SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) announced that it today entered into a contract with Auto Meister Sdn Bhd, an electronics retailer in Malaysia, to export Smart Beam to the Malaysian market following its successful launches in the European markets.

Under the contrct, Auto Meister Sdn Bhd will be given the exclusive right to distribute SK Telecom’s Smart Beam in the Malaysian market.

Smart Beam, launched in September 2012, is the world’s smallest pico projector for smartphones and tablet PCs that can project diverse contents stored in/being played on smartphones on a nearby wall or ceiling.

Smart Beam sets itself apart from other projectors through its highly portable design, powerful audio and high-quality image. The cube-shaped (each side measuring 4.5cm) projector boasts an output of about 35 lumens, the brightest among projectors in the same size range. Moreover, it brings much greater user convenience by removing the need for installation of a projector screen and speaker.

SK Telecom has developed Smart Beam as part of its efforts to create new areas of growth beyond its existing telecommunications business and build mutually-beneficial relationships with Korean SMEs.

Smart Beam is rapidly increasing its presence and popularity on the global stage. It has been invited to be exhibited at the Mobile Learning Week organized by UNESCO in Paris from February 18 to 22, and also showcased at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2013 held in Barcelona, Spain from February 25 to 28, 2013. In addition, it has been chosen as one of the Big 5 items under the Portable Product category at Hong Kong Electronics Fair in October 2012, and won a product design award at iF Design Awards held in Germany in December 2012.

SK Telecom said that Smart Beam is being exported to Germany, and it is in the last stage of negotiations with companies in the Middle East and Indonesia to export Smart Beam in their respective markets.

Park Chol-soon, Senior Vice President and Head of Convergence Business Office at SK Telecom said, "Smart Beam is a stand-out win-win business model that combines a large company’s business knowhow and a small company’s technological capability. SK Telecom will continue to make efforts to secure new growth engines and help competent Korean SMEs expand their business to overseas markets by actively promoting the development of many new attractive business models like Smart Beam."

Meanwhile, SK Telecom said that as of now over 10,000 units of Smart Beams linked to educational contents have been sold in the Korean market. Smart Beam is also currently available on 11st, an online marketplace, for those who wish to buy the device alone. Going forward, the company plans to increase Smart Beam sales channels to include social commerce sites and home shopping channels.