REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.-Wherify Wireless Inc. said it now plans to launch its Wherifone GPS-capable mobile phone in the United States sometime in the first half of next year, almost a year after the company initially planned to offer the gadget.
Wherify’s John Cunningham said the delay is largely due to extensive carrier certification testing, which is taking longer than the company had planned. Those in the industry agree that carrier testing in the United States is often a much more lengthy process than in other parts of the world. Cunningham, Wherify’s director of communications, said the company’s Wherifone has been certified by Canadian wireless reseller Kore Wireless, and the company expects to launch services in the United States and Canada during the first half of 2006.
Wherify initially planned to sell its GPS-capable GSM phone for around $150 through retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. by the second quarter of this year. The company later pushed the launch date back to this fall.
Wherify’s Wherifone is one of several wireless devices aimed at children. Cingular Wireless L.L.C. recently picked up Firefly Mobile Inc.’s Firefly phone, which Firefly has been selling through retail outlets and its Web site. Cingular said it will sell the phone for $50 with a two-year contract, and will sell service for $10 per month as part of its FamilyTalk plan. According to documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission, LG Electronics Co. Ltd. also has plans to sell phones designed for children.
