Options increase for business smartphones

A wide range of Symbian devices slated for early next year

Business users will be offered a wider choice of Symbian-based handsets in early 2006, when Sony Ericsson ships its new smartphone with 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities, and Nokia releases new models with support for leading mobile email systems.

Sony Ericsson's P990, due to ship in early 2006, is a successor to the P800, P900 and P910 handsets. It will be the first available smartphone with the enhanced Symbian OS version 9.1 and the UIQ 3 user interface, the firm said.

While the P990 is designed to be first and foremost a phone, its 3G and Wi-Fi support allows speedy web browsing, Sony Ericsson said. It comes with the Opera 8 browser and can view pages in landscape mode on its 2.8in screen. Its number pad flips down to reveal a qwerty keypad to ease messaging, and it will ship with a VPN client and a trial version of an antivirus package.

Also due in early 2006 are Nokia's E-series phones with support for email tools such as BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink, Nokia Business Center and Visto Mobile.

The E60, E61 and E70 handsets are the first to support the Open Mobile Alliance device management standard, Nokia said, which lets IT managers remotely configure and wipe devices. The E60 is optimised for voice with features such as speakerphone and conference calling, while the E61 supports email via a full keyboard. The E70 is intended as an all-in-one messaging device.