Turkcell launches the first smartphone for the home

ISTANBUL

Turkcell CEO Sureyya Ciliv speaks during a briefing for the launch of the company's new product, the T40 smartphone, in Istanbul. photo DHA

Mobile operator Turkcell launched the first smartphone developed in Turkey to enter a declining market, hoping to attract middle-income customers and increase revenue from mobile data usage.

The smartphone was entirely developed by Turkish engineers and will initially be mass-produced in China; later, however, production also starts in Turkey.

Turkcell CEO Süreyya Ciliv said that they had too high hopes for the mobile phone, which is said to be a T40 dummy, adding that they would try to attract Turkish customers with special options and the incorporation of traditional Turkish themes and sounds.

The phone, which may hit stores in late September, may come in a number of case options, including blue pearl or traditional lace and rug patterns, as well as a range of phone-linked alarm tones and ringtones. turkish tradition.

The phone aims to increase access to smartphones in the Turkish market, Ciliv said, but refused to promise that it could be the cheapest system available on the market.

“Our priority was not to design the most profitable mobile phone; Our goal was to create a smartphone that would pave the way in many features, rather than following in the footsteps of what has already been done," he said, adding that the award would be released just before launch.

T40 is the first smartphone with a regional design, although it is not Turkcell's first phone, as Turkey's largest telecommunications company previously launched five phones and sold a total of 1 million units.

Overall, Turkcell's regional-style phones have saved about 500 million Turkish lira, Ciliv said, emphasizing the importance of creating a neighborhood smartphone in this regard as well. The negative impact of mobile phone imports, compounded by the growing demand for smartphones, on Turkey's current account deficit is growing to alarming proportions. Positive influence on the existing gap

Turkcell also plans to contribute to Turkish business accounts by exporting the smartphone to the nine countries where it is active.

"We offered our previous phones in Belarus and [northern] Cyprus and we need to expand this to all nine international locations where we have a presence," he said.

Turkcell's smartphone launch comes at a time when the market for high-end smartphones, which Samsung shares with Apple, is slowing down.

Surviving in a tight market has become more difficult as new product sales continue to accelerate.

Regarding the tablet launched last year, Ciliv said that Turkcell managed to sell all its shares, but added that the company will not re-enter the market for the time being due to the lack of new enhancements to improve the product at this time.