"Sony Ericsson is excited to introduce our new bridging technology to the global developer community as it further strengthens our relationship with this community and underscores our ongoing commitment to support an open, healthy and thriving mobile ecosystem,” said Rikko Sakaguchi, SVP and Head of Portfolio and Proposition at Sony Ericsson. “We are dedicated to exploring opportunities that enable us to provide innovative and energized user experiences. To achieve this, we work with world class partners and technologies, on both platform and product development."

“Adobe is pleased to support Sony Ericsson’s Project Capuchin. Using Adobe Flash technology as one part of this new bridging technology will ensure further innovation for mobile users when Flash developers gain access to the Java applications’ functionality and intelligence allowing them to create applications with the ultimate user experience,” said Gary Kovacs, general manager and vice president for Mobile and Devices at Adobe. “It is encouraging to see Sony Ericsson’s intention in making the technology available to the wider community.”

Project Capuchin will allow pure Flash Lite content to be encapsulated in Java ME applications with the help of Sony Ericsson Developer World tools, making content created by Adobe Flash technology appear as Java ME applications.

More advanced capabilities will allow Flash Lite technology to handle an entire presentation layer and make it possible to create Java ME applications where some or all UI components are defined in Flash.

The consolidated financial summary for Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Ericsson) for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008 is as follows:

Units shipped in the quarter were 22.3 million, a 2% increase compared to the same period last year and in line with our March 19, 2008 interim announcement of 22 million units. Sales for the quarter were Euro 2,702 million, a decrease of 8% on a year ago due to slowing market growth in mid-to-high end phones in markets where Sony Ericsson has a strong presence. Gross margin was one percentage point lower than Q1 2007, reflecting a less favourable product mix. Income before taxes for the quarter was Euro 193 million, which was at the higher end of the range (Euro 150-200 million) we announced on March 19, 2008. This represented a decrease of 47% compared with a year ago, due to higher R&D investments as a percentage of sales, and reflecting that Q1 2007 was a particularly strong first quarter for the company. Net income for the quarter was 48% lower, at Euro 133 million.

“Sony Ericsson continues to invest in expanding its product portfolio to appeal to a wider variety of consumers in both new and existing markets,” said Dick Komiyama, President, Sony Ericsson. “Our product announcements during the first quarter have been well received by the industry, and we expect to see a positive effect from these announcements during the second half of 2008.”

During the quarter, Sony Ericsson added a new sub-brand to its product portfolio with the announcement of the XPERIA™ X1, a high-end multi-media convergence phone based on Windows Mobile®, which will launch in the second half of the year. In addition, the company announced a number of new phones during the quarter to increase the appeal of its brand to a broader audience. These included new high-end Walkman® and HSDPA web phones, such as the W980, W760, Z770 models and also added to its cutting-edge Cyber-shot™ range with models such as the C702 and C902.
Average selling price (ASP) decreased both sequentially and year-on-year due to the impact of softer sales of high-to-mid end models in key markets. Market share for the quarter is estimated to be around 8%, down one percentage point sequentially.
Sony Ericsson made a dividend payment of Euro 470 million during the quarter to the parent companies. A second dividend payment will be made this year.

Sony Ericsson forecasts that the global handset market for 2008 will grow at a rate of around 10% from more than 1.1 billion units in 2007. The majority of this growth is expected to be in emerging markets.

Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, NEC, NextWave Wireless, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks and Sony Ericsson have announced a mutual commitment to a framework for establishing predictable and more transparent maximum aggregate costs for licensing intellectual property rights (IPR) that relate to 3GPP Long Term Evolution and Service Architecture Evolution standards (LTE/SAE). The companies invite all interested parties to join this initiative which is intended to stimulate early adoption of mobile broadband technology across the communications and consumer electronic industries.

The framework is based on the prevalent industry principle of fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing terms for essential patents. This means that the companies agree, subject to reciprocity, to reasonable, maximum aggregate royalty rates based on the value added by the technology in the end product and to flexible licensing arrangements according to the licensors’ proportional share of all standard essential IPR for the relevant product category.

Specifically, the companies support that a reasonable maximum aggregate royalty level for LTE essential IPR in handsets is a single-digit percentage of the sales price. For notebooks, with embedded LTE capabilities, the companies support a single-digit dollar amount as the maximum aggregate royalty level. The parties believe the market will drive the LTE licensing regime to be in accordance with these principles and aggregate royalty levels.

This framework balances the prevailing business conditions relevant for the successful widespread adoption of the LTE standard, which continues its progress toward definitive adoption by the industry in the applicable standards forums and organizations.

