A new trend is emerging in the Kingdom with an increasing number of people looking for mobile phones with features such as email, Internet browsing and social networking among others, said a high-ranking official of a leading mobile phone manufacturing company. Saudi consumers are known for their discerning tastes and an increasing number of them prefer to own a mobile device that has enhanced applications, user-friendly designs, customized functionalities and value added features, said Nikitas Glykas, Regional Director of HTC South Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Glykas said his company, a Taiwan-based handset manufacturer, and a member of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), a group of handset manufacturers and mobile network operators, has been engaged in conducting market research on a regular basis in many parts of the world to get an idea of people's mobile experience and make it even more intuitive and natural. “We understand that one size doesn't fit all. It has been recognized that each consumer is different and many Saudi consumers prefer to have enhanced applications in a mobile device,” he said. He said there has been an increasing demand in Saudi Arabia and in the region for phones that offer features like email, web browsing and social networking. “The number of consumers looking for such features in a mobile phone is increasing dramatically,” said Glykas. He said an increasing number of Saudi consumers prefer smart phones that have enhanced applications and user-friendly design. For this reason, the demand for sense-based Windows Phone has exceeded the manufacturers' expectations. He said keeping in mind the specific needs of Saudi consumers his company has been introducing handsets that empower people to get more from their phone. “We are trying to provide a simple and intuitive user experience,” he said. Based on the requirements of Saudi consumers that differ from person to person the company is bringing to the Saudi market a wide range of exciting innovative devices. Most handsets in the region are Arabic enabled and customized to fit the demands of the region's users. Most phones include the Arabic applications Hijri calendar, Holy Qur'an, prayer timings, and iScreen (multi-language translation and dictionary) and others, depending on the device. In addition, the newly launched smart phone utilizes Qualcomm's Brew Mobile Platform, a powerful mobile operating system that enables the users to experience a whole range of features on affordable smartphones. “We see a new era of mass-market smart phones that offer opportunity for new applications and services from software developers worldwide,” he said.
