Vodafone to extend its own-brand web strategy to smartphones

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Vodafone to extend its own-brand web strategy to smartphones

By CAROLINE GABRIEL

Published: 11 February, 2010

READ MORE: Europe | Vodafone | User Experience | Handset | Linux

All large cellcos offer phones under their own brand, and designed to their specifications, but in the west at least, these are usually at the low end. But Vodafone has spent the past few years seeking to enhance its power in the cellphone value chain, and aims to emulate a Japanese carrier by offering a broad range of handsets, right up to smartphones, that carry its brand and its own web-based software platform 360.

The strategy behind 360 is far more ambitious than its predecessor, Vodafone Live!, or own-branded web services platforms from other operators, which tend to consist of an old-style carrier deck with a better browser and nicer user interface. Vodafone aims to run 360 over a huge variety of phones, and elements of the platform are expected to find their way over the Atlantic to US joint venture Verizon Wireless later in the year - including the use of the LiMO Linux-based operating system, which is at the heart of the smartphone end of the 360 plan.

The first 360 phones were launched last fall - the Vodafone 360 H1 and M1, both made by Samsung. Now they are joined by several new models, including a Vodafone branded LG GD880, and an interesting model from Qisda of Taiwan (which is also making tablets for Dell). This product has a major display, measuring almost four inches and supporting a 1280 x 1024 pixels touchscreen. It will also feature HSPA, Wi-Fi and accelerometer, though only a 3-megapixel camera.

Also for 360 are the Vodafone 2010 Compass, designed with German studio nr21 for the booming 'messaging phone' sector, with full Qwerty keyboard. And the 360 Krystal handset is distinguished by having a display on each side, with one prototype application reported to be language translation (with the second language displayed on the rear screen).

Then there are more conventional carrier branded phones, from ODMs and geared to the low end - namely the Vodafone 737 Quincy and Vodafone 545 Larry. The cellco is even putting its logo on a 3G car navigator, the Mio Valinor, which promises 7-inch display and HD video support.