Dialog Axiata launches own branded mobile device

Sri Lanka’s largest mobile services provider in terms of subscriber base, Dialog Axiata PLC announced that the firm is getting into the hardware side of the business with the launch of a Dialog branded smartophone series, a statement by the company said.

Accordingly, the Dialog’s i-series smarphones, featuring an entry price point of Rs.9, 900, is the first service-provider branded Smartphone to be launched in Sri Lanka, that is set to herald an era of mass adoption of smarphones across the country.

“Dialog has taken the bold step of l aunching its own range of fully featured Android smartphones based on a vision of heralding an era wherein Smartphones will be rendered affordable to every Sri Lankan citizen” Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya said.

“The Dialog smartphone series starting at Rupees 9,900 represents our first but determined step towards the achievement of this vision. Dialog smartphones bring together the power of an advanced device quality assured by Dialog, the trust and reliability of the Dialog Brand, an unparalleled Customer Service infrastructure and an aggressive price point which we believe will trigger exponential growth in smartphone adoption among Sri Lankan consumers,” he added.

The Dialog i-Series Android 2.3 smartphones are supported by a One Year Dialog warranty. At launch, the Dialog branded smartphone series features Two (02) models – the Dialog i35 (with a 3.5” TFT Screen) at Rs. 9,900 and the Dialog i43 (with a 4.3” TFT Screen) at Rs. 16,990.

Dialog Smartphones are based on the original and fully featured Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system and assures Sri Lankan mobile users of t he ‘full Android experience’ inclusive of Google Play.

Commenting on the launch of Dialog’s own branded phones, Amali Nanayakkara, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Dialog said, “The Dialogbranded smartphones deliver a level of performance, functionality and quality that is traditionally the preserve of highend Smartphones but at an exceptionally affordable price bringing it within the reach of all Sri Lankans. We believe the introduction of Dialog smartphone series will revolutionise the market and empower the Smart Generation with an advanced and fully featured device which is affordable as well as trendy.”

Dialog Smartphones come preloaded with a range of Dialog Apps like MyTV, Dapp, Traveloid, etc. Other preinstalled applications include Gmail, Google Maps and Google Talk. The Dialog i43 features a 5 Megapixel camera, while the i35 model features a 2 Megapixel Camera. Dialog Smartphones are fully featured devices with functionality on par with the most advanced devices in the market. Dialog Smartphones come with a 1 GHz Processor and 4GB storage on board, with Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, FM radio and a microSD card slot as standard features.