Wireless News
Wireless News

Wireless News

Rakuten to Launch Anonymous Auctions

Rakuten, Inc. and NTT DoCoMo announced today that their joint-venture company Rakuten Auction is launching an auction service which does not require sellers or winning bidders to divulge private information to one another. The service will be available to PC users from today and will be listed in the i-mode portal from November 20. Compatible handsets for the new service, dubbed ‘Rakuten Auction,’ will be FOMA models sold since the launch of the 900i series, with some exceptions.

Japan FTC to Investigate Qualcomm

Japan’s antitrust watchdog has told Qualcomm Inc.’s Japanese subsidiary that it may investigate its licensing and chip business practices in Japan, Qualcomm said on Thursday, sending its shares down more than 3 percent. The news comes after sources said last week that the European Commission is likely to intensify its investigation of Qualcomm’s patent licensing rates for a new generation of mobile phone technology. Japan’s Fair Trade Commission did not say when it might investigate the company or identify any complainant, Qualcomm said.

Gemini Launches Mobile Community Platform

Gemini Mobile Technologies has announced a new software platform to power mobile communities. The Gemini platform, called eXplo, is the foundation of a new 3D interface from SoftBank Mobile Corporation in Japan, named S! TOWN. SoftBank Mobile’s new S! Town-enabled phones are available today throughout Japan on selected Sharp and Toshiba phone models. Gemini expects to announce new carriers and content providers for eXplo in the coming months.

KDDI Unveils New Concept Models

The KDDI Designing Studio in Harajuku has 4 new concept handsets, including the next version of their popular InfoBar series, on display in their main-floor exhibit space. The so-called InfoBar 2 – although it’s the third version we’ve seen? – comes in 5 colors and has a cool speaker system built into the re-charger cradle. The companies AU Design Project continues to set the pace for future model development, if you’re in Tokyo the exhibition runs through 16 November.

Excite Japan Signs Mobile Content Deal

Excite Japan has signed a deal with Media Lead to distribute mobile content throughout the Asia Pacific region, “The initial plan is for Media Lead to supply mobile games and content for distribution by Excite Japan throughout Asia, and for Excite Japan to supply Japanese originated content to Media Lead distribution to the North and South American, and European markets”. In North America the content will be distributed by LA-based Smart SMS corporation.

Japan's FTC Investigates SoftBank

Japan’s antitrust watchdog has questioned new mobile phone operator Softbank Corp. about its sales tactics, a Softbank spokesman said on Tuesday. Officials from the Fair Trade Commission met with Softbank’s wireless unit on Monday to ask for an explanation of new discounts and sales tactics, the spokesman said, declining to elaborate further. The Sankei Shimbun reported the FTC was examining whether recent sales campaigns launched by Softbank are misleading to consumers.