Toshiba Stops Making Cellphones In Japan

[Mulboyne]

Reuters: Toshiba says to end cellphone output in Japan
Japanese electronics group Toshiba Corp said on Wednesday it would end production of mobile phones in Japan in October and outsource some output to overseas manufacturers to cut costs as demand slumps. Cellphone sales in Japan tumbled about 30 percent last financial year as a new business model came into effect that led to handset price hikes, prompting consumers to hold onto their phones longer, while the economic downturn also weakened demand. Toshiba's mobile phone unit sales halved last financial year, causing it to log its first annual operating loss on these operations in five years. The company, Japan's No. 6 cellphone maker with a 7 percent market share, said it would continue to make smartphones in China on its own as it shifts focus to the growing segment of phones with computer capabilities.

My current mobile phone is a Toshiba model. The J-T04 first came on the market in summer of 2000. You can see a picture of this hi-tech marvel in the next post.

[Mulboyne]

125mm x 41mm.

[IkemenTommy]

125mm x 41mm.

Those were the good ol' days of compact sized Japanese phones that made foreign keitais (especially American) envious.

I wasn't aware of Toshiba still making phones actually. What a loss.