Sharp Gets Top Slot on Mobile Phone Market in FY 2005 for 1st Time

By Kyodo News International, Tokyo

Apr. 24–TOKYO — Sharp Corp. shipped 7.55 million mobile phones in fiscal 2005, clinching the top slot on Japan’s mobile phone set market for the first time, a research institute said Monday.

Sharp accounted for 16.3 percent of the market, which came to 46.25 million units during the 12-month period to March 31, MM Research Institute said, adding the overall market grew 5.2 percent, the first rise in two years.

The institute attributed the market expansion to the availability of a larger variety of handsets, such as those putting emphasis on exterior design and those with Net-based music download services.

Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., a unit in the group of companies led by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., ranked second by shipping 7.46 million units and grabbing a 16.1 percent market share.

Third place went to NEC Corp. with 7.30 million units and a 15.8 percent share.

Sharp’s share expanded partly because of its brisk shipment of handsets for Vodafone services.

The institute expects the market to grow 10.5 percent to 51.1 million units during the current business year to March 31, 2007, with many consumers replacing their handsets with new models with the start of a mobile phone number “portability service” in November.

Under the service, subscribers will be allowed to switch mobile phone operators without changing their numbers.

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