News
KYOCERA Announces "Summer of Free Apps" Exclusively for Kyocera Echo Dual-Touchscreen Smartphone
Echo Users Treated to 10,000 Free Downloads of 12 Customized Android Games
San Diego - August 15, 2011 - Kyocera Communications, Inc. (KCI), provider of Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless phones in the Americas, today announced the availability of 12 free premium Android™ applications optimized for Kyocera Echo, the first dual-touchscreen Android smartphone. Available for a limited time during Kyocera's "Summer of Free Apps," these customized dual-screen games allow users to stay entertained during the long days of summer. The 12 featured titles, including "Burn the Rope," "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "Super Monkey Ball," normally cost $.99 to $4.99 but are available for free for the first 10,000 combined downloads (see below for details).* Echo users can conveniently find all 12 free apps via the preloaded 'Top Apps' shortcut on Echo phones and in the 'Top Apps' section of the Echo microsite - www.echobykyocera.com.
"Both Kyocera's Android Developers Program and the library of optimized applications for Echo's dual displays continue to grow, especially in the gaming segment," said Yasuhiro Oishi, president of KCI. "Giving away these 12 apps to Echo users is a nice way to not only thank them for their loyalty, but also to give them a hands-on taste of how Echo offers a totally unique gaming experience on a mobile phone."
Kyocera's "Summer of Free Apps"* includes some of the most popular mobile gaming titles, including a dual-screen-optimized version of SEGA's classic "Sonic the Hedgehog," being offered for the first time in the U.S. on the Android operating system. The mobile gaming experience goes to a whole new level when Echo's two screens are combined to form a 4.7-inch display (diagonally). Whether relaxing at the beach, standing in line for a rollercoaster or killing time between innings at a baseball game, Echo is a great source of summer entertainment for people of all ages.
The 12 titles available for free download as part of the "Summer of Free Apps" are:
- "Burn the Rope"
- "Colours"
- "Coropata"
- "Crazy Dunker"
- "Cupig"
- "Induced Current"
- "SmackTalk!"
- "Sonic the Hedgehog"
- "Space Wander Landing"
- "Sudoku Master"
- "Super Monkey Ball"
- "Transporter"
Premium games available during Kyocera's "Summer of Free Apps" join the many that can be played across Echo's dual displays, including "Angry Birds" and "Angry Birds Seasons," and the growing portfolio of applications that already have been optimized for the dual touchscreens, including productivity app ASTRO File Manager from Metago. ASTRO, which recently surpassed 12 million downloads on Android devices, allows complete control over the management and backup of content in devices' onboard memory or microSD™ cards.
Kyocera launched its Android Developer Program earlier this year with a software development kit (SDK) and additional materials to support the creation of Android applications optimized for Echo's revolutionary dual-touchscreen platform. Top developers, including Electronic Arts™, Gameloft™, NAMCO BANDAI Games America, Jibe Mobile™, MobiTV, mSpot®, Location Labs, TeleNav®, and Swype®, among others, already have created and/or optimized applications and features spanning across a wide range of app categories.
Kyocera Echo, the nation's first dual-touchscreen smartphone, is available for $99.99 (excluding taxes) with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade exclusively in all Sprint (NYSE: S) retail channels, including the Web (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-Sprint1).**
*"Summer of Free Apps" program duration is a combined 10,000 downloads for all titles, which may be extended beyond summer months or be completed before September. This free download program was initiated prior to this announcement and some of the 10,000 total downloads were already completed before this announcement was made.
**Requires a two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade (or new line activation) on an Everything plan with data plus $10/month Premium Data add-on. Pricing excludes surcharges and taxes. Details available from Sprint.
About Kyocera Communications, Inc.
Kyocera Communications Inc. (KCI) is the headquarters for Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless products and accessories in the Americas. The company's devices are driving the convergence of telecommunications, broadband and multimedia. KCI was formed in April 2009 through the combination of Kyocera Wireless Corp. and Kyocera Sanyo Telecommunications Inc., two wholly owned subsidiaries of Kyocera International Inc. The former was created when Kyocera purchased QUALCOMM Incorporated's consumer wireless phone business in 2000, while the latter was formed when Kyocera purchased the wireless phone business of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. in 2008. Based in San Diego, KCI leverages Japan's history of creating advanced consumer technologies around humanism and respect for the environment and blending them with a Western entrepreneurialism and style, resulting in a unique design language and a natural, user-friendly interface. For more information, please visit www.kyocera-wireless.com or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kyoceramobilephones.
Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO) (TOKYO:6971) (http://global.kyocera.com/), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as "advanced ceramics"). By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of telecommunications equipment, copiers, printers, solar power generating systems, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2010, the company's net sales totaled 1.07 trillion yen (approximately US $11.5 billion). Kyocera marked its 50th anniversary in 2009, and the 40th anniversary of its U.S. operations. It is ranked #554 on Forbes magazine's 2010 "Global 2000" listing of the world's largest publicly traded companies.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Please visit toolkit.kyocera-wireless.com for downloadable images.
©2011 Kyocera. All rights reserved. Kyocera is a registered trademark of Kyocera Corporation. Android is a trademark of Google Inc.; use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions. MicroSD is a trademark of SD Card Association. Electronic Arts and EA are trademarks of Electronic Arts, Inc. Gameloft is a trademark of Gameloft. Jibe Mobile is a trademark of Jibe. MobiTV is a registered trademark of MobiTV. mSpot is a registered trademark of mSpot, Inc. TeleNav is a registered trademark of TeleNav, Inc. Swype is a registered trademark of Swype, Inc. All other marks are properties of their respective owners.
Top of page