Vodafone Launches Two New High-Performance Smartphones For The Mass Market

Vodafone today announced the addition of two new high performance smartphones designed to accelerate the adoption of mobile internet usage within the mass market.

The Smart III is a smartphone with a high-resolution 4-inch screen that offers an exceptional level of processing power, memory and functionality at a price below €100 for a prepaid customer. Vodafone is also offering a version of the Smart III with Near Field Communications technology (NFC)*, enabling customers to benefit from the speed, simplicity and convenience of managing their everyday transactions with a single wave of their smartphone.

Today, Vodafone also announced the launch of the Smart mini, a powerful new smartphone that delivers an unprecedented combination of high-performance, an extensive feature set with no compromise on quality and a breakthrough starting price of less than €60.

The Smart mini has been specifically designed to deliver the complete mobile internet experience to the majority of global mobile phone users yet to benefit from smartphone ownership. It will introduce a new wave of consumers to everything the mobile internet has to offer, from simple messaging through to multimedia apps and sophisticated location-based services.

Building on the success of the Smart II, these devices set a new benchmark for high performance and an outstanding user experience in the value segment of the mobile market. They include the latest Android™ applications, such as Google Now™ and Google Voice Search™, as well as a range of simple but powerful Vodafone apps to help customers manage their digital lives and keep their personal information safe and secure with simple one-click backups.

The Smart mini and Smart III are available on prepaid and postpaid price plans, including Vodafone’s popular Red proposition which has already attracted over 4 million customers across Europe.

Smart III

The Vodafone Smart III delivers a premium smartphone experience at an affordable price, offering consumers a large screen smartphone that enables them to take advantage of the very latest mobile technology and services.

The device offers:

• a large 4,0” WVGA TFT capacitive touchscreen;
• 1Ghz processor, supported by 512Mb of RAM;
• 4GB of internal storage that can be expanded by 32GB via a microSD card;
• high-speed 3G HSUPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity;
• Jelly Bean 4.1 Android operating system with Google Voice Search, Google Now, Google 3D Maps, Navigation and Streetview;
• 5 megapixel camera with white LED flash;
• the latest Assisted GPS technology for accurate mapping and navigation;
• the first smartphone powered by kikin, an innovative touch-to-search service which allows users to press on any text to receive instant search results**; and
• can be customised with individual graphic sheets**.
• The Smart III is available across Vodafone markets from June and prices start at €88**.

Smart mini

The Smart mini is the most affordable smartphone in the Vodafone range. It delivers an uncompromised level of performance and functionality, including:

• a highly responsive 3.5” HVGA TFT capacitive touchscreen;
• 1Ghz processor, supported by 512Mb of RAM;
• Jelly Bean 4.1 Android operating system with Google Voice Search, Google Now, Google 3D Maps, Navigation and Streetview;
• high-speed 3G UMTS HSPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity;
• 2 megapixel camera;
• the latest Assisted GPS technology for accurate mapping and navigation; and
• set-up wizard that makes it easy for first-time smartphone users to set up their device.

The Smart mini will be available across Vodafone markets from June with prices starting at €58**.

Patrick Chomet said: “We continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with our Vodafone Smart range of devices, enabling more people than ever to join the mobile internet revolution at an unprecedented price. In combination with our innovative, industry-leading prepaid and Vodafone Red price plans, the Smart mini and Smart III will allow customers to make the most of their smartphone and get the best of the Vodafone experience without breaking the bank.”

* NFC variant only available in select markets for an additional fee.

** Prices and availability vary market to market.

For further information:

Vodafone Group

Group Media - +44 (0) 1635 664444, www.vodafone.com/media

Notes to Editors

1. For handset images visit http://www.vodafonebrand.com/;
2. For more information on the Vodafone Smart range of devices visit www.vodafone.com/smart3 and www.vodafone.com/smartmini;
3. Android, Google Play, Gmail, Google Talk and Google Maps are all trademarks of Google, Inc.

About Vodafone

Vodafone is one of the world’s largest mobile communications companies by revenue with approximately 404 million customers in its controlled and jointly controlled markets as of 31 March 2013. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 30 countries across five continents and around 50 partner networks worldwide.