Growing smartphone market diverts Philips strategy

Consumer lifestyle brand Philips Electronics launched on Wednesday an entire line of music accessories targeted for exclusive use with smartphones.

While the company is not leaving its line of earphones for music players behind, Mark Sng, trade marketing manager for Philips' consumer lifestyle unit said they are merely responding to a market which has seen tremendous growth and adoption in the past year.

"Before, only business users would prefer smartphones. But now, almost every young person owns an iPhone or a BlackBerry," he explained.

International research firm IDC reported recently that the worldwide smartphone market jumped 79.7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2011, and has become one of the primary driving forces for growth of the mobile phone market.

Philips' new line of in-ear and earbud headphones are inspired by the pop art culture of the 1960's, Sng said, featuring bright and screaming colors that come in different variants.

"Today, headphones are considered accessories. There was a study that revealed that an average person owns at least 2.5 headphones," he claimed.

Since they are aimed for use with smartphones, the new units also have a built-in microphone and a volume control rocker, which can be used with any standard-issue audio port.

Philips has also refreshed its ActionFit range, which is targeted for sport enthusiasts who prefer listening to music while doing exercises, and made it more smartphone-friendly by outfitting it with a built-in microphone as well.

Sng said the initial version of its ActionFit line released last year was received positively by the Philippine market, especially since marathons and fun runs have found renewed interest among Filipinos of late.

Both audio accessory lines are now available in the local market, with a few others waiting to be released by October this year, Sng said. — JM Tuazon/RSJ, GMA News