Company Quotes

"As our respective companies have now launched R&D efforts and trials for LTE technology, we hope that this initiative will help for a wide adoption of this technology across devices and applications, enabling a wireless lifestyle for consumers and enterprises and creating value for technology providers," said Olivier Baujard, Chief Technology Officer, Alcatel-Lucent.

“The adoption of this initiative will reassure operators of the early widespread adoption of LTE technology throughout the consumer electronics industry,” Ericsson’s Senior Vice President, General Manager and Chief Technology Officer Håkan Eriksson said. “It also confirms Ericsson’s longstanding commitment to the FRAND principles as fundamental to the industry.”

“NEC is excited about this initiative. LTE is a key technology in the transformation of voice-oriented telecom services into data-oriented communication services. In partnership with other LTE technology leaders and vendors, NEC, as both an infrastructure and handset provider, must play a crucial role in establishing a better environment in which to explore the LTE market, and we believe this initiative is an important first step. “ said Dr. Katsumi Emura, Executive General Manager, Intellectual Asset Management Unit, NEC Corporation.

“Today’s devices contain a multitude of different technologies. To ensure all patent holders are treated fairly without stifling the market, it would be preferable for patent holders to offer reasonable terms.” said Ken Stanwood, Executive Vice President Technology and Standards, NextWave Wireless “We are enthusiastic about this effort and hope the concepts will spread to other technologies.”

“The patent licensing market requires basic rules in order to properly develop and function“, said Ilkka Rahnasto, Vice President, Intellectual Property Rights, Nokia. “Today's announcement is a step towards establishing more predictable and transparent licensing costs in a manner that enables faster adoption of new technologies.”

“In order to connect 5 billion people and deal with 100-fold traffic at lowest cost of ownership we need to create economies of scale, “ said Stephan Scholz, CTO of Nokia Siemens Networks, “Mobile broadband implementation using technologies with a predictable, transparent maximum aggregate costs for licensing intellectual property rights will drive global adoption and foster social and economical growth.

By sponsoring these awards, we place great emphasis on China's wireless content
and application development, and show our respect for China's content
developers. At the same time, we hope that, through the award nominations, we
will see more new, innovative and interesting content and applications become
available for Sony Ericsson's mobile phones in China," said James Liu, Manager
of Sony Ericsson Developer World China.

Lennard has been responsible for Sony Ericsson’s business in the Asia-Pacific region since January 2006 and was based at the company’s regional office in Singapore. Before taking up this role, he was in charge of the Sony Ericsson global customer unit for Vodafone and was based in Munich. Lennard initially joined Sony Ericsson (during the early days of the joint venture), as Vice President of Marketing. At that time, he was responsible for launching the Sony Ericsson brand in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Lennard joined Sony Ericsson from Sony Europe, in his native country of Holland, where he worked in the areas of both sales and marketing.

Commenting on his recent appointment, Lennard Hoornik said,

The time I have spent as head of our business in Asia-Pacific has been very rewarding and enjoyable. I am delighted to have been appointed the new global Head of Marketing for Sony Ericsson where I can use my regional business experience to strengthen our marketing efforts and position worldwide. I will be relocating back to Europe and based in London.

"UIQ 3.3 will bring a host of new opportunities for developers wanting to innovate on a powerful user interface platform, including new APIs such as SQL. Symbian OS v 9.3 strengthens the offering for handset manufacturers with its robust and scalable OS, enhanced phone performance and hardware capabilities, allowing them to bring differentiated phones to market more quickly."

Dee joined Sony Ericsson in 2002, and since 2003 he has held the role of Head of Marketing. During his time at Sony Ericsson he has built the marketing organisation throughout the company, and under his leadership the Sony Ericsson brand has climbed to No 2 in Brand Purchase Consideration. Through the sponsorship of tennis, particularly the Women’s Tennis Association Tour, he has extended the reach of the Sony Ericsson brand across the world.

Commenting on his departure Dick Komiyama, President of Sony Ericsson, said, “Dee has made an outstanding contribution to the growth of the Sony Ericsson brand and our sponsorship in tennis. We would like to wish him the very best for the future.”

Dee Dutta, commenting on his departure, said, “This has been a wonderful journey of both personal and professional growth for me. I am very proud of the achievements that my team and I have made in growing the brand and look forward to the next challenge in my career.”

Dee’s replacement as Head of Marketing will be announced in due course.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications announces that moderating sales growth of mobile phone units is expected to negatively impact net sales and net income before tax (“NIBT”) for the first quarter of 2008. Slowing market growth of mid-to-high end phones in markets where Sony Ericsson has a strong presence is affecting sales. In addition, certain component shortages for popular mid-priced phones have contributed to modest unit sales growth in the first quarter.

