Cellphone manufacturers have been given clear instructions by Vodafone on what they need to do to remain suppliers. At a meeting called by Chris Edwards, Vodafone's head of devices, vendors were told the company intended to reduce the number of handsets in its portfolio this year and would look for a more standardised approach to services and the overall user experience.
According to one vendor, Vodafone gave a very clear message they expected to be charged less for handsets, while wanting a richer and more uniform 'Vodafone' experience for subscribers. Following the meeting Vodafone confirmed it would continue to focus on a narrower range of devices to avoid duplication, which would also improve the company's marketing capabilities.
This move echoes a statement made by Vodafone's former CEO, Arun Sarin, at last year's Mobile World Congress whereby he wanted to see a drastic reduction in the number of handset operating systems and a more consistent approach to user interfaces.
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