JEDDAH, 28 September 2003 — Saudi Arabia’s market for mobile phones is expected to grow dramatically in the next few years, according to a Korean manufacturer. “There are already 4.5 million Saudi Telecom phone subscribers for 23 percent of the Kingdom’s population. The growth of the mobile phone sector in the next two years will be dramatic and steep,” H.K. Seo, general manager at LG Electronics, told a press conference yesterday.
Speaking during the launch of LG’s latest mobile phone model, G5300, which provides the direction of the Qiblah from anywhere in the world, Seo said the Kingdom’s mobile phone market was currently valued around SR3 billion. “The Qiblah phone was developed in Seoul after the LG office in the Kingdom conducted a detailed market research and in full consideration of local needs. The Qiblah feature is the first of its kind in any mobile phone in the world and this is yet another proof of the Korean giant’s commitment to the community in this part of the world,” Seo said.
He said LG recently entered the mobile phone market in the Kingdom and decided to focus on features that are unique and desired. “The response from users in Dubai and Iraq where the new phone was first introduced has been good and encouraging,” Seo said, adding that it would next be introduced in Iran and other Middle Eastern and African countries.
Aside from the Qiblah indicator, which is a plus for Muslims around the world, the phone has such features as an answering machine, EMS and menu effect sound and 65,000-color display. “It also comes with polyphonic ring-tones, picture download support and voice dialing,” LG’s Electronics and IT Products Manager K.S. Park said.
United Yousef M. Naghi Co., which distributes LG mobile phones, has established dedicated service centers in all major cities of the Kingdom to offer professional service, Mohamed K. Murad, national product manager GSM at United Naghi, said. “The new phone is targeted at the middle and lower segments of the market,” he said, adding that its price was less than SR1,000.
“LG always strives for excellence and for being the first to introduce features that are unique and exclusive to its products,” said Deputy General Manager S.M. Arshad in his opening remarks.