TOKYO—Mitsubishi Electric and Toshiba, two leading electronic manufacturers in Japan, partnered for third-generation (3G) handsets and will begin collaborating next month on the development of a new platform for multimedia-enabled, dual-mode mobile phones, both firms announced.
Based on the agreement, both firms will jointly develop new 3G handsets by fully using Toshiba’s advanced motion picture technologies and Mitsubishi’s encryption technologies. They are targeting to set up a joint venture that will develop, manufacture and market products.
The agreement could result in the creation of a new standard for 3G phones. Mitsubishi and Toshiba said they are still working out the specific details of their collaboration.
Mitsubishi has been selling mobile handsets in Europe, and Toshiba has been selling products in the United States.
The 3G handset business requires many resources, and several handset venders have partnered: NEC and Matsushita tied up last August and Sony and Ericsson merged their 3G business units.
