CeBIT 2006. Sagem follows the route

At CeBIT, besides handsets Sagem introduced many other products, including TV sets, DECT-phones, printers and various communications equipment, though we are interested most of all in mobile phones. At present Sagem is holding the 7th place in the world by sales among handsets manufacturers – in 2005, according to the company’s data, 17.5 mln of mobile device were sold world-over.

At 3GSM Congress Sagem presented the majority of new devices (check out our report 3GSM Congress Sagem’s budget rally), while within the bounds of CeBIT, the company demonstrated much less models, though all these handsets reside in a higher price bracket. In the press-release, the company features five new models (my Mobile TV, my900C, my800X, my500X, my405X), however in fact there are only three products, deserving the “all-new” title, since my Mobile TV and my800x were displayed a month ago in Barcelona.

Following the latest tendency, the new line-up by the manufacturer mostly consists of slim and compact solutions.

Sagem my405x is an exact copy of my400x, though materialized in a different appearance – the main changes affected only keyboard, which now reminds of Vertu, even though the handset relates to a completely different class. The side framings, which at the first glance seem to be made of leather, in practice turn out to be pieces of plastic. Even though the slogan of this model says “Downright Elegance”, you shouldn’t near to Sagem my405x closer than 1 meter, otherwise you risk losing the illusion of this device being wealthy and elegant forever. The handset will hit the shelves in the second quarter of 2006.

As the press-release implies, Sagem my500x possesses the best multimedia functionality by this moment, however it’s just a pompous statement, as the model has average specifications. The device features Bluetooth and due to presence of miniSD extension slot and 1.3 Mpix camera, the product turned out to be a bit thicker (16.5 mm). The phone is scheduled for the release in the second quarter of 2006.

Any company which aimed at hitting top five of the leading manufacturers should have a 3G device in its line-up, and it should be armed with maximum functionality as well. Having increased this parameter (support of UMTS, QVGA display, 2 Mpix camera), and introduced my900C clamshell, the company could not keep the device slim – the depth of this handset equals 23.5 mm. Measurements – 90x45x23.5 mm, weight– 115 grams. The software part of my900C is hardly operating at present. Though keeping in mind that a 3G bar-phone my800 is displayed as a plaster cast at the exhibition, one can seriously doubt the release dates, scheduled for the middle of this year.

On the whole the company didn’t manage to surprise someone, because after 3GSM Congress all models were predictable. That’s why the company’s future trends in the field of 3G networks appear obscure.