vB Easy Archive - Sharp at 3GSM World Congress 2007

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Sharp at 3GSM World Congress 2007
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Posted by: AL9999

Well here we are with just a few hours to go before 3GSM 2007 opens up and we learn a heap of new things in the phone industry that haven't been leaked out already. We haven't heard much yet about what Sharp is going to show but they've opened the lid a bit, posting a press release on their Japanese website. It details (slightly) what they're going to show at their booth at 3GSM.

Sadly, there's nothing of the sort that most of us here would have liked to see. The focus is going to be on the 770SH and GX29, as well as their Vodafone-McLaren Mercedes versions.

About the only thing moderately interesting is a prototype they will have there. It's a 'prototype with a focus on a slim slider mechanism, high-speed HSDPA support and AV functions'. It sounds a bit like Toshiba's recent 911T but that's all they've said, so make of that what you will until we see some news stories.

If anyone remembers, last year's 3GSM was where a prototype of the then unannounced 904SH with its VGA screen was shown. This was sadly later confirmed to be a Japan-headed model, so it's anyone's guess whether this new model will also head to Japan or not.

Sharp also mentioned a 'wireless PDA' will be shown. This could be a new device or just some form of the WZERO3 PHS PDA made for Japan.

I'll update this thread later when more news develops.

Posted by: lamplighter

Al, not to get off course but tried to PM you and it wont go through, PM me and let me know how to shoot you a message !!LL-

Posted by: Junglizt1210

Offtopic as well: Do you guys (both AL and LL) have Yahoo Messenger or MSN? Or am I forced to use messenger pigeons and telegrams these days?

Ontopic: I hope they announce something nice for the worldwide market

(that is 3G)

Posted by: AL9999

Lamp,

Thanks, I'll message you back

Jung,

Yeah I do have MSN, but I give it out my address to a few selected important people.

Ok end of topic hijack.

Posted by: lamplighter

I can not say I'd be surprised if there were no major announcements from Sharp for us non Japanese. I guess that's why they are focusing on those older handsets as thats all they have

Would love to see a nice surprise announcement but I guess Sharp has other areas which are more prifitable.

LL-

Posted by: yangj08

Why on earth don't they try to release more of their domestic (Japan-market) products in the international market (and not just HK either- I'd like to see a good line-up for the launch of 3G here in China)? So what if they can't subsidize it to the price that most people would expect- if people will spend big money on Vertu phones, why not a Sharp (personal experience- new 903SHs are over $500 where I live- I'm sure that's somewhere around its production cost without subsidy)? It would be something like the iPhone- feature-rich and cool-looking (in my personal opinion- my sister thinks they're all ugly).

Posted by: Junglizt1210

Quote:

Originally Posted by yangj08

Why on earth don't they try to release more of their domestic (Japan-market) products in the international market (and not just HK either- I'd like to see a good line-up for the launch of 3G here in China)? So what if they can't subsidize it to the price that most people would expect- if people will spend big money on Vertu phones, why not a Sharp (personal experience- new 903SHs are over $500 where I live- I'm sure that's somewhere around its production cost without subsidy)? It would be something like the iPhone- feature-rich and cool-looking (in my personal opinion- my sister thinks they're all ugly).

releasing it in HK only is fine with me - there's a certain exclusitivity I can still enjoy about owning my 904T and 703SHf and one that I appreciate.

Posted by: Havo

I don't mind having them released to hk since they usually get exported anyways. Smartone has unlocked stuff sometimes but it sure costs a lot.

Posted by: yangj08

Still, feels like most Japan-market phones lose something when released to HK (finally the HK version of the 705SH has the 2-line screen but still no IR and keeps the UI from older Sharp phones). Releasing these phones officially in other countries would also help with compatibility (look at the US- the only Euro-compatible 3G exists in small patches and will go away once T-Mobile finishes its testing- otherwise it's some funky 3G bands that only a couple of other countries use.)

