They are sleek. They are stylish. They are this season's must-have accessories. You can exchange photographs and videos with them, you can listen to the radio with them ... and if you are really old-fashioned, you can even make phone calls with them. In a market where there are a million more mobile phone subscriptions than there are people, functionality has long been replaced by fashion for many Hong Kong buyers. Nowhere is that truth more evident than in one of the latest models from Nokia. The Nokia 7260 ($2,388) includes a clothing and shoe size converter to appeal to what it calls 'the true fashionista'. Described by the manufacturer as 'dashing, bold, confident and sleekly flamboyant', this is a phone the market leader promises will create a stir wherever you go. The 7260 is one of a range of three new Nokia handsets - the 7280, the 7270 and the 7260 - inspired by the glamour and elegance of the 1920s and marketed not as electronic items but as Nokia's new fashion collection and launched at a glitzy Shanghai event. The 7280 sister-model is described as 'the fantasy phone for the fashion-conscious', perfect to whip out at cocktail parties and, according to Nokia, geared to become 'the talking point at any high glamour soiree'. The 7270, meanwhile, draws its inspiration from the 'Garbo-esque glamour of the 1920s' and carries a VGA camera to allow its fashion-conscious carrier to get a second opinion, 'whether shopping in New York, Paris or Shanghai'. Technical data takes a backseat when it comes to selling the merits of the new Nokia phones. Nokia says the new handsets represent 'a radical departure from traditional mobile phone design, converting a functional object to a serious fashion accessory'. Nokia is not alone in its appeal to the fashion-conscious phone user. Motorola is taking Hong Kong by storm with its V3 handset ($5,980), which has been performing strongly since its launch last month. 'The V3 is not just a communication device,' said a company insider. 'It's a fashion accessory, and it's the hottest phone in the city. It's a unisex phone for trendy people, male and female, and it's selling very well.' The V3 - which weighs just 95 grams and is 13.9mm deep - is one of the world's thinnest clamshell handsets, an increasingly popular design over the past two years, and is said by its makers to exude 'sleek style and unstoppable functionality'. One of the phone's main selling points is a chemically etched keypad created from a single sheet of nickel-plated copper alloy. Despite its allure for trend-setters, the V3 does have a more rugged feel than many of its competitors. Yankee Group analyst Matt Hutton described it as 'the most eye-catching handset on the market', and said it had 'form-factor in spades'. There are, of course, those who still want a simple, straightforward mobile phone, one that can be used primarily for making phone calls, rather than taking photographs, converting shoe sizes or looking cool at cocktail parties. It is a market that Sony Ericsson will attempt to tap in the coming months with the launch of its value-for-money J200i and T290i phones. These phones are aimed at 'practical phoners'. Practical phoners, according to the manufacturer, are discerning buyers who seek well-designed, high quality, no-nonsense products from trusted brands. They do not need the features of the top-of-the-range models because they will use the gadget mainly for making phone calls. The two new models are expected to be competitively priced. The J200i will be on sale before the end of the year, while the T290i will be available in shops early next year. 'Customers who buy these phones are looking for quality, simplicity and value for money,' said Sony Ericsson executive Jan Wareby. 'They typically make voice calls and use SMS text messages to communicate extensively with friends and family. 'Independent small businesses may also be attracted to them as a cost-effective way of keeping in touch with customers while on the move.'
