Siemens Mobile
The former mobile-phone division and handset brand of Siemens AG, remembered for early colour-display, slider, multimedia, outdoor and smartphone models before its 2005 transfer to BenQ.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Siemens Mobile was the mobile-phone manufacturing division and consumer handset brand of Siemens AG, a German industrial and technology group. It developed and sold mobile phones internationally under the Siemens name from the 1980s until the business was transferred to Taiwan-based BenQ in 2005. The division occupied a significant position in the global handset market around the turn of the millennium, but weakening sales, intensifying competition and unsuccessful product initiatives eventually made it loss-making and led Siemens to exit the sector. Siemens entered mobile telephony with the Siemens Mobiltelefon C1 in 1985. The company subsequently expanded into GSM devices, with the Siemens S1 launched in 1994. During the 1990s and early 2000s, its portfolio covered several market segments. The A series targeted entry-level buyers, the C series occupied the mainstream market, the M series emphasized ruggedness and outdoor use, and the S series represented higher-end products. It also produced clamshell, slider, business, multimedia and network-specific devices, sometimes through development partnerships or original-design manufacturing arrangements. The brand was associated with several notable handset innovations. The S10, introduced in 1997, used a four-colour display showing red, green, blue and white and is widely described as the first mobile phone with a colour screen. The S10 Active extended the concept into an outdoor handset with enhanced resistance to shock, dust and splashes. The SL10, launched in 1999, helped popularize the slider form factor. In 2000, the SL45 combined an MP3 player with support for removable MultiMediaCard storage, while the company’s acquisition of Bosch’s mobile-phone division broadened its capabilities. The SX1, released in 2003, was Siemens’ first Symbian-based phone and its only smartphone developed and produced wholly by Siemens. The SXG75, launched in 2005, incorporated real GPS functionality. Siemens also experimented with lifestyle positioning. The Xelibri range, introduced in 2003, consisted of fashion-oriented phones designed to compete in a market increasingly influenced by design and personal expression. The initiative did not achieve commercial success and became a costly failure at a time when Siemens was already losing ground to Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Ericsson, LG and Sony Ericsson. Its handset market share fell from 8.6 percent in the third quarter of 2000 to 8.5 percent in 2003, 7.2 percent in 2004 and 5.6 percent in the first quarter of 2005, according to the cited Wikipedia account. On 7 June 2005, Siemens agreed to transfer its loss-making mobile-phone business to BenQ. The arrangement included an exclusive five-year licence for BenQ to use the Siemens trademark on mobile phones. Before the transfer, Siemens invested €250 million in the operation, wrote down €100 million in assets and acquired a 2.5 percent interest in BenQ for €50 million. The business subsequently operated under the BenQ-Siemens name from BenQ’s German unit. The final Siemens-branded handsets, the AL21, A31 and AF51, were released in November 2005. BenQ’s German mobile-phone unit filed for bankruptcy in 2006 after BenQ stopped further investment. The Siemens-branded handset business therefore did not develop into a lasting independent successor. Siemens later resumed mobile-phone production under the Gigaset name, while Siemens Mobile itself became a defunct historical brand. Its legacy rests on a broad and technically varied handset catalogue, several early form-factor and multimedia milestones, and a cautionary example of how quickly a major handset business could lose competitiveness during the industry’s transition toward increasingly sophisticated, design-led and platform-based smartphones.
