Less than two weeks after denying its Else smartphone handset was in difficulites, Israeli technology group Emblaze today announced it had abandoned plans to manufacture the product.
It blamed "critical delays" in deliveries and the lack of a partnership deal on terms acceptable to the company. Instead it said it would try to licence the Else technology to other companies. The decision would dramatically cut its costs and help the company move towards profitability.
On 18 June Emblaze denied speculation about problems with the Else project, saying there was no change to the status since an update on 19 May which said:
Else is in various stages of negotiations with potential partners for the sale and licence of its innovative first Else mobile device and the Else mobile platform. The company's management believes that Else has a potential to positively contribute to the group's revenues and profits.
News of the handset's demise sent the company's shares tumbling 4.5% to 31.5p. Meanwhile Emblaze is in talks with Apple and Microsoft about its claims that the two US giants have infringed its mobile streaming technology. It added:
The company will evaluate its course of action pending the results of such discussions and will provide an update to the market when it is appropriate to do so.
Taking on the might of Apple and Microsoft? Good luck with that.
