on the 16 polyphony system.
Samsung, which emphasizes color-screen models in its latest advertising campaign, plans to shift toward 16 polyphony sound systems as a key concept in early October.
The electronics giant plans to roll out more than two 16 polyphony color-screen handsets by the end of the year. The 32 polyphony models are scheduled to debut next year.
LG Electronics said it sold 129,000 units of mobile handsets based on cdma2000 1x in August, 70 percent of which are color-screen models. With such results indicating that color-screen models are rapidly gaining a foothold in the market, LG plans to focus on the 16 polyphony system as another key advanced feature for cutting-edge handsets.
LG, which introduced the 4 polyphony model, I-sound, late last year, said it will add the 16 polyphony system to color-screen handsets by the end of November. In addition it said it will integrate the 16 polyphony sound system into up-market handset models based on cdma2000 1x.
LG is also expected to launch 32 polyphony handsets early next year.
Sewon Telecom, meantime, has already launched upscale handset models armed with 16 polyphony and cdma2000 1x features.
The company said it will offer the 16 polyphony sound system as a basic feature for its handset models by year-end, while 32 polyphony models are set to debut next year.
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