Panasonic Ramping up Production

Panasonic Mobile, will more than double the number of handset models for export this fiscal year to about 10, according to a report in the Nikkei Shinbum. Panasonic has already made agreements with more than 10 carriers, mostly in Europe and projected shipments of about 8 million units this fiscal year, up 10% from fiscal 2004. The new models will be introduced starting in July through year-end, primarily targeted for Europe and China. 

The story suggests that developing the new models became easier and more efficient through the use of common semiconductor processors and operating systems and that the company is asking Vodafone Group Plc of the U.K., China Mobile Communications Corp. and other major foreign mobile phone carriers to adopt its handsets.