Samsung debuts mobile phone with Speech-to-Text Capabilities

LAS VEGAS January 8, 2005 Samsung used its massive show of all-round high technology strength at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show as the backdrop for a very innovative and potentially very useful new technology for mobile telephones: speech-to-text dictation. The speech-to- text product called VoiceMode allows consumers to speak into the phone and have the phone convert the words directly into text. Using advanced speech recognition, the technology enables consumers to send short messages with the sound of their voice. Samsung's p207 is the first phone with the VoiceMode technology that allows consumers to simply speak the words of a message and have the phone translate those exact words into text. This speech-driven text messaging application allows users to quickly and easily address messages, then use their voice to create the text, enhancing the user experience and greatly simplifying text creation on today's compact numeric keypads.

Another technology known as QuickPhrase, also debuted on Samsung's a890, making it easy for consumers to address a message and activate one of the frequently used short messages pre-programmed on the phone. Once in the messaging application, users can activate phrases such as "Call me" or "Will call you later" by simply speaking those words, and the text is included in the message.

This new technology could significantly change how people interact with their wireless phones. For the first time, consumers can dictate messages directly to their wireless phone, substantially simplifying the messaging process.

Samsung recently became the world's second largest cell phone maker, passing Motorola. Samsung's current world market share is 13.8 percent compared to Motorola's13.4 percent. Nokia continues to dominate the market with a 30.9 percent share.