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We heard rumours of Panasonic’s re-entry into the UK market, but now it’s been confirmed that in March next year, we’ll see a Euro-Panasonic smartphone roll-out. A 4.3-inch Android phone reference design was shown off too, which shows Panasonic’s heading in the right direction for a decent looking phone, at the very least.
The main characteristics of this “global model” are, according to Panasonic: decent ergonomics with a “ultra-slim D-shape” (hear that iPhone 4S? Ergonomic); a qHD 4.3-inch OLED display; and water and dustproofing — which’ll help it stand up to your midnight walks in the rain and the dreaded pocket dander.
We don’t know much more than that, although the capacitive buttons on the fascia don’t look all that promising for Ice Cream Sandwich at launch. Panasonic’s also targeting the phone at “business people in their 30s and 40s” according to Reuters, which smacks to me of BlackBerry territory. The Japanese electronics giant is intending base an expanded line up on the reference design, so we’ll see more than just one phone by the sounds of it. If Panasonic sticks with stock Android and doesn’t try and shoe-horn its own skin on top, we could see a decent competitor to the likes of Samsung, HTC and Motorola in the Android UK market. Here’s hoping Panasonic doesn’t screw it up and saddle its phone with Gingerbread come March time. [Panasonic, Reuters via The Verge]
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I see they’ve decided to adopt the “large black slab” approach. That should really make them stand out from the competition
Obviously appeals to the 30s and 40s. I have to say I thought that once you got into smartphone territory — proper smartphone, not messenger phones like the cheapo-BlackBerrys — that age didn’t really affect your buying decisions.
I would have to agree, since I am an Old Git and this doesn’t appeal to me at all. Mind you I’m not a ‘Business Person’.
You could say the same about flat screen TVs. There are more ways to differentiate than just on physical looks/design. Like TVs, smartphones will generally look the same because it is a natural design for the type of device. Having said that, the more square corners is quite different from the majority (although I’m not personally that keen on it). It’s a shame that they haven’t gone for on screen buttons to increase the size of the screen and/or reducing the size of the phone.
It’s a “reference design” by their own admission, so I wouldn’t say the capacitive buttons are cast in stone. I hope not, at any rate, because that would indicate Gingerbread, not ICS.
Please note smiley face at the end of my comment. This indicates that urine extraction is occurring.
Oh god Darrell, TMI man, TMI.
Sam “urine extraction is occurring” = Taking the piss, not Taking A piss.
I like the look of this, hope they leave ICS as untouched as possible. It’d be nice to have another Android player akin to Samsung. Hopefully nothing like LG
I am concerned about the squished capacitive buttons at the bottom of the phone, they have enough estate to stretch those out! It’ll be good to have another big player in the UK market.