Bang and Olufsen unveil the unusual Serene mobile

19 October 2006 14:01 GMT / By Amber Maitland

Bang and Olufsen has launched its first mobile phone in the US in conjunction with Samsung. The Serene features a clamshell formfactor, but not one we've ever seen before.

Almost square in shape, navigation is by a circular array of numbers and a central d-pad controller. The microphone and display are at the bottom half of the phone, while you listen to the speakers through airholes between the number keys.

The display measures 2.1-inches, and displays 320 x 420 resolution; the mobile also has a very low-resolution camera. Bang and Olufsen says that it has the best sound quality in the market, with excellent speech recognition.

The effect is one of elegance, although it doesn't look like the most robust of mobiles. Even the charger looks like a piece of art, propping up the open mobile and synchronising it with other B&O telephones in the house.

Louis Vuitton has already designed a case to protect it while you're out and about.