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Sony Ericsson W810i - the intermediate of the evolution

The company of Sony Ericsson has always distinguished with its top models surpassing their time, and direct rivals of such models were absent for long. Good examples are Ericsson T68, then follows Sony Ericsson T610, and finally one of the latest models Sony Ericsson K750i and its copy called the W800i. We have already discussed artificial division on usual and Walkman product line. Slight differences on software level and full hardware compatibility allowed many users install software from the W800i on usual K750i (offline work added and the player interface improved a bit). And the company received many benefits, as sales of both products raised. But the shortage of componentry, and mainly camera modules, threatened the line development and consecutive sales growth. In such conditions the company finds selling already launched models less interesting than launching renewed versions, as the margin is less. A logical and well-taken solution was to release a renewal for the K750i and position it as the one for the W800i. It can seem quite intricate, but taking into account the shortage of componentry clears things up. Due to the componentry in a standard package the W-series models are more expansive in retail, and the maker benefits more by them. With the launch of the W810i gradually the production of Sony Ericsson K750i will be shortened and stopped (we do not mean operator versions of the model). The two models will stay on the market for about 4-5 months and then the K750i will start vanishing. Considering that Sony Ericsson W810i will appear on the counters in March, we can suppose that the K750i leaves the stage in the middle of the summer. I'd repeat that the model will stay for quite a long in retail networks, however mass offer will not exist any longer. Prices will fix in the first quarter of 2006.

What makes the difference between the W810i and the K750i/W800i? Despite the list of innovations is not so great, we can say it considerably widens the potential consumer group of the product:

EDGE class 10. The absence of EDGE was one of the main disadvantages of the K750/W800, but to tell the truth the global market experienced no demand in it. And such support got necessary with the development of EDGE networks
GSM850 - now the phone is quadruple band, which is meaningful for America
20 MB of memory available to a user. Phone memory bank is still the same, and bigger size of the phone software explains the smaller size of user data
NetFront Access browser provides an improved view of HTML pages
Activity Menu (the W800i lacked it) button appeared
Light sensor - automatically changes the keypad and screen backlighting depending on external light
Red eye reduction - an improved function which reduces the red eye effect
Flash Lite - supported fully, including realization of the interfaces in third party programs
The joystick is replaced with a navi button
Autofocus can be turned while shooting (similarly to the W900i)
Phone size - completely equal to the К750, one millimeter thinner - 100x46x19.5 mm
A new program for synchronization with a PC. It allows creating SMS/MMS, synchronizing data with MS Outlook, making data archives. This program is equal to the package of Sony Ericsson P990i
RSS Reader is included into the standard kit
The software was slightly developed, messages are sent in background mode, the player is developed also, memory for 1000 names in the phonebook and so on
The package contains HPM-70 stereo loudspeakers and a 512 MB memory card

Integrated FM-radio supports RDS, however there is no graphical accelerator. All other characteristics are known by the K750/W800. The technological base of the software is closer to Sony Ericsson W550, and many software developments were introduced in this model.

Considering that the model is a renewal, we can say it is adequate and will have a life cycle for about a year. The start price will form 330 Euros, which is 30 Euros more then for the W800i.

The renewal is extremely modern and will have no rivals for at least 2 months. And later competition between Sony Ericsson W810i and Nokia 6233 will start. These are the products of the same class and have similar characteristics, let us try to compare them and check who has more advantages.

Band. The Sony Ericsson's solution is a quadruple band, however it doesn't support UMTS. Nokia 6233 has no GSM850, but works in UMTS networks. The number consumers using UMTS products grows and they are likely to select Nokia 6233.

Dimensions. No principal difference, Sony Ericsson W810i - 100x46x19.5 mm, Nokia 6233 - 108x46x18 mm. The weights are 99 and 110 grams correspondingly.

Screen. Both screens are TFT and show 262K colours. The Sony Ericsson's product has the resolution of 176x220 pixels, and the Nokia's one is QVGA (240x320 pixels).

Memory. The W810i features 20 MB of memory against 6 MB in Nokia 6233, and the package contains a 512 MB memory card, while Nokia uses a 64 MB microSD card (the maximum capacity card, which you can try to buy, is 512 MB).

Bluetooth. Nokia 6233 supports bluetooth version 2.0 followed by EDR, while the W810i is restrictedly compatible with the 2nd version, no A2DP-profile.

Camera. Nominally both cameras use CMOS sensors with 2MP matrixes; however the picture quality of the Sony Ericsson's product is much higher.

Sound, mp3 player. In fact the models understand the sale mist of files; despite all the differences the interface is quite comparable. The Walkman's product can boast with more qualitative headphones included into the kit, special software Disk2Phone, a capability to use standard 3.5 mm earphones and a remote controller is optionally available. You can have the same quality of the sound, but that will take extra time and money.

Interface. Nokia 6233 is run by Series 40 3d Edition, which provides the maximum capabilities in adjusting the interface for a certain user. The only disadvantage is small picture at incoming call, and the rest is not very bad. The Sony Ericsson's product loses in the interface realization, however the difference is not striking, both products are leaders, and as a result, the capabilities are the maximum.

PDF Nokia 6233 recognizes MS office files and also PDF ones with some cavils; however the W810i can't do it at all, which is a disadvantage. Also the Nokia's phone allows to attach such files to e-mail messages.

FM-radio is present in both models, and its capabilities are comparable.

Launch. Sony Ericsson W810i will appear in the beginning of March for 330 Euros, and Nokia 6233 in the middle of May for 350-360 Euros.

Sony Ericsson K750i is a real bestseller, and that is why we do not doubt the same fate fell to the W810i. At the launch moment the model will have no direct rivals, and about two and a half months are at its disposal to gain the market leadership and only then Nokia 6233 appears. The Nokia's solution supports UMTS, has A2DP Bluetooth-profile, works with office files, its interface is rich and flexible, the screen resolution is higher, which are great advantages. At the same time the Sony Ericsson's solution wins due to a better package, better work with music (earphones, big memory size, and special software for synchronization), better camera with great capabilities. Organizers and phonebooks are comparable, and voice dial is better in the SE product, though belongs to the previous generation.

The K750i, and correspondingly the W810i will be replaced only in the end of 2006, the next model will distinguish with a QVGA-screen, a 3MP camera, support for all possible Bluetooth profiles (but you still will be forbidden to scan other devices and their file structure), expanded memory card (512 MB), stereosound like in the W550i and support for UMTS. The phone size will be comparable with the K750, and only about two mm thicker. And also that will be the first phone built on a new interface maximum compatible with Nokia UI. It is probable that one more intermediate product will appear on this way, and then we will introduce the W830i, which will collect new Bluetooth profiles and a new screen.

Materials on the theme:

Review Sony Ericsson W550i

Review Sony Ericsson K750i

Review Sony Ericsson W800i

Walkman by Sony Ericsson - new name and widening the product line

Walkman by Sony Ericsson new strategy and the launch of the promo campaign

Eldar Murtazin (eldar@mobile-review.com)
Translated by Maria Mitina (maria.mitina@mobile-review.com)

Published - 10 January 2006

Have something to add?! Write us... eldar@mobile-review.com

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