Turkcell has unveiled a local smartphone – a handset created domestically, by the telcos R&D arm, Turkcell Technology.

The phone, codenamed Gebze after the city base of the R&D centre, will apparently feature a unique interface, and hardware developed with the needs of Turkish customers in mind.

“R&D has always been of importance for countries,” said Turkish minister of transport and communications Binali Yildirim. “We completed our studies on regulating R&D activities with regards to the Information and Communications sector in 2012.  During these studies, we aimed to produce a local product and create a brand.  With this purpose in mind, we support software and hardware projects in the sector for free.  Indeed, our studies in R&D and local contribution to production have started to bear fruit.  One of them is Turkcell’s.  And today, we have come one step closer to our target.”

The handset is set to be released this year, with the intention of exporting it, initially to regional countries.