History
Siemens Mobile originated within Siemens AG’s telecommunications activities. Its first mobile phone, the Siemens Mobiltelefon C1, was launched in 1985. The company later moved into digital cellular communications, introducing the Siemens S1 GSM handset in 1994. Through the second half of the 1990s, Siemens expanded its portfolio and developed a reputation for experimentation in handset design and functionality. The 1997 Siemens S10 was a major milestone: its display could show red, green, blue and white, making it one of the earliest and commonly cited first colour-screen mobile phones. In the same year, Siemens introduced the S10 Active, an outdoor-oriented variant with improved protection against shock, dust and splashes. The SL10, launched in 1999, was an early slider phone and helped establish a form factor that later became common across the industry. In 2000, Siemens acquired Bosch’s mobile-phone division. That year also brought the SL45, an important multimedia product with an MP3 player and removable MultiMediaCard support. The portfolio was organized across recognizable families: A-series phones generally served the low-cost market; C-series products targeted mainstream users; M-series handsets emphasized outdoor durability; and S-series models occupied the flagship tier. Additional families covered business communication, clamshells, sliders, UMTS and specialized or fashion-led designs. The early 2000s brought both technical ambition and commercial strain. Siemens introduced the Xelibri fashion-phone range in 2003, seeking to respond to the growing importance of style and lifestyle branding. The range did not perform successfully and became a costly failure. Siemens also launched the SX1 in 2003, its first Symbian-based handset and its only smartphone developed and produced by Siemens itself. Other models used partnerships or external development arrangements, including certain UMTS and Windows Mobile products. In 2005, the SXG75 added real GPS functionality to the portfolio. Despite its innovation record, Siemens Mobile lost market share as Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Ericsson, LG and Sony Ericsson strengthened their positions. The cited market-share figures show a decline from 8.6 percent in the third quarter of 2000 to 8.5 percent in 2003, 7.2 percent in 2004 and 5.6 percent in the first quarter of 2005. Falling sales and substantial losses made the division difficult to sustain within Siemens AG. On 7 June 2005, Siemens agreed to transfer the mobile-phone business to BenQ. Siemens invested €250 million before the transfer, recorded a €100 million asset write-down and acquired a 2.5 percent stake in BenQ for €50 million. BenQ obtained an exclusive five-year right to use the Siemens trademark on mobile phones, and the business was subsequently marketed as BenQ-Siemens through BenQ’s German unit. Siemens-branded phones continued briefly, with the AL21, A31 and AF51 released in November 2005. BenQ’s German unit filed for bankruptcy in 2006 after BenQ stopped investing in the operation. Siemens later restarted mobile-phone production under the Gigaset brand, but Siemens Mobile did not return as an independent handset business. The brand is therefore defunct. Its historical importance lies in its early colour-display and slider products, pioneering multimedia features, wide range of handset categories and unsuccessful attempt to remain a major global manufacturer during the rapid consolidation of the mobile-phone market.
- 2006
BenQ German unit enters bankruptcy
[1]BenQ’s German mobile-phone unit filed for bankruptcy after BenQ stopped investing in the operation.
- 2005
SXG75 with integrated GPS launched
[1]Siemens launched the SXG75, described in the reference material as its first phone with real GPS functionality.
- 2005
Mobile-phone business transferred to BenQ
[1]Siemens agreed to transfer its loss-making mobile-phone business to BenQ, with a five-year exclusive Siemens trademark licence for mobile phones.
- 2005
Last Siemens-branded handsets released
[1]The AL21, A31 and AF51 were released in November and became the final phones carrying the Siemens brand.
- 2003
Xelibri fashion-phone range launched
[1]Siemens introduced Xelibri as a lifestyle and fashion-phone range aimed at design-conscious consumers.
- 2003
SX1 Symbian smartphone launched
[1]The SX1 became Siemens’ first Symbian-based phone and its only smartphone developed and produced by Siemens itself.
- 2000
Bosch mobile-phone division acquired
[1]Siemens acquired Bosch’s mobile-phone division, expanding its position in the handset market.
- 2000
SL45 adds MP3 and removable storage
[1]The SL45 was launched with an MP3 player and support for removable MultiMediaCard storage, making it an early multimedia-focused phone.
- 1999
SL10 slider introduced
[1]The SL10 became an early slider-format mobile phone and combined the form factor with the S10-style four-colour display.
- 1997
S10 colour-display phone launched
[1]The S10 introduced a four-colour display showing red, green, blue and white and is commonly described as the first mobile phone with a colour screen.
Products and positioning
A broad international handset brand spanning entry-level, mainstream, business, rugged outdoor, multimedia, fashion and early smartphone segments. In its later years, Siemens Mobile attempted to compete through industrial design and technical features but was pressured by stronger global handset competitors.
Entry-level mobile phones
A series
The A series served the low-cost end of Siemens Mobile’s portfolio. Models generally emphasized basic calling and messaging functions, straightforward designs and broad accessibility rather than advanced multimedia or business features. The range included several of the brand’s later handsets, including the A31, A50, A55, A60, A70, A75 and AL21.
Mainstream feature phones
C series
The C series represented Siemens’ mainstream consumer range. It covered successive generations of GSM feature phones, from early C-series devices through popular models such as the C45, C55, C60, C65 and C75. Depending on the model, features included colour displays, cameras, GPRS, infrared connectivity and other functions typical of mid-market phones in the early 2000s.
