Siemens Phones Go Fashionable

In an attempt to revive the sluggish cell phone handset market, Siemens AG is developing phones as fashion accessories, first intended for the European and Asian markets.

The stylish cell phones are being introduced along with other nontechnical fashions. Each model will be available for a limited time only.

The Munich company has developed a collection of four "wearable" fashion phones that it will sell through fashion retailers and department stores. Two collections of four phones will be released each year, one for the spring/summer season, and one designed for fall/winter release, according to Siemens.

Fashionable Intro

The first collection will be launched in London on February 15, during London Fashion Week, a Siemens spokesperson said Tuesday. The theme of the first collection will be Space on Earth and the target market is "anyone interested in space, and any fashion-minded people--not just young people," the spokesperson said.

The phones are small with simple voice functionality, will be manufactured in limited quantities, and will have a life cycle of 12 months, the statement said.

"That doesn't mean they'll self-destruct after 12 months, though! It's just that any unsold ones will be taken off the shelves after 12 months," the spokeswoman said.

The new phones will be sold initially in the U.K., China and Hong Kong, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, and Spain, starting in April. The company will consider entering additional markets starting in September, Siemens said.