Panasonic 5-inch waterproof smartphone Eluga Power
In recent years, the smartphone market has seen a proliferation of brands and models, but Japanese mobile phone manufacturers, who once enjoyed past glories, have been continuously facing tough times. Last month, NEC announced its official withdrawal from the smartphone business, and according to Japanese media reports, Panasonic's smartphones may also soon become history.
According to informed sources cited by Japan’s Kyodo News, Panasonic has already notified NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile operator, that it will cease supplying new smartphone models this winter. The source revealed that Panasonic’s factory in Malaysia will temporarily continue producing smartphones, but if NTT DoCoMo stops placing smartphone orders, the factory will halt operations.
Since NTT DoCoMo is currently the only domestic marketing channel for Panasonic smartphones in Japan, Panasonic’s move is being interpreted as a prelude to stopping the development of smartphones altogether.
In the second quarter of this year, Panasonic's mobile phone division reported an operating loss of 5.4 billion yen. The company stated that Panasonic's phone sales dropped sharply during the second quarter, partly because NTT DoCoMo launched a new marketing strategy that heavily discounted Sony and Samsung smartphones.