TOKYO—KDDI Corp. is reportedly working with Toshiba Corp., Sanyo Electric Co. and Qualcomm Inc. to develop a common operating system for mobile phones to cut the cost of developing new handsets, according to a Reuters report.
The four companies will also work on software for running digital cameras, messaging programs and wireless applications. Handsets sporting the newly developed software will be ready for market by late 2007.
The bulk of the cost of developing new, high-end mobile phones is attributable to software development, which can cost in the tens of millions of dollars.
KDDI is Japan’s second-largest network operator with 26 million subscribers.
