TOKYO-Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo announced plans for two new devices this week.
DoCoMo said it has developed a wristwatch-type PHS terminal. The product will hit the market in April at the earliest, Japan’s largest mobile operator said.
The initial shipment will be limited to 5,000 units and will be distributed exclusively via the Internet home page, www.wristomo.com.
NTT Corporation, the parent company of NTT DoCoMo, developed a prototype of a wristwatch terminal several years ago. However, it has not launched commercial sales of the product, because it was not user friendly.
The newly developed wristwatch PHS device by NTT DoCoMo has addressed the usability problem. It is shaped like an ordinary wristwatch and operates like a normal watch, and when a user makes or receives a call, it opens into the shape of a PHS handset.
The handset is 171.5 by 40.4 by 18.5 millimeters and weighs 113 grams. The talking time is 120 minutes, and the waiting time is 200 hours. The listing price has not yet been decided, however, NTT DoCoMo said it might be less than 50,000 yen (US$418) per unit.
In addition, DoCoMo said it will introduce its first global positioning system (GPS) phone, the F661i, at the end of April at the earliest. GPS accuracy is within 10 to 50 meters.
The operator said the phone will enable users to determine their locations and download maps and information about an area. Users will have access to eight different types of GPS content from eight information providers, including public transportation and restaurant data.
Subscribers can also let others know their locations by inputting their positions into e-mails and sending to any i-mode-compatible devices, and users can track others as well through separate contracts with application service providers.
Last week, DoCoMo rival KDDI announced plans for a similar location-finding service that lets its au mobile handset users identify the locations of other au handset users on either au handsets or PCs.
