First 3G Dual SIM Handset Launched

With the UK population currently sharing 70m mobile phone SIM cards across its 45m adult population I'm surprised this market hasn't taken off sooner.

Since the first dual sim handset was announced back in January it has only been followed by Samsung's D900 look-a-like the D880, but finally two more are on the horizon.

Rather disappointingly however, both the candybar 'Duplii' (above) - the world's first 3G capable dual SIM handset and 'Twinn' - its EDGE only slider compatriot - come from little known company Verzio and are likely to spread no further than the Asian market.

This fact is all the more lamentable for we 1.55-SIM-cards-per-person totting Brits because with 2.2in QVGA displays, 2MP cameras (1.3MP on the Twinn), Bluetooth, FM radios and PC synchronisation the duo don't look half bad on paper and are reasonable lookers into the bargain.

Perhaps even more surprising though is the primary launch location for the pair: the Philippines - a nation not famed for its multi-handset sporting high-speed mobile broadband surfing population. Feel free to correct me on this if I'm wrong.

Still, with a December launch for the Filipinos planned it goes to show once more that this technology is now with us and given the teeny amount of extra physical space required to fit in this feature it baffles me why more handsets don't offer the mode as standard.

I'm speaking neutrally, of course, as an owner of two pay monthly SIM cards.

[Via TrustedReviews]