“As discussed during our fourth quarter 2007 Media and Analyst Call, the market is proving to be challenging. This has been more pronounced in the mid-to-high end replacement sector of the market in Europe, where Sony Ericsson has stronger than average market share,” says Dick Komiyama, President of Sony Ericsson. “For the last year, Sony Ericsson has been focused on expanding the breadth of its portfolio and developing its presence in new markets to lessen its historic reliance on the European high-end sector for growth. This strategy will continue, and our objective remains to become a top three player globally by 2011. As part of this strategy, we have announced fifteen new phones and introduced a new platform to the portfolio, Windows Mobile®, this year. We expect to start seeing a positive effect from these announcements during the second half of 2008.”

Although final results may differ, Sony Ericsson now plans to ship approximately 22 million phones during the first quarter of 2008 with an estimated ASP (Average Selling Price) of EUR 120. This is expected to generate net sales lower than the first quarter of 2007, and NIBT is estimated to be in the range of EUR 150 – 200 million due to increased R&D expenses as a percentage of sales. The increased investments in R&D are in line with the company’s strategy to meet future growth ambitions. In addition, Sony Ericsson currently expects gross margin to remain relatively stable for the first quarter of 2008 compared with the first quarter of 2007.

Sony Ericsson plans to announce first quarter 2008 results on April 23rd.

Sony Ericsson’s portfolio of in-car accessories includes hands-free devices that allow users to communicate conveniently when driving. Further, an range of music accessories enable drivers to enjoy favourite tunes from their Sony Ericsson Walkman phone remotely whilst on the open road.

To increase the opportunities for consumers to easily use their phone in their car, Sony Ericsson has built outstanding partnerships with leading car manufacturers such as Saab. Sony Ericsson’s dedicated automotive programme team leverages on the company’s Bluetooth™ expertise to ensure the full compatibility of a large selection of phones and applications. This results in providing consumers with a fully integrated experience with regards to technology and interior car design.

Bringing together all the information that consumers will need, the new website, www.sonyericsson.com/car will be a one-stop-shop for information and online purchase on Sony Ericsson’s suite of “travelling companions”. The online portal offers drivers two virtual roads to drive down experiencing a multitude of in-car applications and features. They can also easily access the list of compatible phones per car manufacturer.

Tomas Rahkonen, Head of Accessory Developer Program from Sony Ericsson said: “Sony Ericsson is already recognised as a provider of cutting edge mobile applications, and our presence at the 78th International Motor Show further strengthens our position within the industry. Through working with leading car manufacturers, offering accessories that further enhance the in-car User Experience and creating a unique and interactive website, we are offering a wide range of options when it comes to in-car solutions and demonstrating that we are committed to putting the consumer at the heart of everything we do.”

Sony Ericsson’s new C702 Cyber-shot™ and C902 Cyber-shot™ deliver best-in class picture quality beyond just megapixels.

Sony Ericsson announced two high-performance additions to its popular Cyber-shotTM phone range with the launch of the C702 Cyber-shot™ and C902 Cyber-shot™. The two phones, packed with the latest camera technology, make it effortless to take perfect pictures of those spontaneous moments – day or night, at a bar or the beach – and instantly share them with friends and family.

“The two new Cyber-shot™ phones that we have announced today share certain characteristics. Both phones place ease-of-use and best-in-class picture quality at the heart of their designs,” said Sven Totté, Head of Imaging Marketing at Sony Ericsson. “Yet both appeal to different audiences. One is engineered to let you take more pictures in more places and the other is designed to look as stunning as the pictures it takes.”

Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber-shotTM – Take pictures everywhere

• Splash and dust resistant* – perfect for your active lifestyle
• Single-handed camera use – for spur-of-the-moment photos
• Built-in GPS with location-based imaging – sort and view your photos according to where you took them

Never too extreme
You can use the C702 Cyber-shot™ in a range of different conditions, as its unique design means its both splash and dust resistant*. This means that whether you’re off-road or just off to the mall, your C702 Cyber-shot™ phone can always be at your side wherever you go, whatever you do. After all, the best camera is the one you have with you.

Never miss a shot
The C702 Cyber-shot™ is engineered to let you take pictures in any position. The camera key and the active lens cover are specifically designed and placed so that you can stabilise the 3.2 megapixel camera and capture the moment with one hand - perfect for an active lifestyle. Combine this with steady-grip materials and a wrist-strap provided in-box, and the C702 Cyber-shot™ really is geared to go more places.

