Samsung launches Rex line-up of feature phones

Samsung has announced the launch of its Rex line-up, a new series of feature phones. The Samsung Rex series consists of four devices; Rex 90, Rex 80, Rex 70 and Rex 60. Prices range from Rs 4,280 to Rs 6,490.

BD Park, President and CEO, South West Asia HQ, Samsung Electronics, stated, “The Rex series have been developed in India and will be introduced across a number of the world’s fastest growing markets from India. We have tremendous confidence that the REX series will allow us to connect with the huge base of young Indians who are looking for Smart Solutions. Further, the Rex series are packed with content and applications that cater to the demands of Indian consumers. With Samsung Rex, we are opening a whole new world for consumers and hence the tagline ‘Now your world is Open’.”

The phones feature Samsung’s full touch Touchwiz interface. They have the option of up to 8 homescreens which allows for customisation. Menu choices are organized into icons arranged 4x4 on the display. Quick Panel gives one-touch access to connectivity options like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with mail and message notifications.

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The Samsung Rex line-up of feature phones

Two of the phones—the Rex 70 and 90—have dual-SIM capability, which Samsung calls ‘True Hot Swap’, which according to the press release, improves the regular SIM hot swap by allowing SIM changes without restarting or even having another SIM in place.

The phones have support for apps and web browsing through Opera Mini. They also have full social networking and messaging capability, including Samsung’s own cross-platform chat app—ChatON. Some of the apps available to users in India from the Samsung App store include ngpay, eBay, OLX, and Quikr.

“Feature phones continue to represent a large opportunity for mobile handset makers, especially in emerging markets. IHS estimates that there will be 653 million feature and entry-level mobile phones shipped globally in 2013,” said Ian Fogg, Senior Principal Analyst, Mobile and Telecommunications Research at IHS. “Entry-level smartphones must compete with ever smarter feature phones that offer many of the same social network, games, and mobile Internet benefits as smartphones at a very compelling price.”

Here are some of the specifications of the phones.
Rex 60:

• 2.8-inch QVGA display
• EDGE/GPRS
• 1.3-megapixel camera

Rex 70:

• 3-inch QVGA display
• EDGE/GPRS
• 2-megapixel camera

Rex 80:

• 3-inch QVGA display
• EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi
• 3-megapixel camera

Rex 90

• 3.5-inch HVGA display
• EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi
• 3.2-megapixel camera

The Rex series is being launched with a Tata Docomo offer that gives double the data to consumers on standard data recharges until August 31, 2013.