Fujitsu may be developing its first Android smartphone
updated 01:30 pm EDT, Fri July 9, 2010
Fujitsu to release Android smartphone in 2011?
Fujitsu is reportedly working on its first Android-powered smartphone, say sources from Japan. The device is rumored to become available at NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest provider. The phone may be based on the company's F1100 handset with a slide-out keypad and should hit the market in 2011.
Fujitsu plans on eventually offering the smartphone in other markets, though a timeline for this hasn't been detailed. Technical specs of the device remain unknown but the F1100, which was first introduced back in 2007, sported a 320x240, 2.6-inch screen, a microSD card slot, a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It's more likely the handset will be upgraded heavily or an entirely different one altogether is used, as Android smartphones typically rely on touchscreens.
Japanese phone makers have for the most part been reluctant to involve themselves with smartphone makers but have been gradually suffering as their devices have been left behind. Sony Ericsson has had some success with the Xperia X10, but the presence of the iPhone has let Softbank grow faster where traditional carriers like NTT DoCoMo and KDDI have been slowing down. [via MobileCrunch]
