Brings smartphone features to basic handset

Peek, a provider of SaaS services that give internet-only wireless devices smartphone-like capabilities, is expanding to the cellphone market. Peek has partnered with Micromax, India's largest domestic mobile handset manufacturer, to offer cloud-based apps on that company's Q80 phone. Peek's "Genius Cloud" software will give the Q80 instant messaging, video chat, social networking, web browsing, and push e-mail.

Peek began providing cloud-based software services in 2007. Its original apps were push e-mail and messaging on its self-titled devices. Since then, the company has widened its focus to include web browsing, Facebook, Twitter. as well as reading Excel, Word and PDF documents. The company also introduced several dedicated e-mail readers, including, most recently in September, the Peek 9.

Last December, Peek's CEO, Amol Sarva, revealed that the company was looking to partner with Asian manufacturers to develop low-cost handsets with smartphone-like capabilities for emerging markets. Peek's relationship with Micromax Mobile marks the first fruits of that effort.

Sarva added a postscript comment in the newer unveiling for owners of the company's Peek 9. "If you have a Peek in hand today," he said, "you have a collector's item."

The Q80 will sell for about $100, which Peek claims will make it one-half the price of a comparable Blackberry. [via Engadget]

By Electronista Staff