Fujitsu Limited (Tokyo) and France Telecom-Orange (Paris) today announced a new partnership to offer mobile phones and services in Europe. The partnership marks Fujitsu’s first extensive foray into the smartphone market outside Japan, and could herald future opportunity seeking among Japanese hardware-makers overseas.

The initial offering will be the STYLISTIC S01, a smartphone designed especially for senior users, and will be available through Orange in France in June 2013.

As the senior population in Europe continues to grow rapidly, smartphone usage in this demographic is expected to rise. With the release of the STYLISTIC S01, Fujitsu and Orange plan on offering users in this market segment an innovative smartphone that provides outstanding usability. The STYLISTIC S01 will include services like Orange Cineday and Orange et Moi, which are unique to Orange.

The touchscreen of the STYLISTIC S01 is unique in that it employs a screen technology that requires users to apply the same level of pressure to on-screen icons as they would to buttons on a keypad. This helps users avoid inadvertent touches, preventing unintended operations and improving input accuracy. It is a good option for users that are not used to traditional touchscreens and used to a more traditional tactile experience.

Specifications:

• 130 × 64 × 10.9 mm
• 4-inch WVGA (800×480) touchscreen with unique tactile feedback technology
• Camera: back: 8.1 MP; front: 0.3 MP
• Connectivity: GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, GPS
• Memory: 4 GB + microSD
• OS version: Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0
• Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8255 1.4 GHz
• Battery: 1800 mAh
• Water- and dust-resistant (IPX5/8, IP5X)