Microsoft to unleash its ‘Stinger’ mobile phone

Microsoft has unveiled plans for its prototype mobile Internet phone, code-named Stinger, to 150 industry experts.

Designed to extend Microsoft’s position in the Internet market, Stinger is a smartphone with wireless Internet access and HTML support.

The computer giant has already signed a deal with Samsung to design, develop and bring the device to market as early as next year. This is nearly 12 months before a rival product could be developed by the Psion-led Symbian consortium, according to a Microsoft spokesman.

He says that the prototype features greater memory than its WAP rivals and allows users to download Internet pages from Web-based HTML format. It is powered by Microsoft Mobile Explorer technology.

According to Microsoft executives, the wireless market is the main focus of the company’s annual research budget of around £3.2bn.

The Stinger is due to be available to consumers in the second half of 2001.