Charge your phone wirelessly, or change its user interface to your liking. That's what Mobile and Wireless group (MWg), a new Singapore-based smartphone-maker, hopes to do.

MWg is working with Splashpower to create mobile phones that can be charged wirelessly, and it expects the phones to launch here in the second half of the year. Splashpower is a UK-based company that makes charging bases that can power phones via magnetic induction when placed on a specially-made pad.

Besides giving consumers the convenience of wireless charging, MWg wants to give them the power to customise the phones. It plans to offer free downloadable applications on its online portal to help consumers decide how they want to interact with their devices through customised graphic user interfaces.

One of the applications is Quick Menu, which offers users speedy access to applications. It overlays a row of four customisable links to applications on a standby screen and allows users to scroll through the links by swiping their fingers on the touchscreen.

"You see interfaces from the iPhone or HTC's TouchFLO. We want to give similar options to customers and not be prescriptive in providing them an interface," said Mr Sanjay Sabnani, MWg's vice-president of brand and marketing.

MWg was formed when Telefonica O2, the parent company of mobile handset developer O2 Asia, exited its device business in Asia. The regional management team from O2 Asia then took over the reins of the business under the new name. MWg is now headed by O2 Asia's chief executive officer, Mr Mark Billington.

The company this week launched its first phone under the MWg brand, the Atom V ($998, no contract; picture). The 3.5G Windows Mobile-based smartphone features WiFi, Bluetooth, a 520MHz processor, a 2-megapixel camera, FM radio and global positioning system capability — all within a slim profile of 14.95mm.

Said Mr Billington: "Along with the Atom V and the Zinc II (to be launched in the second quarter of the year), our product roadmap in 2008 will consist of about four to eight products. The smartphone space in the Asia-Pacific represents an opportunity and MWg is in a very good position to address that."

Formed in November last year, MWg has since marked its presence in Asia with offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Middle East. It has also expanded into the UK and US. It is aiming for 10 per cent of the global market share of Windows Mobile smartphones and will offer these devices at a different price range, rather than focus on the premium segment.

"We intend to differentiate ourselves from other handset makers by having service inhouse, instead of farming it out to a third party," Mr Sabnani said, adding that the company would have its own support staff so it can deal with customers closely. - TODAY/sh