SANYO Seimitsu to Offer Immersion VibeTonz Certified Actuators to Mobile Handset Manufacturers; Pre-Certified Actuators Now Available for Supplying High-Quality Touch Sensations
SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan 09, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, announced today that a number of actuators manufactured by SANYO Seimitsu Co., Ltd. have been certified under Immersion's VibeTonz Certified Actuator Program. The program enables handset manufacturers to simplify and speed the selection and integration of actuators into VibeTonz-enabled mobile phones. These phones, incorporating Immersion's VibeTonz System, produce touch sensations to enhance mobile phone games, ringtones, and user interface.
"The VibeTonz System gives our handset OEM customers a competitive advantage by elevating the importance of tactile feedback to the level of audio quality," said Mr. Hiroshi Sato, general manager of SANYO Seimitsu Co., Ltd. "This program helps us provide our handset customers with actuators tuned to meet VibeTonz specifications, so we're able to quickly support their production schedules." SANYO's customers include those that rank among the world's top five handset OEMs.
The VibeTonz System exerts high-speed control over the phone's actuator, producing a broad range of touch sensations that can make phone navigation and operation more intuitive and game play more engaging and realistic. VibeTonz Certified Actuators have the necessary durability and performance characteristics to produce sensations as subtle as an intuitive cue signaling that a call has been dropped and as stunning as the force of an explosion in a mobile game.
"Our VibeTonz mobile handset customers are always looking for innovative actuator solutions that can create a high-quality VibeTonz experience for end users," said John Grundy, vice president and general manager, Immersion's Mobility business group. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with SANYO to qualify additional actuators under the VibeTonz Certified Actuator Program."
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Bringing value to markets where man-machine interaction needs to be made more compelling, safer, or productive, Immersion helps its partners broaden market reach by making the use of touch feedback as critical a user experience as sight and sound. Immersion's technology is deployed across automotive, entertainment, medical training, mobility, personal computing, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 500 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.
About SANYO Seimitsu Co., Ltd.
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq:SANYY) is a $20 billion manufacturer and marketer of consumer and commercial appliances and electronics. SANYO Electric Device Company is a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Company. SANYO Seimitsu Co., Ltd. is one of eight business units in the SANYO Electric Device Company. SANYO Seimitsu's 20,000 employees celebrated a milestone in 2005 of the cumulative production of 500 million vibration motors. SANYO Seimitsu is based in Nagano, Japan, and more information can be found at www.sanyo.com/industrial.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the breadth of and timeline to implement force feedback technology into handset models or into content, any change in revenue that may occur from such adoption; any statements of the timeline for and acceptance and use of certified actuators by handset manufacturers, consumer response that may occur to having touch feedback in handsets or content, or consumer and market acceptance of force feedback products in general; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with Immersion's business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for Immersion's products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in the Company's most current Form 10-Q, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the Company's beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.
Immersion, the Immersion logo, and VibeTonz are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Immersion Corporation
A&R Partners Elizabeth Conrady, 650-762-2815 econrady@arpartners.com
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