Cell phone makers have been launching handsets with special functions targeting specific groups of people in an effort to lure more customers in the world's largest mobile market.

China's cell phone industry has long been dominated by established international manufacturers such as Nokia and Samsung, but some players, especially domestic ones, are now trying to boost numbers with devices aimed at sectors such as the elderly, pregnant women and even heart disease patients.

Cell phones for the elderly, for example, with large keyboards and louder ringing tones, have enjoyed increasing popularity over the past one to two years because of their low prices.

"The cell phone market will surely develop into one with more specific segments, such as that for aged people," said Liu Lirong, chairman and president of Shenzhen Gionee Communication Equipment Co Ltd, one of the major Chinese cell phone makers.

Gionee has launched two kinds of cell phones specially designed for aged people. They have been well received, said Liu, without providing specific sales figures.

More than 75 percent of people aged over 65 in developed countries have cell phones. However, in China the percentage is still very low, according to Ji Chendong, an analyst with research firm Frost & Sullivan. As there are more and more aged people in China, the need from the group will become larger, he said.

Another popular Chinese brand, Coolpad, produced by Yulong Computer Telecommunications Scientific Co, has offered handsets for pregnant women through cooperation with mobile carrier China Telecom since June. They have lower radiation and feature useful information about pregnancy.

Gu Yong, marketing director of the company, said the sales of the handsets have been doubling every month since the launch. He estimated that demand for cell phones designed for pregnant women may be more than 1 million a year.

"We will consider launching more handsets aiming at special groups of people as the market becomes more mature," he said.

China Telecom has also teamed up with other makers to offer cell phones for different target customers, including the blind and those with heart disease, in east China's Shandong province.

Most of the cell phone makers that provide handsets of this kind are domestic, with international brands showing little presence in the segment, which is still at a preliminary stage.

"Sales of these kind of cell phones are quite limited now and major international brands have a wait-and-see attitude," said Ji from Frost & Sullivan. "It takes time for the segment to develop a bigger scale."

There were 823 million cell phone users in China by the end of August, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

(China Daily October 7, 2010)