IS03: New KDDI au Android Smartphone

Published on October 4th,2010 at 12:30 PM
By >Akihabara News Team

IS03: New KDDI au Android Smartphone

Category: Press Conference Phones - Tags: Android, Android 2.1, Android 2.2, Android OS 2.1, Android OS 2.2, Au, Cell Phone, Flash, Flash Lite, Flash Lite 4.0, Infrared, Iphone, Kddi, Lismo, memory LCD, One Seg, Oneseg, Sharp, Smartphone, Touchscreen, X10, Xperia, Xperia X10

KDDI Smarphone with Unsmartphone-like Features

Sharp and KDDI announced the late-November availability of their new Android smartphone, the IS03, in a joint press conference held in Tokyo this morning.

The IS03 will be the second Android smartphone in the IS series, and KDDI president Tanaka Takashi stated that all of the company’s resources will be put into marketing the device: this will be KDDI’s full-scale launch into the Android landscape, under the banner “Android au”. It’ll feature a 960×640-resolution 3.5-inch touchscreen, of which the sliver at the bottom will be a monochromatic “memory LCD” with persistent pixels for displaying the time or new notifications – even if the rest of the screen is powered off – while drawing little to no power. It’ll come with Android OS 2.1 (with an upgrade to 2.2 on a yet-unannounced date) with Flash Lite 4.0, with support for the Android Market as well as KDDI’s “one Market”, along with such au classics as au one naviwalk and LISMO!, both with rewritten user interfaces for the IS03. The handset itself will weigh 138g at 6.3×12.1×1.26cm, with Sharp’s own 9.6 megapixel CCD camera with autofocus and ProPix image processor; the battery is rated for 230 minutes of talk time and 200 hours standby.

What’s interesting about this Android smartphone is that it turns on its head the notion that smartphones don’t, as a rule, have cell phone technologies specific to, or well-known to be related with, Japanese cell phones. The IS03 has infrared for quick data communication between two phones; it has one-seg TV for watching TV on the trains or in cars; it has Osaifu-keitai, a contact-less IC payment chip with a huge infrastructure supporting payment to over ten participating services, including McDonalds, Edy, and JR’s Mobile Suica. It will support MMS right off the bat (unlike Softbank’s Apple iPhones, which took two years; and Sony Ericcson’s Xperia X10, which got @docomo.ne.jp support six months after its release) along with decome, multimedia texts with flashy, decorative graphics; and other tools like a camera text reader (including support for business cards, a Japanese standard) and pedometer.

The phone will go on sale in late November, and pricing will be announced closer to launch.

Via KDDI Corporation

17 Comments

Category Press Conference Phones

- Sharp SH001, Yet Another AU 8Mpix AF Phone (January 29th,2009 at 3:19 PM)
- Meet Sony Ericsson new XPERIA X10 with RACHAEL Android interface (November 4th,2009 at 5:51 PM)
- AU iida Ply, Yet Another Design Phone from KDDI (September 9th,2009 at 2:15 PM)
- Sharp Solar Panel for Mobile Devices Now Available Globally (May 26th,2009 at 3:55 PM)
- Au KDDI Sum 09: Solar Phone SH002 by Sharp (May 25th,2009 at 2:53 PM)

- Japan Probe – News from Japan (Subscribe)

< < Previous Post

Next Post > >

[3/10/2010 02:13]

Let’s Visit Tokyo - Let’s Drive

[4/10/2010 03:49]

Cell Subscribers to Get Signal in NYC Subway

Participate

dvhh

no front facing camera ? that’s a shame
basejump

Sharp and AU launched the device IS01 as a PROTOTYPE…missing a mail software and shutdown the soft a few days after the update…The first users using device 001 are a test users, but unhapiness Sharp don t have plans to VERSION UP the Android to 2.1 firmware…We support SHARP but they don t support us…Android 1.6 don t run FLASH And games and apli based in HD and 3D….the betters one…I think is01 and is03 are to different market and users then don t have a reason to SHARP don t make a IS01 version up….Include LYNX users by DOCOMO…IS01 use a SNAPDRAGON 1.0 gz processor the same of XPERIA X10 by SONYERICSON as announced XPERIA VERSION UP to 2.1 ANDROID to end of year….
Duff

