Today, DoCoMo and au each revealed 10 new handsets to go on sale later this year. They’re an interesting bunch as usual and designer handsets are once more a prominent trend, including the former concept-phone “Media Skin” which I mentioned only yesterday.

The most radical phone from the new DoCoMo handsets is the D800iDS from Mitsubishi (codenamed “Direct & Smooth”). When closed, the handset looks like an ordinary clamshell, but open it up to reveal that, instead of a keypad, the phone sports a touchscreen sub-display.

The phone is obviously inspired by the success of the Nintendo DS in Japan (even the model number appears to be a homage) and it will be interesting to see what applications and games developers create to make use of the touchscreen. The D800iDS is slated for launch mid-February.

Labels: handsets

# posted by Jan Kuczynski @ 11:17 am