Virgin's targets the young with new mobile range
Back in the old days – err last year – manufacturers made mobile phones they hoped would appeal to a large cross section of buyers. That’s history now and if you want more proof that segmentation is now the name of the game here comes Virgin Mobile with a brand new youth-oriented (well 16-30) brand called Lobster. In a typically bald way the company says that ‘all Lobster phones will offer desirable new products and technology at breakthrough prices.’ We take that to mean fairly decent though not exactly cutting-edge products at not high-end prices.
Virgin Mobile is kicking off the series with the Lobster 485 which it is billing as one of the smallest flip handsets available in Europe. The phone, which has been made exclusively for Virgin by Bellware, features a 262k colour screen and an integrated VGA camera. It will retail for £89.99 and be available across the UK from early June. The company adds that a number of further Lobster-branded phones will be launched throughout 2005 and beyond, and they will all feature a Virgin-branded red shortcut key, giving fast access to Virgin Mobile’s entertainment content service, BITES.
You can check out the spec after the turn
Lobster 485 Specification: The Lobster 485 comes with £5 airtime, battery and charger * Built-in VGA camera * Internal screen – 262k colours; 128×160 pixels * External screen – 65k colours * Dimensions: 75 x 38 x 21.5mm * Weight: 68g * Handsfree headset included * Photo phone book * Downloadable games * Picture messaging (MMS) * Enhanced WAP (GPRS) * Polyphonic ringtones * Calendar, calculator & clock alarm
