Dissecting the Japanese Mobile Phone

The March edition of Nikkei Electronics Asia features an interesting peek under the hood of three current handsets now available in Japan. They expose how the insides of these so-called “All in One” multi-function models; the P905i VIERA from Panasonic, W53H from Hitachi and the 920SH by Sharp, are designed in cooperation of a local electronics manufacturer. Interesting to note the OLED screen on the W53H ‘Wooo’ by Hitachi was produced by Samsung and that efforts to slim the design while increasing battery power, to a whopping double the 1-Seg. viewing time, are key considerations.

Autumn/winter 2007 mobile phone models offer more functions than ever before. Not only has one-segment programming reception become a common feature, but today’s handsets also boast built-in High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), international roaming such as Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), and FeliCa electronic money. Many designs also have Bluetooth transceiver functions and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) reception: in short, they’re equipped with just about everything but the kitchen sink. Mobile phone manufacturers are aiming to increase market share by demonstrating to consumers how rich a selection of functions they offer.

The trend towards an internal 1-Seg antenna and innovative open/close hinge designs combined with power drain improvements all within an ever shrinking componant lay-out are certainly impressive!