When is this thing going on sale? I heard Oct. 14, but nothing yet . . .
I also read that AU’s will have the is06 out in JAN.
Can anyone explain the pros & cons of each, please . . .
amy

I was at AU today & I was told it is coming out November 26th.
Gary B

Got mine on opening day (11/26/10) Many of my AU-using friends scarfed up on this. Superb performer with tons of useful apps. No English book yet and by the time I got there the service ladies were burnt out and forgot to get me the necessary passwords. APPs suck juice out of the battery so be sure and download the Advanced Task Killer from the Android Market (app included). Charger is extra but current AU users are in luck because of standardization in that area. I have a charger cable for two rooms in the house, one for the office and car charger. That means, though, that you have to carry around the “pig tail”. My first day I put on the GPS, WiFi and left a couple of apps running and got about 5 hours out of a charge. The next night I took some photos and a couple of two-minute videos and lost all but phone and mail usage at 20% after just three hours. Waiting for extra batteries (or win one from the AU IS03 lottery for purchasers) and a couple of pig tails.
My tech buddies with the Iphone, etc. (etc.= non-Android platforms) are amazed. I’ve been holding off just because I didn’t want to switch my AU account nor pay the price for a IPod Touch 4. VERY glad I held out and didn’t jump on the bandwagon when this stuff first started. AU users, what are you waiting for?
Duff

Hi Gary B, I have a question if you have time to clarify your post above…
I picked-up my phone and an extra battery last night.

What “necessary passwords” are needed?

Thanks
Gary B

In the rush to get these things out I found the AU staff to be quite prepared. However little access numbers and such were not gone over. Things like the Pedometer app. A PIN is required (or some sort of password) but none was provided. A few of my Japanese friends had the same issue which they solved with a call to AU. There’s a couple of others you may or may not discover as time goes on that I’ll have to deal with with the shop.
Duff

Thanks Gary! I noticed that I need a pin or pw # for skype set-up as well.
Still getting use to all the functions and how to use. I can copy text from an email, but can’t paste the text . . .
basejump

video post by japanese is01 users about SHARP AND AU don t update is01 device..if think acquire a SHARP DEVICE think a twice….cause maybe tyou cant have a decent support…
Sharp and au haven t respect with yours users….cause used is01 users as a test users to make is03 then don t up to date is01device…SONY ERICSSON upto dated XPERIA x10 to ANDROID 2.1…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXoVUWcJFFc&feature=player_embedded
basejump

Sharp can t update your own device..is01…official posted by AU support….too bad…someone still want is03? Is funny cause Is01 use the same processor of Xperia x10….follow the transcrition of AU COMMENT ABOUT is01
#Dear Customer,

Thank you for your inquiry through our website to au E-mail Support Desk.
We will answer your inquiry as follows.
My name is Tsutsumi.

We are very sorry to say that we could not provide upgrade service for OS version of “IS01″.

Regarding upgrading OS version, we have come up with the conclusion that it is not possible to conduct it
after so many testings and verifications with manufacturer for 5 months.

The uprading OS version was under consideration when releasing “IS01″ at first time.

We are sorry for disappointing loyal customers as you with this matter.

We address the full support of “IS01″ thoroughly, such as minor upgrade and modifications.

Regarding “Skype”, we provide “Skype au” service for Android OS smartphone including “IS01″.

We provide various secured applications on “au one Market”.
For example, you can use “Skype au” by downloading application from “au one Market.”
*Downloading involves packet communication charge.

We truly apologize again for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
We will report your opinion to section in charge of technical improvement.

We would be appreciated if you kindly understand this matter.

Best regards

◆Notice◆
When you reply to this mail for further information,
please let us know the 15-digits number ([000000000000000])
on title of this mail or please do not change the title itself.

