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SCMP Reporter

Q9 Technology Holdings is taking its first step in the mainland with a simplified Chinese-character input system.

Its software is expected to help make the company profitable.

It has applications for numeric key pads and game consoles as well as personal computers, personal digital assistants and mobile telephones.

'The mainland market has huge potential for us,' said chairman Mark Leung Lap-yan, whose firm is listed on the Growth Enterprise Market.

'Only a very low percentage of the population uses Chinese-character input systems.'

And his was the 'most efficient and easy method available'.

The product is the latest version of software introduced two years ago in Hong Kong, where Q9 estimates there are 500,000 people using it.

Chief executive Lim Yincheng forecast mainland sales to eventually provide up to 70 per cent of the company's total revenue.

'Income generated from licensing the new software to mobile phone and telecommunications carriers will form a core part of our revenue,' Mr Lim said.

Last year, Q9's losses widened to HK$19.03 million, from HK$1.01 million in 1999, largely as a result of marketing costs for the local input system and research costs for the mainland product.

Its mainland marketing plan includes discounting the product to schools.

'We are having talks with mainland education authorities,' Mr Lim said. 'We hope all 680,000 primary and secondary schools in the mainland will eventually take up the software.'



Q9 sees Chinese-character system as mainland entry