SoftBank Unveils New Mobile Handset Lineup for Spring 2008
‘The Full Lineup’ of 15 models with ‘Freedom’ and ‘Individuality’
January 28, 2008SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp.
SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Masayoshi Son; hereinafter ‘SBM’) announced the launch of 15 new models for the spring 2008 sales season, beginning in February. These include 3 models with organic EL (electroluminescence) display and 7 Global Roaming handsets that can be used overseas.
Each of the new models has its own unique style, and covers major functionalities. The lineup includes a new-style full slider handset which customers can operate by touching, finger-tracing or shaking; ‘Internet Machine’ equipped with industry’s largest 3.5-inch full wide VGA LCD and a full keyboard; handset with high quality textures such as real wood, pure leather, real carbon, etc.; TV brand One Seg compatible handsets such as ‘VIERA keitai™ (mobile phone)’ and ‘REGZA keitai’; One Seg handset with organic EL display, and other features. A variety of models to meet various customer needs such as handsets for kids and the elderly; a slim straight type handset; a waterproof handset; and SoftBank X series models will be offered.
Furthermore, SBM will introduce a collaboration model with Tiffany, the world-famous luxury jewelry brand.
‘Disney Mobile’ handsets, in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd. will also be available at SoftBank shops.
For more information on the new models for spring 2008 sales season, please see the attached appendix.
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Appendix
Models and main features
| Model | Main features | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| SoftBank 920P (by Panasonic Mobile Communications) |
3-inch full wide VGA LCD equipped ‘VIERA keitai™ (mobile phone)’ adopting ‘Double Open Style™’ that allows customers to open vertically or horizontally. Able to take high quality photos with approx. 5.1 mega-pixel auto focus camera. | Late Feb. |
| FULLFACE 2 SoftBank 921SH (by Sharp) | New full sliding handset that can be operated by touching, finger-tracing or shaking. Body size is approx. 1 mm slimmer than the previous model (913SH), with 3.2-inch full wide VGA LCD (approx. 1.3 times as large as previous model display size) which allows comfortable viewing of One Seg TV. | Early Mar. |
| Internet Machine SoftBank 922SH (by Sharp) | 2 way style handset that allows calls in closed position and use of full keyboard in open position. Comfortable use of Internet and One Seg with industry’s largest 3.5-inch full wide VGA LCD and full keyboard. | Late Mar. |
| SoftBank 921T (by Toshiba) | Mounted with 2.8-inch wide QVGA organic EL display that provides rich color reproductivity. ‘REGZA keitai’ mounted with genuine screen technology found in Toshiba’s ‘REGZA’ line of LCD TVs. | Late Mar. |
| SoftBank 822P (by Panasonic Mobile Communications) | World thinnest level slim and flat handset at approx. 8.9mm with beautiful gradation color variation*1. Mounted with 2.0 mega-pixel auto focus camera, and Global Roaming compatible. | Mid-Feb. |
| SoftBank 820SC (by Samsung Electronics) | Comfortable viewing of One Seg is available with rich color reproductive organic EL display (AM-OLED*2). Global Roaming compatible. | Mid-Feb. |
| SoftBank 821SC (by Samsung Electronics) | One Seg compatible handset mounted with organic EL display, compact size optimized for female hands. Able to easily choose a program customers want to watch using ‘Program Preview’ function. | Mid-Mar. |
| THE PREMIUM TEXTURE SoftBank 823SH (by Sharp) | 9 kinds of impressive textured exteriors such as genuine wood, leather and real carbon are available. Also provides ‘JAPAN TEXTURE’, a fusion of traditional Japanese taste. | Early Mar. |
| Kodomobile SoftBank 820T (by Toshiba) | The second model of ‘Kodomobile’ with totally new design. Bundled with GPS function to provide ‘Ichi Navi’ and ‘Idokoro-mail’ (Mobile Presence Application) function. | Early Feb. |
| Simple Phone SoftBank 821T (by Toshiba) | Easy to use with ‘Flashing Notice Button’, speed dial and large size characters. | Early Mar. |
| SoftBank 822T (by Toshiba) | ‘Waterproof keitai’, convenient to use for daily life and even at the pool side. Covers basic functions with 2.4-inch clear screen LCD. | Late Feb. |
| SoftBank X02NK/ Nokia N95 (by Nokia) | Japan’s first mobile equipped with a 5.0-mega-pixel camera featuring Carl Zeiss Lenses. Dual slider type of multimedia handset. | Late Apr. |
| SoftBank X03HT (by HTC) | ‘Windows® Keitai’ equipped with ten keys and QWERTY*3 keyboard in a compact body. Compatible with wireless LAN communication. | Late Apr. |
| SoftBank 920SH YK (by Sharp) | ‘Stock trading Keitai’ equipped with ‘Stock trading Key’ that enables customers to launch stock trading application by one click. Stock trading is comfortable with 3.2-inch large display. | Late Mar. |
| (TBD) | Collaboration model with Tiffany (details to be decided). | - |
- *1 Excluding white color.
- *2 Abbreviation for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode.
- *3 This indicates the key arrangement generally used in PCs, etc. and is called QWERTY since its first 6 characters from the second top left are ‘QWERTY’ order.
- * As for Global Roaming service, voice roaming is available on GSM networks in 180 countries and regions, with internet access roaming in 111 of them as of January 28, 2008. In addition, 3G (W-CDMA) voice roaming and internet access roaming is available on networks in 50 countries and regions, with Video Call roaming available in 44 of them.
- * VIERA keitai and Double Open Style are trademarks of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
- * REGZA is a registered trademark of TOSHIBA CORPORATION.
- * Windows is an abbreviation for the Microsoft Windows operating system.
- * Microsoft, Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
- * Internet Machine, The PREMIUM, TEXTURE, Kodomobile, Ichi Navi and Simple Phone are registered trademarks or trademarks of SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp.
- * SOFTBANK, the SOFTBANK name and logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of SOFTBANK CORP. in Japan and other countries.
- * The names of the companies, products and services used in this press release are registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective companies.
- The information is true and accurate at the time of publication.
Price, specification, contact and other information of products and service may be subjected to change. The information contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements.