Cellular catwalk: Accessorize

I. Christianto, Contributor, Jakarta

Mobile phones have gradually entered a new niche as fashion accessories with the widespread availability of interchangeable covers, personalized ring tones and artful displays.

They are more stylish now, with casings produced in different colors and with more futuristic and chic designs, combined with an all-in-one functionality.

Cell phone manufacturers are creating cell phones beyond our imagination, and many of them have special design teams to study the latest and future trends of cell phone models with the potential to attract consumers.

For example, German company Siemens has a subsidiary that specializes in handset designs, while other cellular phone makers -- including Finnish Nokia, South Korean Samsung and Japanese- Swedish Sony-Ericsson and American Motorola -- have supporting divisions for designing fashionable terminals. Still others also operate survey divisions to study users' cellular phone habits.

With the rapid development of new technology and following the miniaturization of the electronic components, makers are now changing the look of theirs gadgets because they can. Not too long ago, technological limitations would have made it impossible to design some of the cell phones of today.

Another reason for the newfound excitement in design is that cell phones are now seen as a lifestyle product and customers expect their phone to match their clothes or fashion style. This means that cell phones have potential as fashion accessories like watches, handbags and shoes -- and the trend may soon lead people to buy many fashion accessory phones to match their every mood, occasion or attire.

Above all, within such an environment, it makes sense to believe that most people purchase cell phones to show off -- just like their cars, jewelry or homes.

Meanwhile, gender, age, purchasing power and other characteristics of a target market influence the look of cell phones. To meet particular characteristics, several terminals have been designed to include devices for fun and entertainment, such as MP3 players or radio bands. Such features affect the phones' appearance, especially in the arrangement of the number pad Therefore there are unique designs with extraordinary arrangements of buttons.

The users' character also allows fashion designers to enter the cellular phone business. Designers are able to turn ordinary cell phones into colorful fashion statements with vivid looks.

In a related development, Samsung recently encouraged fashion designers to combine cellular phones and other digital devices into their designs. The result included a wearable digital phone set with screen and keypad belts and a wearable antenna.

Other makers have also become trendsetters in successfully combining good design with high functionality. For example, Sony- Ericsson is developing sophisticated wristband smart phones, which will use Bluetooth technology.

Siemens, on the other hand, has its Xelibri products, which are marketed as fashion accessories that can make phone calls. Each Xelibri collection will consist of four phones and, as in fashion, there will be spring/summer and fall/winter collections. The phones will be available in limited quantities and have a life span of twelve months, which is significantly shorter than existing cell phones.

Meanwhile, Motorola has released its V878 and V690 with VGA camera and video recorder. It has also developed the V300, which packages state-of-the-art wireless capabilities in a sporty and stylish design.

Nokia has expanded its range of classic phones with the introduction of a new phone with an appealing design and rich features, the 3120. The phone is classic, yet contemporary, and is functional with a solid selection of digital technology that provides an enhanced cellular experience.

Nokia has also introduced its new 7200 series, its first flip- top phone model, which offers sensuous elegance in its textile covers.

In fact, cellular phones enable users to access the Internet, take pictures, take and play video clips, download and play songs, dispatch text and multimedia messages and play video games. Soon, users will be able to tap into streaming live video, locate coordinates with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, record hour-long videos and store shopping lists.

There seems to be no limit to what handsets can, and will, be. It is easy to imagine that cell phones will one day be a television, camera and video recorder, computer, PDA, iPod, Nintendo and GPS system, all rolled into one.

Responding to the demands of stylish urban sophisticates, phone makers will most likely enjoy better incomes alongside rising sales, as customers vie to keep up with the latest trends.

Still, there is no doubt that convenience and functionality continue to be the main draw for consumers.