Middle East mobile phone distributor Aptec Mobile is gearing up for an increased demand for MMS-enabled (Multi Media Messaging Service) mobile phones in the region. The company expects a significant change in the communication lifestyles of mobile phone users with the launch of MMS services by network operators, the latest among them being Etisalat in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Aptec anticipates a major change in the purchasing psychology of mobile phone users as the versatile applications of MMS become more popular. Consumers seemingly look for mobile phones with enhanced features, such as cameras and advanced messaging options.
"With the advent of MMS, the era of the mobile phone being an instrument limited to two-way verbal communication are over," said Linda Al-Tarifi, marketing manager Aptec Gulf. "MMS has the capacity to transform the mobile phone into a personalized audio-visual tool, capable of receiving and transferring images, graphics, sound, text and, at a later date, even video.”
“The applications of this technology are remarkably varied, powerful enough to herald a whole new lifestyle in mobile communication. MMS is a real solution created to meet the needs of a world that is becoming increasingly dependent on mobile communications. MMS has triggered new activity revolving around creating customized and localized solutions.”
Aptec foresees a mass-market adaptation of MMS in the Middle East within a short time, fueled by the rapid penetration of mobile phones in general and the increasing usage of SMS in particular. At the start of 2003, the number of mobile phone subscribers in the UAE stood at 2.5 million, against the number of fixed lines of a little over one million. A similar scenario is being observed in countries across the region.
"Aptec's strong ties with mobile phone manufacturers, including the global leader Nokia, places us in a strong position to offer the most advanced MMS-enabled phones to consumers, and backed by prompt after-sales service," said Al-Tarifi. "The heightened consumer demand for the latest versions of mobile phones will trigger new purchasing patterns and a dramatic transformation in the way we exchange personal or business messages."
Aptec is a distributor of Information Technology (IT) and telecommunications products in the Middle East, Africa and some parts of Europe. The company has eight subsidiaries with offices in the UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Kuwait and Africa. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