Never lost
The C702 Cyber-shot™ integrates GPS and a range of location-based imaging services that really add a new dimension to taking and managing your photos. When you take a picture, information about where you are in the world is automatically added to the image. So you can always share your best moments with your friends and family according to where the shots were taken. Or you can simply sort the picture through your photo gallery on the PC or on the web.

If you are lost on your travels, Google™ Maps for Mobile locates and guides you to where you want to go, enabling you to roam free with confidence. Use GPS to pinpoint your location and then get turn-by-turn voice guidance to your destination. Find your way home or to one of up to 20 million points of interest.

Sony Ericsson C902 Cyber-shot TM – The image and style statement

• Slim Cyber-shot™ phone with unique slide-out lens cover. Camera-ready in an instant
• Stand out design – instantly recognisable
• 5.0 megapixel camera with Face Detection and Auto Focus. Always capture the best shot possible
• Illuminated camera touch keys. Intuitive guidance around the camera settings

The slim line C902 Cyber-shot™ will have everyone wanting to have their picture taken. Ultra-compact, stylish and with a unique lens cover that slides open to reveal the 5.0 megapixel Auto Focus camera, the C902Cyber-shot™ sports a camera performance beyond its sleek and slim looks. The phone’s lighting dramatically signals when you are in camera mode by switching from white to blue. The eight camera touch keys come to life and let you choose between camera modes, Photo Flash, Face Detection and Auto Focus, and more with just one touch without moving your finger from the shutter button.

Just shoot
With the C902 Cyber-shot™ you just need to slide open the active lens cover and shoot. The Face Detection and Auto Focus capability enables the camera to detect and focus on the face of your subject rather than the background, so that you can take sharp and high quality pictures of your friends.

Night shoot
With the C902 Cyber-shot™ you can be confident of getting the perfect shot. The phone incorporates the latest in lighting technology – Photo Flash – giving you better quality pictures even in low-light conditions. Also, a light solution has been added to the established BestPic™ feature – which lets you take nine photos in quick succession, choose the best and delete the rest. So now you can use BestPic™ wherever you are, perhaps even to capture the dance-floor action in a club!

Create your own multi-media slideshow
Use x-Pict story™ to add music and transitions to your gallery of photos and automatically create your own multi-media slideshow to share with your friends. Lights, music, action!

Store and share
The C902 Cyber-shot™ comes with a 160MB built-in memory – the equivalent of storage for up to 100 full resolution photos – plus the possibility to add even more memory with the Memory Stick Micro™ (M2) that can be bundled with the phone depending on the market.

Easy transfer wherever you are
You can transfer the images on your phone to your computer by using the CCR-70 M2 USB Adapter, also announced today. Save your photos to the phone’s memory card, remove it and pop it into the CCR-70. You then slot the card reader into your laptop and all your photos can be dragged across! Delete from your Memory Stick and you’re ready to go and fill it up again with more memories.

The C702 Cyber-shot™ is a UMTS/HSDPA 2100 and EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in selected markets in Speed Black or Cyan Blue from Q2 2008.
The C702a Cyber-shot™and C702c Cyber-shot™are EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 phones that will be available in selected markets within the same timeframe.

The C902 Cyber-shot™ is a UMTS/HSDPA 2100 and EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in selected markets in Swift Black or Luscious Red from Q2 2008.
The C902c Cyber-shot™ is an EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in selected markets within the same timeframe.

The CCR-70 M2 USB Adapter will also be available in selected markets from Q2 2008.

Sony Ericsson revealed the W980, a Walkman® phone that promises to get the most out of your music. Its unique audio enhancing technology, together with the Walkman® on Top design, sees the W980 cement Sony Ericsson’s position as a true market leader in the world of music on your mobile.

“The W980 Walkman® phone really sets a new standard for music on your phone,” said Ben Padley, Head of Music Marketing, at Sony Ericsson. “We wanted to design a leading music player that we could combine with a feature-packed phone, all the while pioneering an audio experience that always left you wanting more. The W980 will surpass all expectations.”

W980 Walkman® phone Created with music in mind

• Clear audio experience
Superior sound quality lets you enjoy your music as it was meant to be heard
• Walkman® on Top
Intuitive music access and control,
• Storage solutions
8GB internal memory lets you store up to 8,000 songs*

Be true to the original recording
The W980 Walkman® phone is designed to allow you to listen to music as it should be heard. Clear stereo enables the music to sound like the original recording. Clear bass delivers distortion free sound even at higher volumes. These features combine with the premium headphones, the Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-77, to deliver an incredible clear audio experience and music that sounds as true as possible to the original recording

Share your music with friends
The W980 Walkman® phone has a built-in FM transmitter, which allows you to send whatever’s playing on your phone to other devices with a built-in FM radio receiver. This gives you the ability to share your music with all those around you, whether through a friend’s hi-fi or your car stereo.
Quality music is made for sharing with the W980. Unplug your headset, sit back and let the music flow through the integrated stereo speakers for all to enjoy. Select a track from the extensive music library – the W980 lets you store up to 8000 songs* – or tune in to your favourite radio station and listen out loud. No need to plug in an FM Receiver, since this is on-board with the W980.