Posted by: faifai9394

well because they don't make enough money if they release their phone in HK or US. The phone itself will cost more than 6000 to 7000 hkd and thats definitely not going to sell in US. That's why they would rather focus on japan.

Posted by: Junglizt1210

Quote:

Originally Posted by faifai9394

well because they don't make enough money if they release their phone in HK or US. The phone itself will cost more than 6000 to 7000 hkd and thats definitely not going to sell in US. That's why they would rather focus on japan.

especially where they are guaranteed a more fixed amount of money as the carriers subsidise.

good point, faifai!!

Posted by: yangj08

why on earth would it cost that much? I'd have thought that prices would be higher than they are now, but more than 5000HKD?

Posted by: faifai9394

yangboy the math is like this
in japan user pay for phone + carrier pay heavy subsideries = OK
in HK user pay for phone + some carrier pay + promotion loss = <OK
in US user don't want to pay + carrier pay =xOK

the phone itself cost ALOT to make (including R & D), in order for them to make some dinero they need to sell the phone above 7000 to 8000
YES currently you could get them for less than 5000 in hk because (again the math)
user pay for phone + carrier pay for phone + promotion loss =5000 or
user bought phone from abliu street/sin dat (which is originaly phones from japan) + unlocker/flasher fee + seller profit = <5000 (since this phone is originally from japan so someone must been breaching a contract or stole a phone and softbank is losing money)

Posted by: faifai9394

oh what happen to AL, I thought he is going to post more about the 3GSM world congress

Posted by: yangj08

OK then. I see what's going on (although I'd be perfectly willing to pay that much for a cellphone- but then again cellphones are pretty much the only thing I'd spend large amounts of money on). That's a lot of carrier subsidizing going on in Japan, then, but why did the Japanese providers subsidize so much? That's really the last question I have about the issue, since this much carrier subsidizing is unique to Japan (no other country I know of has carriers that would subsidize what seems to be around $400-$600 of a phone's cost),

Posted by: manchuia

Quote:

Originally Posted by faifai9394

yangboy the math is like this
in japan user pay for phone + carrier pay heavy subsideries = OK
in HK user pay for phone + some carrier pay + promotion loss = <OK
in US user don't want to pay + carrier pay =xOK

Europe follows (roughly) the same model as HK. I still don't get why we don't see European models of Sharp phones (that can then be unlocked and shipped to those in the US that will pay for them).

Posted by: ace587

like whos gonna buy a brand new 903sh in the US, look at the 8801, few people even bought it from tmo

Posted by: Ultraman666

Ya but that phone is all $$$ nothing to special about that and its a Nokia yuck.....I keep my fingers crossed that one day we can get really cool phones like we use to in Euro and USA without any troubles!!! Ya I know pipe dream but hey we can always still dream cant we!!!

Posted by: ace587

with ntt docomo, making gsm compliant phones in the next years, dream will soon be reality

Posted by: Ultraman666

Ya that would be nice lets home they will have some really nice ones that will blow our minds!!

Posted by: AL9999

Quote:

Originally Posted by faifai9394

oh what happen to AL, I thought he is going to post more about the 3GSM world congress

Well you guys hijacked this thread to a somewhat related topic so I've refrained from posting anything further. I've started a new thread now, so guys, please don't hijack it.

Posted by: Ultraman666

we are just talking about what we would like to see come to the scene outside japan thats not really hijacking just adding to what they are lacking in the 3gsm scene, sorry didnt mean to add anything off the exact topic peace out

Posted by: AL9999

It's a hijack because it's not about what Sharp is showing at the 3GSM conference. If someone comes into the forum and wants to know what Sharp is doing at the fair, they'll have 20-30 unrelated posts to sift through before they can find what they're looking for.

Sure, there's been no news at all about the Sharp exhibition, but I figured when the news does come out I don't want it to be at the end of 30 posts as I just mentioned, so that's why I'm making this point.

It's not too hard to go start a new thread and label it 'Why don't JP manufacturers sell outside Japan?' or something.