An executive from local mobile-phone manufacturer DBTEL Inc (
"In 2003, DBTEL aims to make significant progress in the Taiwan and European market by offering premium products to users who regard handsets as luxury collectibles," said Simone Liu (
The company is on the verge of launching seven new diamond-studded handset models called the "DBTEL collection," each priced above NT$30,000, she said.
"Since handsets have become a necessity, a mobile phone has become just like a wallet or purse that can be used to represent a person's social status," Liu said.
Formerly known as Dialer and Business Electronics Co, the company started out producing mobile phones for Motorola as well as cordless phones for AT&T and Radio Shack in the US.
After shipping its first mobile phones in 1998, DBTEL officially launched DBTEL-brand handsets in China and Taiwan in November 2001.
The company reported sales of NT$8.15 billion this year, or nearly 60 percent increase from 2001, of which about NT$7 billion sales came from DBTEL brand products.
DBTEL generated more than 60 percent of its revenue from handsets sold in China last year.
"This year, however, we decided to focus more on the Taiwan and Europe markets," Liu said.
DBTEL plans to continue marketing entry-level products priced below NT$5,000 in China, while promoting luxury items in Taiwan and Europe, where mobile-phone markets are more mature, she said.
DBTEL plans to open its first retail outlet in Taipei on Friday.
"In an effort to stimulate brand recognition, our first step is to set up flagship stores in big cities," Liu said.
DBTEL wants to open outlets in Shanghai, Hong Kong, London and Paris within the next two years, she said.
Analysts were skeptical about the moves, saying that earnings would probably be limited.
"In terms of branding, the investment [in setting up stores] might be rewarding, while I don't expect the company's sales to make a significant jump because of the move," said Ann Liang (
DBTEL brand recognition in the European market is virtually non-existent, she said, adding that it will be a challenge to compete with established brands such as Nokia and Motorola.
Another analyst also poured cold water on DBTEL's branding plan.
"They have to go for branding rather than original equipment manufacturing because DBTEL doesn't receive many orders from overseas companies," said Yen Ming-chi (
Ever since DBTEL ruined its relationship with former partner Motorola early last year, foreign companies have chosen not to outsource handset manufacturing from DBTEL.
Application-specific integrated circuit designer Faraday Technology Corp (智原) yesterday said that although revenue this quarter would decline 30 percent from last quarter, it retained its full-year forecast of revenue growth of 100 percent. The company attributed the quarterly drop to a slowdown in customers’ production of chips using Faraday’s advanced packaging technology. The company is still confident about its revenue growth this year, given its strong “design-win” — or the projects it won to help customers design their chips, Faraday president Steve Wang (王國雍) told an online earnings conference. “The design-win this year is better than we expected. We believe we will win
Intel Corp chief executive officer Lip-Bu Tan (陳立武) is expected to meet with Taiwanese suppliers next month in conjunction with the opening of the Computex Taipei trade show, supply chain sources said on Monday. The visit, the first for Tan to Taiwan since assuming his new post last month, would be aimed at enhancing Intel’s ties with suppliers in Taiwan as he attempts to help turn around the struggling US chipmaker, the sources said. Tan is to hold a banquet to celebrate Intel’s 40-year presence in Taiwan before Computex opens on May 20 and invite dozens of Taiwanese suppliers to exchange views
Chizuko Kimura has become the first female sushi chef in the world to win a Michelin star, fulfilling a promise she made to her dying husband to continue his legacy. The 54-year-old Japanese chef regained the Michelin star her late husband, Shunei Kimura, won three years ago for their Sushi Shunei restaurant in Paris. For Shunei Kimura, the star was a dream come true. However, the joy was short-lived. He died from cancer just three months later in June 2022. He was 65. The following year, the restaurant in the heart of Montmartre lost its star rating. Chizuko Kimura insisted that the new star is still down
While China’s leaders use their economic and political might to fight US President Donald Trump’s trade war “to the end,” its army of social media soldiers are embarking on a more humorous campaign online. Trump’s tariff blitz has seen Washington and Beijing impose eye-watering duties on imports from the other, fanning a standoff between the economic superpowers that has sparked global recession fears and sent markets into a tailspin. Trump says his policy is a response to years of being “ripped off” by other countries and aims to bring manufacturing to the US, forcing companies to employ US workers. However, China’s online warriors