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Sharp Mobile UPDATE1(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TOKYO, Oct. 23 -- (Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING INFO IN 2ND-6TH GRAFS) Struggling Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corp. said Tuesday it aims to win back its market share in the mobile phone business with its next-generation liquid crystal display panels featuring enhanced image quality and low energy consumption. The Osaka-based company also plans to expand the business with its Taiwanese business partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. after having launched one Sharp brand smartphone model in China, said Executive Officer Masami Obatake. The smartphone is made by Hon Hai. "We have discussed expanding volume in cooperation with the Hon Hai group," Obatake said. "We need to pursue volume in order to compete in the global market." He added the company is considering selling smartphones with the power-saving "Igzo" panels featuring improved resolution overseas as well in line with its plan to broaden its product lineup. Among seven models of mobile devices Sharp plans to launch in Japan from this winter to spring, one smartphone model and a tablet computer will be equipped with its Igzo panels. The manufacturer of the Aquos Phone once led the Japanese mobile phone market by shipping the largest number of handsets for six straight years through the business year ended in March last year. In the last business year, however, it fell to third place with a share of 16.8 percent, according to the company. "We'd like to enhance our product strength and restore our share in fiscal 2012 (ending next March)," Obatake said. But he declined to present a specific figure. "In the future, we'd like to further expand the lineup of smartphone and tablet computer models with Igzo panels," Obatake said. Sharp is currently the only company in the world that can mass-produce the panels using a semiconductor material, indium gallium zinc oxide, and the panels are expected to be a key product for turning its flagging business around. The panels are capable of displaying images about two times finer than conventional LCDs using amorphous silicon, Sharp said, adding they are also more sensitive to touch controls compared with conventional panels. (c) 2012 Kyodo News International, Inc. |