Beyonce Fans, Meet the B’Phone!
A host of new multimedia mobile phones are poised to hit retail shelves just in time for the holiday sales season. Just a week after Verizon unveiled a touch-screen iPhone competitor as part of its fall device lineup, Sprint pulled the curtain back on a pair of new devices as well. The biggest splash in the music department is the Samsung limited edition B’Phone, a Beyonce-branded version of the UpStage music phone originally introduced earlier this year. It was unveiled this morning (Oct. 11) at the Samsung store in New York’s Time Warner Building. The handset features gold-and-burgundy colors designed by Beyonce, a Beyonce-themed startup screen and the ability to download exclusive Beyonce photos, videos and a song she recorded as a child.
“When I was 10, I recorded a song called ‘632-5792′ — a phone number. It’s a little embarrassing but it’s cute. There’s a recording of that song on the phone exclusively for my fans,” Beyonce told journalists. “I wanted to make sure people got a feel for who I really am. It’s only through this phone that you can get this close to my life.”
“Beyonce is a global superstar,” music mogul Steve Stoute, who brokered the deal via his Translation Company, tells Billboard.com. “Her fans love music, they love pictures and they love talking. A phone is a natural extension for Beyonce. It’s about working products that her fans like to indulge in.” In addition, the B’Phone showcases a dual-sided design, with an MP3 player on one side and a phone on the other. It also provides easy access to Sprint’s multimedia content, including Sprint TV and the Sprint Music Store.
