Nokia picks ST for smartphone
Ufinity is proud to be the technology partner developing the ST application on Nokia N97.
Press release
A new tie-up allows users of Nokia's N97 mobile phone, which was launched yesterday, to read breaking news from The Straits Times website without having to download an application from the Internet. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
NOKIA'S latest smartphone, the N97, will come pre-loaded for Singapore users with content from The Straits Times (ST) website.
Launched yesterday, one day before the opening of CommunicAsia 2009, the custom-designed tool allows users to read breaking news from straitstimes.com without having to download an application from the Internet.
Nokia's head of APAC developer relations and marketing Kenny Mathers said the company chose The Straits Times as its preferred news source because of its comprehensive and relevant coverage for local mobile users.
'Building a vibrant ecosystem with content providers and third-party developers is a key focus area for Nokia to bring exciting applications and content to consumers,' he said.
'Nokia is excited to partner with The Straits Times, Singapore's most widely-read English daily, to deliver the latest news content into the hands of Nokia users via the Ovi Store.'
ST editor Han Fook Kwang said: 'We believe we've got great content to offer, and our tie-up with Nokia is part of our overall effort to reach out to as many people as possible over as many platforms.'
Content from the ST website will be available for download from Nokia's online Ovi Store for other touchscreen phones, like the N5800, at a later date.
The new application makes straitstimes.com available on the Symbian operating system for the first time.
Breaking news on straitstimes.com was first launched for free at Apple's iPhone Application store in January. The Straits Times RazorTV, the Web television site of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), is also available for free at the iTunes Application store.
'The success of the ST iPhone application has revealed that we have a winning product. ST online is obviously the choice of news consumption,' said Mr Felix Soh, digital media editor at SPH's English and Malay Newspapers Division.
'It is only natural that we move to other mobile platforms. Nokia is a natural partner as it has one of the most popular ranges of cellphones in Singapore.'
The ST website currently attracts more than 23 million page views every month - both on the Internet and via mobile devices.
'We now have a winning combination - the best news content, particularly Singapore and regional news, and one of the most popular cellphones in Singapore,' said Mr Soh.
The Straits Times Digital website remains a subscription-only site, and is not yet available on mobile platforms.
Source: The Straits Times, 16 Jun 2009
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