In a bid to reclaim its leadership in the mobile TV space, Nokia has launched a handset that combines mobile broadcast TV (DVB-H), social networking, music and gaming in one compact 3G device.
Since 1995, Nokia has made a number of landmark product launches for the mobile TV arena most notably with the N95, N92, N77 and most recently the N97 all of which have contained DVB-H broadcast mobile TV receivers.
Even though the company has slipped from the limelight due to the iPhone phenomenon and the general travails that DVB-H has suffered, Nokia still has great faith in the future of mobile TV. It predicts that mobile broadcast TV consumption is on the rise and that by 2012 there will be over 300 million people worldwide watching TV on their mobile phones.
The new Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition is bracketed as an entertainment hub designed essentially to offer easy access to anyone wanting to enjoy an exceptional live, on-the-move TV experience.
As well as a DVB-H receiver, the Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition has a QVGA 2.4" screen and offers 3.5mm headphones for personal viewing or use the loudspeaker option to share the experience with friends and family. The headset also acts as an antenna. Crucially for a mobile TV device, the battery gives up to six hours of DVB-H usage before recharging.
To deliver a tailored mobile broadcast TV experience, the device gives one-click access to live broadcasts, and users can set reminders for favourite shows and create personal channel lists with Nokia's Electronic Program Guide (EPG).
Crucially to boost adoption, the Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition device is being marketed at a mainstream price of 155 Euros before taxes and subsidies. It has already been taken up by leading operators throughout Europe such as TDF in France and DNA in Finland.
Commented Vincent Grivet, Vice President, Mobile TV TDF, France: "We are very excited by the launch of the Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition. It is a highly seducing and compelling device and will be the perfect platform for introducing both European mobile users and operators to a high quality and constraint free mobile TV experience. This is exactly what the industry has been waiting for to accelerate the broadcast mobile TV roll out, and we look forward to the successful and fast distribution of this innovative device in our key European markets such as Finland, Austria, Germany and France."
