The growing fashion-phone market continues to dazzle consumers with slick and pricey products. The latest offering to hit Hong Kong is the first Porsche-designed mobile phone, the P'9521.
Released last month, the Edge network-based GSM camera-phone was co-developed by global luxury men's brand Porsche Design Group, a subsidiary of the German sports-car manufacturer, and French handset-maker Sagem Communication.
Head-turner Just like the fast, stylish cars produced by the group's Stuttgart-based parent company, this handset uses materials designed to boost its profile with the trendy consumer, whether the phone is open or closed.
The case is made from a solid block of high-quality aluminium, in a production method unique for mobile phones. The manufacturers could have been influenced by the luxury-watch industry: years ago, a Rolex advertisement showed a gold watch carved from a block of the precious metal.
A double hinge, also made from aluminium, enables the handset's 2.2-inch screen to be rotated up to 180 degrees to allow the device to function as a digital still or video camera.
Safety first As befits a luxury item, the P'9521 is smartly equipped with tough security. It features a fingerprint reader, ensuring an owner's secure access to personal data. In addition, individual fingerprints can be assigned to particular numbers or handset functions. These functions are a key contribution from Sagem, with its expertise in the field of biometrics.