Japanese tech giant Panasonic is reported by Reuters as saying it’s planning a move into smartphone territory, and will launch a range of Android powered phones in Japan in early 2011. The phones will then launch around the world in 2012.
Panasonic admits it’s a bit late to the party, and hopes Android will help it catch up…
“We misjudged the speed at which smartphones would be taken up in the Japanese market … with the rapid shift to Android, we want to catch up quickly”
And here’s one of Panasonic’s earlier efforts:
Good luck, Panasonic. We suspect you’ll struggle to make any sort of impact come 2012, as we can only imagine what the likes of HTC and Samsung will be producing by then. Link via Phandroid.
Motorola’s latest flagship dual-core Android monster is a massive, original powerhouse, that’s a big improvement on previous MOTOBLUR mobiles – but still isn’t a total winner.
A slim and glamorous phone from Sony Ericsson, with the sharpest display around. It’s no powerhouse and the screen’s not the biggest out there, but we don’t mind. Because it’s cute.
LG’s first glasses-free 3D phone is a heavy, fat monster, with a clever 3D effect that works rather well. As a smartphone, though, it’s heavy and underwhelming.
A very shiny thing from Sony Ericsson, with a 3.7″ screen and Android 2.3.3 inside. But is it exciting enough to win fans in today’s spec-obsessed market? Can man live on one core alone?
INQ’s Android phone is an interesting “boutique” piece of hardware, packed with unique interface customisations that go far beyond the headline Facebook integration. We like it a lot.
Stoofen
/ November 16, 2010Historically, Panasonic is my favourite electronics manufacturer. I even have a shameful collection of hipster-pleasing vintage radios and calculators. I’d buy an Android lump from Panasonic in a heartbeat and I can’t see how they’d be that far behind.
A bit of simple reverse engineering and some well-placed poaching and they’ll be up to speed pretty quickly.
Gary C
/ November 16, 2010It might as well just license something from Huawei and hire a few ladies in a factory to put “Panasonic” stickers over the top. Could have something ready by Christmas 2010 that way.