Build your collection every day
With the recent evolution of PlayNow™ arena, Sony Ericsson’s popular over-the-air (OTA) and web download service being launched this May, you will be able to access up to 5 million tracks to maximise your music collection. The W980’s TrackID™ feature, which can identify any track that you just can’t put a name to, will be fully integrated into PlayNow™ arena. This makes the W980 a genuine gateway to great music, as you can download the track instantly once it has been identified.

Customise your sound
You can tailor the W980’s Walkman® player to the music that you’re listening to. This latest Walkman® phone provides a choice of eight equaliser presets, each of which contains a distinct profile that is suitable to a range of music. So whether you’re listening to jazz, pop or heavy metal, you’ve can always choose the best sound for the song.

Control your music at your fingertips
The Walkman® on Top feature on the W980 gives you the full functionality of a Walkman® player without even having to open your phone. The entire Walkman® player that would normally be displayed on the inside of your clamshell is also replicated on the outside of the phone, so navigation through your music library is effortless.

Balance and beat
Every music enthusiast knows that a great audio experience requires great quality speakers or headphones. The W980 Walkman® phone comes with the new Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-77; a headset that lets you enjoy music in powerful stereo sound. The HPM-77 also allows users to take their calls handsfree, and its sleek design and in-ear wearing-style mean that it’s both comfortable and reduces background noise to the bare minimum.

Whether listening via the headphones or the stereo speakers, the W980 Walkman® phone is a must-have for those who want an unrivalled music experience, which they carry with them every minute of the day. It is a UMTS/HSDPA 2100 GSM/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in selected markets from Q3 2008.

The Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-77 will be available in selected markets from June 2008.

“The Z770 is deceptively powerful for such a compact clamshell phone,” said Martin Winkler, Director Global Marketing and Head of Multimedia Web at Sony Ericsson. “It appeals to busy people who demand hassle-free email and high quality Web access on the move. These people need to be in-touch, need to be on top of their email, but don’t necessarily want a smartphone or PDA. The Z770 is the uncomplicated answer.”

Z770 phone – Gets you online with effortless style

• Easy email set-up – for ultimate convenience
• High-speed web access and intuitive navigation features for fast web browsing
• Google™ Maps for Mobile – receive step-by-step directions on your screen to your destination

Style in your pocket
A compact, reliable phone that helps you juggle work, home, friends and family. With HSDPA technology providing fast data speeds, the Z770 provides multiple methods of communication whether it’s for a business matter or just staying in touch with the family. This phone combines up to 8.5 hours talk time with easy email set-up and fast internet access. This makes the Z770 a versatile phone for those that have a hectic lifestyle both at work and at home with the family.

Your inbox in your hand
The Z770 makes it easier than ever before to access your email. Even if you’re a technical novice you can access Web email (Hotmail, Yahoo etc) and retrieve mail, straight from your phone. And with Exchange ActiveSync™, you can even configure your phone to have work emails pushed straight to your phone, making it easier than ever to stay in touch on the move.

Choose how you want to get online
The Z770 gives you online access, however you choose to get there. Surf the web or retrieve email directly on your phone when you’re in a cab. And when you’re in the hotel lobby, connect the Z770 to your laptop (via USB Cable) and use it as a modem to access the web on your computer.

Once online, web browsing on the Z770 is easy thanks to the Magnetic Mouse Pointer that is controlled by the navigation key. The key changes the icon depending on its position on the Web page (i.e. from text input to pointer or to link). Plus, pan and zoom into an area you’re interested in for easy reading on the good-sized (2.2”) screen.

Stay up-to-date
The Z770 offers you all the information you need, right at your fingertips. Receive RSS feeds from news or entertainment websites as the action happens. Or simply click on the RSS tile, or ‘widget’, for instant access to your favourite webpage from your phone’s desktop (or standby screen). In addition, the Z770 has a useful built-in weather forecast application, allowing you to receive regular weather updates and plan your long weekend accordingly.

As well as receiving the latest news and weather forecasts, you can also keep loved ones informed about your own news. Snap a photo on the Z770 and upload it instantly to your own blog site.

