KDDI has just announced a new 3G handset, the A1403K by Kyocera [.jpg image], which will be available in Japan at the end of October. Touted as a “Friendly oval form which is comfortable to hold,” it was designed by Ichiro Iwasaki. We have a quick peek on video of what looks like an early prototype of this model at CEATEC 2002. See the press release [in Japanese] Here.
Toyota Motors announced today that it will sell a new Pipit Phone model, a unique PHS handset [.jpg image] it has developed with PHS carrier DDI Pocket and Kyocera, at its auto dealers as well as its mobile phone shops across Japan, beginning on September 4. The new model has a security alarm built into the back side of the handset, an emergency call function to send out an emergency alarm to up to three pre-registered numbers. The handset also supports free access to PiPit Web, a location information site operated by Toyota, as well as email.
This free-for-all program takes you to KDDI’s recent launch event at the Imperial hotel announcing the carrier’s three new WIN handsets, all now making use of Macromedia Flash lite. You’ll get a close-up of these phones in action plus tips on the new 3G flat-rate price plan coming in August. We also highlight NTT DoCoMo’s N900iL dual-mode 802.11b/W-CDMA handset based on the FOMA N900i which, unfortunately, has been transformed into the de facto proprietary, intranet-only “Passage Duple” WLAN phone by NEC and DoCoMo. While future versions may run on the consumer-targeted M-Stage platform, for now this first baby step into the dual-mode 3G/Wi-Fi world is aimed exclusively at corporate-controlled walled gardens.
A year ago, WWJ predicted the end of packet-based pricing. A year later, KDDI/au, and Japan, would seem to be entering a new price war. Today, KDDI threw down the gauntlet to DoCoMo by slashing its fixed packet charge from 4,200 yen to 2,000 yen (Yes! You read that right…) on August 1, while flaunting three cool new mobile models armed with what will rapidly become de rigeur in Japan: flash! We’ll have an exclusive video program with Anup Murarka, Macromedia’s senior director of mobile marketing and devices coming in a few weeks, and — of course — breathtaking visuals of KDDI’s newest and sexiest phones and menus. But first, let’s take a look at the No. 2 carriers’s latest strategy to keep pummeling DoCoMo and Vodafone for new adds in a maturing market.
QUALCOMM Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced strong customer demand for its single chip, fully integrated Qtv(TM), Qcamcorder(TM) and Qvideophone(TM) multimedia solutions. These enhanced video solutions are part of QUALCOMM’s suite of Launchpad(TM) technologies integrated into QUALCOMM’s chipset solutions; Qtv is a real-time decoder that enables the streaming and downloading of video content, Qcamcorder is a real-time encoder that records video, and Qvideophone is a two-way, video telephony solution that enables mobile videoconferencing. QUALCOMM’s mobile video solutions have been chosen as the multimedia implementation for more than 30 different handset designs from seven wireless device manufacturers, representing global markets including Europe, Japan, South Korea and North America.
U.S. buyout specialist Carlyle Group and Kyocera Corp. are right now announcing details of their purchase of keitai mini and Personal Handy Phone (PHS) operator DDI Pocket from KDDI. Carlyle and Kyocera are expected to snap up a 90 percent stake in DDI Pocket in the $2.1 billion deal. The purchase is sure to give Kyocera, a major PHS phone and base-station maker, a platform to hit the booming China market and gives KDDI a chance to offload the strugging DDI unit (now down to its last 3 million subs) as au concentrates on improving its CDMA 1X EV-DO WIN service against a resurgent DoCoMo. Under the deal announced yesterday, Carlyle will own 60%, Kyocera 10% and KDDI will keep the remaining 10%.
