DoCoMo to Launch Motorola 3G Phone

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, DoCoMo will offer a new 3G handset made by Motorola in spring 2005. DoCoMo is also (apparently) planning to supply terminals coming from Nokia as well. The article notes that forcast increasing global demand and product improvements by major overseas manufacturers, indicates a competative creep on the traditional domestic handset makers.

Until now DoCoMo, has sourced handsets from local suppliers, having full control on the final specification and branding features (think “i-mode button”).

However, as DoCoMo move overseas and see the growth curve of 3G coming in the next few years, it seems prudent that they start to source the production power of global No. 1 and No. 2 brands Nokia and Motorola. That being said, no doubt Big D will still want to offer the caliber of pocket-rocket that Japanese customers expect. Can non-Japanese suppliers meet the quality standard?

Without mentioning what model Motorola will offer, and with there being no official press release (that we could find), it was interesting to see the Motorola Japan Web site showing off the RAZR V3 (Flash clip); the Nikkei’s article mentions that this new unit will have a very cool PDA-size touch-sensitive LCD display.

Meanwhile, this interview, via DigiTimes, with Tom Okada, general manager of personal communications for the Japan & North East Asia Division at Motorola, has some interesting comments about 3G developments in Japan’s telecom market.