Stay in touch in your car
You don’t need to hold the phone in your hand to get the best out of the Z770. With the Bluetooth ™ Handsfree HCB-150, also announced today, you can catch-up with your client or family in your car while staying focused on the road. The HCB-150 also features a convenient text to speech feature; the HCB-150 verbally alerts you who is calling. The HCB-150 has a talk time of up to 25 hours and 700 hours standby time- long enough to last for quite a few trips!

The Z770 is a UMTS/HSDPA 2100 and GSM/EDGE 900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in Vogue Red, Graphite Black and Exquisite Gold in selected markets from Q2 2008.

The Bluetooth™ Car Speakerphone HCB-150 will be available globally from Q2 2008.

Yesterday, a group of key operators, infrastucture and device vendors comprised of Orange, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, TeliaSonera, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung, announced a joint effort to facilitate the evolution of mobile communication towards rich communication.

Together the participants have agreed upon a set of features originating from profiled IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) standards as well as implementation guidelines with the intention of having interoperable rich communication services available in 2008.

Consumers are now experiencing the power and the promise of converged and rich communication such as instant messaging, video sharing and buddy lists, which have introduced a new user experience.

Consumers expect that these capabilities are available on any type of devices and that there is open communication between devices and networks. With the Rich Communication Suite (RCS) these customer expectations can be fulfilled, and ever evolving services can be offered to enhance users’ experience. The core feature set of RCS includes the following services:

• Enhanced Phonebook, with service capabilities and presence enhanced contacts information
• Enhanced Messaging, which enables a large variety of messaging options including chat and messaging history
• Enriched Call, which enables multimedia content sharing during a voice call

The RCS Initiative is the joint effort of leading industry players to speed up and facilitate the adoption of applications and services that provide an interoperable, convergent, rich communication experience.

"The RCS project is an important step forward to obtain a richer consumer communicating experience", says Mats Lindoff, CTO at Sony Ericsson which further stresses that "We see open environment like Java as an important enabler to facilitate innovation and faster application development."
To speed up the introduction of rich communication services, the participants in the RCS Initiative has already:

• Defined a core feature set, leveraging existing standards, and implementation guideline specifications for an interoperable IMS-based communication suite. The IMS is an important architecture for fixed and mobile networks that bring these capabilities to the consumer in an interoperable way.
• Developed reference implementations of the services for commercial devices, and validated the underlying requirements and technical specifications for service interoperability
• Conducted interoperability testing in multi-vendor environments to ensure and verify the maturity of the RCS feature set

To ensure services availability in 2008, the RCS Initiative will continue to drive testing and interoperability in a multi-operator environment, as well as sharing the RCS specifications with relevant industry forums.

RCS showcase in Mobile World Congress in Barcelona
The RCS Initiative will present early results of these efforts in a showcase including a presentation and a live demonstration of the initial feature set.

RCS Initiative presents the showcase at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, in the seminar theater in Hall 7 on Feb 11 at 13-14 hours and Feb 13 at 12-13 hours.

About China Game Industry Annual Conference

The China Game Industry Annual Conference is China's largest annual gathering of the gaming industry, with 300 companies and 1000 delegates attending, and was held in Suzhou from January 15-17, 2008.

Representatives from Chinese government regulatory departments (Press and Publication Administration, and the Ministry of Information Industry) spoke on the development of Chinese Game Industry during 2007. In addition to issuing the 2007 China Game Industry Report, the conference also held a game industry discussion forum and hosted a grand award ceremony announcing China's top 10 most popular online games, the most popular game equipment and other awards.

Sony Ericsson wins "Most Popular Game Equipment" award

Sony Ericsson, the only mobile phone manufacturer in contention for an award, won the "2007 Most Popular Game Equipment" award. Liu Peng, Manager of Sony Ericsson Developer World China, attended the presentation ceremony and received the award.

"I am very honored to take the award on behalf of Sony Ericsson. We really appreciate the great support from our partners and end-users. Sony Ericsson Developer World will continue to assist and support China's wireless developers so they can offer more quality mobile phone games in the future," - Liu Peng said.

A trial version of the F-Secure Mobile Security(TM) 3.3 for UIQ will be available in selected Sony Ericsson UIQ devices. The companies will co-operate closely together in the area of mobile security to make sure that smartphones will continue to offer a safe and rich mobile computing experience.

As modern smartphones are extremely versatile and highly connected computing devices, they need the same kind of protection as PC’s do. The F-Secure Mobile Security 3.3 for UIQ combines an integrated antivirus and firewall. With similar solutions already available for S60 and Windows Mobile it completes the F-Secure offering of award-winning solutions for the most popular platforms in the rapidly growing smartphone market. The growing PC-like usage of smartphones will drive the services of the mobile internet and it is important for the industry now to put in place safeguards that will prevent a similar development of the threat situation as has been seen with PC’s.

