The Sharp SH530U.(Credit: Sharp)
We've always looked on in envy each time NTT Docomo announces its new smartphone offerings. After all, it's a known fact that most of its Japan-only handsets don't make their way to other parts of the world.
This looks set to change, though, with Sharp launching three Android smartphones in Singapore. Running on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS skinned with a proprietary Feel UX user interface, the three devices are claimed to be non-slip and anti-sweat, and sport ultrathin designs to boot.
First to reach our shores is the SH530U, which sports a large 5-inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixels) display and has dual-SIM capabilities. Available from October 20, it will be priced at S$488 (US$392.09) without operator subsidies. The SH530U has already been launched in Hong Kong and Malaysia, while Singapore is the first to announce the SH631W and SH837W.
The Sharp SH631W (L) and SH837W (R).(Credit: Sharp)
The SH631W and SH837W will arrive in November and December respectively, with "2.5D curved glass displays". We can only wonder what this means until we lay eyes on the handsets. It seems large screens are a trend for Sharp, with the SH631W and SH837W sporting 4.5-inch qHD and 4.7-inch HD 720p displays respectively.
Here are the key specifications of each phone:
| Specifications | SH530U | SH631W | SH837W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 5-inch WVGA | 4.5-inch qHD | 4.7-inch HD (720p) |
| Thickness | 9.9mm | 9.5mm | 8.9mm |
| Camera | 5MP AF / VGA (front) | 8MP AF / VGA (front) | 8MP AF / 1.3MP (front) |
| Storage | 20GB internal | 4GB internal (microSD card slot up to 32Gb) | 4GB internal (microSD card slot up to 32Gb) |
| Battery | 1,950mAh | 1,650mAh | 1,900mAh |
| Price | S$488 | TBC | TBC |