******
KDDI au E-mail Support Desk#
basejump

In conclusion means Sharp realese as a final product just a prototype with non test enough to know the real capacity of product…That explain the short time between is01 and is03…Xperia x10 realesed before but you don t have notice about xperia x11…cause Sony Ericson support yours customers updating Xperia X10
Duff

basehump… I hear you, but it’s too late for me.
I & AU will only have 2 options at the end of “our” 2 year contract if the
promised upgrades have not come.
Also . . .
I wouldn’t be pounding the “taiko” so loud about Sony’s Xperia!
as a JPN friend of mine who works at Sony as a cell phone engineer, said its not
worth the price and needs a lot of serious upgrades . .
basejump

Hi Duff…Maybe is better you wait a little bit for the new dual core smartphone….DOCOMO OR SOFTBANK maybe have a negotiation to realese in Japan as soon..

.LG realesed the Optimus 2x in January in Korea…Au maybe not interesting in TOP LINE Smartphones…then i think found the device powered by Docomo or Softbank next summer…then I ll wait a little bit….Look this..LG device dual core can be run in a HDMI Monitor..cool.
basejump

AU unhapiness want just a no top line smartphones to no expend money for the company….then AU users will be to far of the smart tecnology….
Scob

IS03 promises a lot of extras but on buying half of them
are not ready and won’t be until “the beginning” of the New Year.
Saifu Keitai, Lismo are not complete for example and there are two
pages of A4 listing all the things that are not ready! The English
manual…online is only two pages long and is the same as the
English in the Japanese manual. Local AU staff though very kind and
cooperative and will stick it out for hours answering and finding
out the answers. Screen also may be rather sensitive perhaps too
sensitive. Photo album takes ages to come up and battery really
runs out FAST. Have had to put recharging places all around
me…home, car and work place. But a real pain and taking out the
battery and replacing it makes me worry that after a while it will
ware the casing down gradually. But the price is certainly
competitive with Iphone and being able to use the internet anywhere
at a flat rate is FANTASTIC!
Antoniocalvo23

If I get the phone from Japan can It still have service in the US but still pay the bill with my account?
Alexis_72288

pwede na ba ipa open line yan here?

[24/5/2013 12:42] 0 SQUARE ENIX - "Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn" release date is announced - August 27	[24/5/2013 07:39] 0 Toshiba - External HDD "CANVIO DESK" 1TB/2TB/3TB model - Fast and large, place it horizontally or vertically and connect your TV of Blu-ray recorder
[24/5/2013 06:41] 1 Leica - Limited edition camera - "Leica X2 Yokohama Edition" - Commemorating the opening of Leica SOGO Yokohama store	[23/5/2013 12:42] 0 Audio Technica - Audio speaker "AT-SPC100" that delivers 360-degree sounds
[23/5/2013 12:03] 0 Casio - PRO TREK Outdoor watch "PRW-3000" - 4 models - Displays accurate direction, atmospheric pressure, altitude, and temperature quickly	[23/5/2013 11:18] 0 Muji - Bluetooth compliant speaker built-in charging station - "BSSJT-MJ"
[23/5/2013 10:11] 1 LG Electronics Japan - "Pocket photo" mobile photo printer - Take a photo with your smartphone and print it out right away	[23/5/2013 09:08] 0 CCP - NANO-FALCON - Infrared ray-controlled miniature helicopter - Certified by Guinness World Records
[22/5/2013 12:14] 0 Japanese Robot Art: Nice to Look At, and Don't Forget the Inspiration!	[22/5/2013 09:16] 3 Microsoft - Xbox One: the ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system
[22/5/2013 06:25] 2 I-O DATA - Only 9 mm thin USB3.0 compliant portable 500GB HDD - "Kakuusu 9"	[22/5/2013 05:17] 0 Takara Tomy - Dancing Face-Stand for iPhone - Take photo! Set and choose music! Let's Sing! Dance!
[22/5/2013 04:25] 1 Purchasing behaviour analysis system wants to know what you like	[21/5/2013 11:45] 0 Sharp - 4K compliant "AQUOS UD1" series TVs - 2 models presented at the Sharp New LCD TV Model Press Conference
[21/5/2013 09:10] 1 Elecom - Touch panel cleaner with fragrance - spray type (P-FCS) and wet tissue type (P-FCT5P)	[21/5/2013 05:41] 0 Thanko - Miniature functional camera that looks like a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera