Amoi Electronics, in partnership with Microsoft and Beijing Lintu Software Technology Co. Ltd., recently unveiled several new mobile phones that feature global positioning system (GPS) capabilities.

"Microsoft provides the Windows Mobile 5.0 operation system for the handsets, while Beijing Lintu provides the GPS software," Amoi public relations official, Luo Qingsheng, told Interfax.

Two of Amoi's new handsets that feature the technology, the E860 and the E72, have already been released onto the market, while three additional models, the E870, E78 and E76, are to be made available to consumers by the end of May, she said.

The E860 model is a smartphone with built-in GPS capabilities that comes preloaded with maps for 337 Chinese cities. It also features a 2-megapixel camera with business card scanning and identification functions. Amoi also launched its E67 handset, a smartphone with an inbuilt electronic map but with no GPS navigational functions.

The new phones will retail between RMB 2000 ($259) and RMB 5000 ($647.5), and will be targeted at different consumers. The GPS service is currently being offered free of charge to users, Luo said.