"We are very proud and happy about the UIQ product and the co-operation. Our complete mobile product range will enable us to continue our leadership in the area of mobile security. We have seen increasing demand for mobile security solutions also from mobile operators, who want to offer their customers a secure user experience in all situations and on all platforms. We have products for all the major open smartphone platforms at the moment, and we will continue to expand our security solutions offering to meet the growing needs in the market ", says Samu Konttinen, Vice President, Mobile Solutions Business Unit, F-Secure.

The F-Secure Mobile Security 3.3 for UIQ will also be available for subscription through the F-Secure Mobile eStore at http://www.f-secure.com/estore .

For further information about F-Secure solutions, please go to: www.f-secure.com

Record label partnerships

Today Sony Ericsson announced partnerships with 10 of the largest international and regional music labels including: Sony BMG, Warner Music Group, EMI, The Orchard, IODA, The PocketGroup, Hungama, X5 Music, Bonnier Amigo and VidZone, adding over 5 million new tracks to PlayNow™ arena. Sony Ericsson is currently negotiating further deals with a host of regional labels to further broaden the variety of music available and bring a wealth of localised content direct to the consumer.

Sony Ericsson introduced PlayNow™ in February 2004 as the easiest way to pre-listen and then purchase polyphonic ringtones directly to your phone. The service has proved a hit with consumers and is now available in 32 countries around the world, with annual free and premium downloads through both PlayNow and Fun & Downloads having reached more than 200 million. Since launch, the scope of the service has expanded to mirror the functionality of Sony Ericsson’s phones to include mastertones (MP3 ringtones), games, full music tracks, themes and wallpapers. In November 2007

Sony Ericsson announced its intention to further develop its PlayNow™ service with PlayNow™ arena, offering access to a greatly expanded range of content and combining the power of the PlayNow™ catalogue with unique applications like TrackID™, which identifies songs and allows them to be downloaded directly to your phone or PC.

Speaking at the Sony Ericsson event at MIDEM in Cannes, Sony Ericsson’s Executive Vice President, Anders Runevad, presented the enhanced PlayNow™ arena service and emphasised the importance of industry partnerships delivering digital content and an unparalleled multimedia experience:

"We are delighted to announce deals with such high calibre record labels. This will help realise our vision for PlayNow™ arena as a service that will be developed in collaboration with our partners. Our commitment is to work with the industry to ensure we are building an experience-based and intuitive content delivery platform, enabling the development of an ecosystem that provides a unique experience for the consumer and a business model where everybody prospers."

With mobile games remaining a key focus, Sony Ericsson has also added 250 new games through existing deals with leading games manufactures such as EA Games, Gameloft, THQ, Glu, Digital Chocolate and I-Play. Sony Ericsson users download more games to their phones than users of any other mobile phone brand*. These deals take another step in cementing its number one position in the mobile games market.

PlayNow™ Uncut

PlayNow™ Uncut (previously know as M-BUZZ™) is a pro¬motional space for breaking new and emerging artists via Sony Ericsson’s product, content and marketing channels. PlayNow™ Uncut showcases selected, pre¬viously unreleased tracks, videos, artwork, interviews, tour dates and other artist information on Sony Ericsson mobile phones and the web at www.playnow-uncut.com.

The rebranding and alignment with PlayNow™ opens up new channel opportunities for artists and enables the site to target consumers worldwide, including the United States of America for the first time. With an international reach, the service has always been about presenting the best new talents from around the world, whatever their style or native language. Apart from the current streaming possibilities, the highest rated and most listened to tracks will be made available for sale in the music section of PlayNow™ arena. For artists, this will add revenue possibilities to the already extensive promotional benefits of appearing there.

One Arena. Unlimited experiences

“The PlayNow™ arena is an open environment that offers something for everyone. We see PlayNow™ Uncut as the edgy version, whilst the PlayNow™ music section is more a case of familiarity, giving consumers something they know and are already comfortable with. Consumer experience is our absolute priority and we will continue to develop PlayNow™ arena as a service that appeals to all consumer segments and lifestyle trends,” said Martin Blomkvist, Head of Content Acquisition & Management at Sony Ericsson.

The PlayNow™ arena will be brought directly to the consumer at: www.playnow-arena.com

The PlayNow™ arena will launch in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland in May 2008 with more European markets to come at the end of Q2 2008 and further expansion in Europe, Americas and Asia during Q3 and Q4. Sony Ericsson predicts that the PlayNow™ arena will be active in close to 30 markets by the end of 2008.