Rugged outdoor mobile phones
M series
The M series was designed for outdoor use and emphasized durability and resistance to demanding conditions. Representative devices included the M35, M45, M50, M55, M65, M75 and ME45. Some models were marketed for professional or active users and used reinforced construction or protective features rather than concentrating solely on compactness or decorative styling.
Flagship and advanced mobile phones
S series
The S series was Siemens Mobile’s principal flagship family. It included the S1, colour-display S10, business-oriented S45, Bluetooth-equipped S55, camera-equipped S65 and later S68 and S75 models. The series was used to showcase new displays, connectivity, imaging, industrial design and higher-end software features.
Slider and design-led mobile phones
SL series
The SL family focused on slim, design-oriented phones and helped Siemens establish an early presence in the slider category. The SL10 was an early slider with a four-colour display, while the SL45 added MP3 playback and removable storage. Later models such as the SL55, SL65 and SL75 continued the family’s emphasis on compact form factors and styling.
Symbian smartphone · 2003
SX1
The SX1 was Siemens Mobile’s first phone running Symbian OS and its only smartphone developed and produced by Siemens itself. It used an unusual side-key layout and supported removable MultiMediaCard storage that could be exchanged while the phone was operating. The model represented Siemens’ attempt to participate in the emerging smartphone market.
Advanced multimedia and navigation phone · 2005
SXG75
The SXG75 was a late Siemens model combining advanced mobile-network capabilities with real GPS functionality. It was positioned as a technically ambitious device during the transition from conventional feature phones toward connected, location-aware mobile products. Its launch occurred shortly before Siemens transferred the handset business to BenQ.
Fashion mobile phones · 2003
Xelibri
Xelibri was a separate fashion-oriented line introduced in 2003. The phones were designed around distinctive styling and lifestyle positioning rather than conventional handset specifications alone. Siemens intended the range to address the growing fashion-phone trend, but the initiative failed commercially and became one of the division’s costly strategic disappointments.
Marketing campaigns
- 2004Cruzeiro sponsorship
Brazil
Siemens Mobile sponsored Brazilian football club Cruzeiro, extending its sports-marketing activity into Latin America.
Outcome. The reference identifies the sponsorship as occurring in 2004; its exact end date is not specified.
- 2002Real Madrid sponsorship
Spain · International
Siemens Mobile sponsored Real Madrid, giving the brand exposure through one of the world’s most internationally recognized football clubs.
Outcome. The sponsorship ran through the 2004–05 period.
- 2000Lazio sponsorship
Italy
Siemens Mobile sponsored Italian football club Lazio during the early 2000s as part of its European brand visibility and sports-marketing activity.
Outcome. The sponsorship ended in 2003.
- 2000Olympiacos sponsorship
Greece
Siemens Mobile sponsored Greek football club Olympiacos, associating the handset brand with a prominent domestic sports property.
Outcome. The sponsorship continued through 2005.
- 2000Bordeaux sponsorship
France
Siemens Mobile sponsored French football club Bordeaux as part of its European football-marketing presence.
Outcome. The sponsorship ended in 2004.
Brand decisions
2005
Transfer of Siemens Mobile to BenQM&ABackground
The mobile-phone operation was loss-making, sales were declining and its market share had fallen behind several major competitors.
Action taken
Siemens transferred the mobile-phone business to BenQ and granted BenQ an exclusive five-year right to use the Siemens trademark on mobile phones. Before the transfer, Siemens invested €250 million, wrote down €100 million in assets and acquired a 2.5 percent stake in BenQ for €50 million.
Aftermath
The business was marketed as BenQ-Siemens, but BenQ’s German unit filed for bankruptcy in 2006 after BenQ stopped investing. Siemens subsequently used the Gigaset name for renewed mobile-phone production.
Siemens pre-transfer investment. €250 million invested; €100 million asset write-down; €50 million paid for a 2.5 percent BenQ stake (2005 transfer)
2003
Launch of the Xelibri fashion-phone rangeProduct launchBackground
Siemens sought to respond to the growing fashion and lifestyle orientation of the handset market, where product appearance and personal expression were becoming important purchase factors.
Action taken
The company created Xelibri as a distinct range of fashion-led mobile phones with unusual designs and a positioning separate from conventional technical product families.
Aftermath
The range became a costly commercial failure and contributed to the division’s strategic difficulties.
Sources1 sources
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