Sony Ericsson tunes-in to tap the Indian mobile market

NEW DELHI: Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson on Thursday launched two entry-level handsets, designed specially for the Indian market.

The new radio phones --R300i and R306i -- would be made in India and has been priced between Rs 3,500-5,000.
   
Currently, the company manufactures three handset models in the country, but this is the first time that the global phone maker has launched a product specifically for the Indian consumers.

The company also launched two other handsets -- T270 and T280 -- but did not disclose the prices for these.
   
"India is an important market for the company and Sony Ericsson plans to achieve a sales target of 10 million handsets from the India by 2009," Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (India) General manager Sudhir Mathur told here.

However, he did not reveal the current sales figure. All the new phones would be available in the market from January- March quarter this year.
   
The new phones would provide advanced features including radio recording, VGA/1.3 megapixel camera, bluetooth and GPRS. The unique radio interface and the addition of an AM receiver in the new handsets show a specific focus on the Indian market specifically rural areas, he added.