TrackID™

The growth in popularity of the TrackID™ application has rocketed around the globe, presently recording more than 200,000 hits per day equal to more than two each second, a figure that has doubled in the last three months. TrackID™ will be an integral part of the PlayNow™ arena experience, offering an instant way to first hear a track – for example, in a coffee shop or on the radio – and then get it to your phone and PC. The PlayNow™ arena itself will feature TrackID™ Charts, created by consumers in real time using TrackID™ around the world. This will allow consumers to see what songs other users are searching for and wanting to hear the most, both globally and in their own market.

Sony Ericsson at Midem 2008

Sony Ericsson will be showcasing its PlayNow™ arena music store as well as demonstrating its latest handsets and accessories at booth R31.01 at Midem 2008 in Cannes, France.

Notes * M.metrics data for EU5 markets shows Sony Ericsson phone owners are over twice as likely to play a mobile game on their handset (either pre-loaded, downloaded or via a browser) than owners of other brands of handset. And, owners of Sony Ericsson phones are over twice as likely to download a mobile game to their phone compared with other handset owners.

The new Sony Ericsson R300 Radio and R306 Radio place the first combined AM/FM radio experience at the heart of the mobile phone.

Delhi, India – 24th January 2008 – Sony Ericsson today announced the launch of two new mobile phones, the R300 Radio and R306 Radio, both designed to deliver a credible radio-listening experience to a global audience, and ideally suited to emerging markets such as India.

“The R300 Radio and R306 Radio allow you to tune-in to your favourite music shows or sports reports, across both AM and FM broadcasts,” said Howard Lewis, Vice President and Head of Entry Level Products at Sony Ericsson. “They certainly look and sound the part, offering a radio-inspired design and feature set on a choice of either a candy bar or clamshell phone.”

• True radio design
  Dedicated radio speakers and preset channel buttons

• Loud sound
  3D sound enhancement and volume boost for noisy environments

• AM/FM Frequencies
  Tune-in to your favourite station

True radio design
Both of these new phones are designed to have a clear radio look-and-feel. Sit either phone on its side and let the radio blast out through the dedicated loudspeaker…in stereo in the case of the R306 Radio.

Preset buttons on the front of both the R300 Radio and R306 Radio let you switch easily between your favourite stations. It takes just one click to boost the volume when you want to share music on the radio or the live action from the sports ground.

These two phones really let you get the most from the radio. Set it as your alarm clock or record the final moments of your team’s winning match and play back the commentary again and again. You can even record a clip of a song and use it as your ringtone.

Who sang that song?
TrackID™ is now a familiar feature on many of Sony Ericsson’s high tier phones. It now comes as standard on both the R300 Radio and R306 Radio, turning listeners into instant music experts! Record a clip of a song from an external source, such as a sound system in a coffee shop or bar, and find out within seconds who sang it, the name of the track and which album it is from. All in just one click.

Play it loud!
With the R300 Radio you can listen-in via the stereo headphones provided or ‘play it loud’ thanks to the high performance speaker integrated into the phone. Switch on 3D sound enhancement or volume boost with the dedicated Audio Enhancer key on the phone.

True radio experience
The R306 Radio opens up into a clamshell with two integrated stereo speakers that face the listener. Again featuring the Audio Enhancer key, you can activate volume boost when listening to the radio through the speakers or 3D sound enhancement when you have the stereo headset plugged in, ensuring a first-class radio listening experience even when it is noisy around you. See which station you are tuned-in to on the phone’s external display.

Perfect harmony
Both phones feature Bluetooth™ technology, allowing you to handle your phone calls handsfree with optional accessories such as the Bluetooth™ Headset HBH-PV703.

The R300 Radio offers a built-in VGA camera and the R306 Radio boasts a step-up to a 1.3 megapixel camera on-board. So whether you are listening to the radio or not, these two new phones are set to hit the right note.

The R300 Radio will launch in two colours: Antique Copper and Steel Black. It is a GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in selected markets from Q2 2008. The R300a Radio is a GSM/GPRS 850/1800/1900 phone, available in the same timeframe.

The R306 Radio will launch in two colours: Coffee Black and Champagne White. It is a GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in selected markets from Q3 2008.
The R306a Radio is a GSM/GPRS 850/1800/1900 phone, available in the same timeframe.

Legals
1) Facts and features may vary depending on local variant.

2) Talk and standby times are affected by network preferences, type of SIM card, connected accessories and various activities e.g. games. Kit contents and colour options may differ from market to market. The full range of accessories may not be available in every market.