Year: <span>2006</span>
Year: 2006

Year: 2006

DoCoMo: 3G Phone with Windows OS

NTT DoCoMo and High Tech Computer Corp. (HTC) announced today they have agreed to market HTC 3G FOMA handsets with Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating systems. DoCoMo and HTC aim to launch commercial sales sometime in the second half of 2006. The phones will be targeted at corporate users and offer enterprise services such as synchronization with MS Windows Server and MS Exchange Server. The phones will also provide dual-mode W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS connectivity, Wireless LAN and a QWERTY keyboard. (Looks like another nice boost for Microsoft in the Japan mobile space — Eds.)

IDC's 2006 Top 10 Telecom Predictions

The mobile wallet foreshadows a possible total change in consumer payment behavior. With various payment modes utilizing technologies such as infrared, SMS, interactive voice response, mobile scan and contact-less chips, the mobile phone is being transformed into a replacement for petty cash, debit and credit cards, with payments charged either through the mobile phone bill or even directly to the bank account. IDC expects the market to begin to take root, beyond the leading adopters of Korea and Japan, at least in the micro-payment segment.

Vodafone's Japan Exit Alternative

Mark Newman, from Informa, has an interesting take on Vodafone’s opportunity in Japan; Vodafone president Bill Morrow has already said the company is talking to as many as 30 potential MVNOs. Japanese and international entertainment companies, local retailers and established MVNOs, such as Virgin Mobile, are likely to be among the 30 names, but eMobile and BB Mobile would be much bigger customers. Judging from the impact of MVNOs in Europe, Vodafone’s strategy is likely to have profound implications for all Japanese operators.

Info Plant Mobile Users Survey

Online market researcher Info Plant has released the results of a survey on cell-phone functions and services. The company conducted a survey of 7,905 NTT DoCoMo i-mode users nationwide, 12-23 December 2005. When asked which functions and services they usually use that are available on their handsets, 85.4 percent of respondents answered “alarm,” followed by 83.3 percent for “camera (for still images)” and 81.6 percent for “ring tone.” When asked which functions and services they wish to have, the top favorite was “TV,” followed by “GPS navigation” and “pass/ticket for train and bus;” “key,” “ID card,” and “anti-crime buzzer,” were among the top 10 answers.

KDDI Introduces Seven New 3G Handsets

This week was a new-cell-phone-announcement triple-play! Following DoCoMo on Tuesday and Vodafone yesterday, KDDI’s au brand held a press conference this afteroon at the super-swank New Otani hotel to unveil an impressive spring line-up. From L. to R. (below): Toshiba’s W41T with Japan’s first built-in 4GB HDD, the slick-styled Neon, is the latest addition to the in-house Design Project; Hitachi’s W41H ‘One-Seg’ digital TV phone; Casio’s W41CA, featuring a FeliCa mobile wallet; Kyocera’s W41K is a ‘Full Function’ camera phone with a 3.2-megapixel cam; SonyEricsson’s W41S is also FeliCa IC-enabled; and finally the Sanyo W41SA, which has an interesting handwritten character scanning application. The new fleet will hit store shelves starting in February along with the introduction of an enhanced Listen Mobile Service.

KDDI Introduces Seven New 3G Handsets by Mobikyo KK

Mobile Healthcare Launches Lifewatcher

After more than three years years in R&D, Tokyo-based Mobile Healthcare Inc. today announced the commercial launch of ‘Lifewatcher,’ a new disease management service that operates over mobile phones and the Internet. According to the company, Lifewatcher is a comprehensive, patient-centric, mobile disease self-management system for diabetes, obesity, and other lifestyle-related disease sufferers. It is critical for diabetes sufferers to track key health indicators such as blood sugar, blood pressure, calorie intake, exercise and their weight. WWJ posted a video interview with company president James Nakagawa on the then-under-development service in 2003.