Fujitsu marked its first foray into the smartphone market outside Japan with the Stylistic S01, an Android phone designed for senior users. The mid-range device is based heavily on its Raku Raku senior phone line, featuring large and highly legible text, bigger and easy-to-use buttons, and fewer apps on the home screen, as well as noise cancellation, automatic volume controls, and voice-slowing feature to help the hard of hearing. The Stylistic S01's a touch-screen device, but it uses a special tactile technology that would mimic physical buttons when pressed. The handset is now available in France via carrier Orange. There's no word yet on the device's availability in other countries.
What Else You Need To Know
- The Stylistic S01 specs include Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a 4-inch WVGA (800×480) display, a 1.4GHz Qualcomm CPU, an 8.1- megapixel rear camera, 0.3-MP front camera, a 1800mAh battery, and a microSD card slot.
- Fujitsu's entry into France is no accident: smartphone penetration among seniors in the country is only around 20%, but some 75% of mobile users in the senior age bracket plan to buy a smartphone in the next year, according to a survey.
- Fujitsu sold some 20 million phones in its Raku Raku senior phone line since its launch in 2001 in Japan but is turning overseas amid a peak in handset sales in Japan.
Other sources
While targeting elderly users first may seem like a strange tactic for a smartphone market debut, it actually makes sense for a number of reasons.- Ingrid Lunden, Mobile Crunch
It’s unclear if other manufacturers will begin to target this often neglected segment of the market for future smartphone UIs.- Chuong Nguyen, Gotta Be Mobile
- CoolSmartPhone
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Fujitsu and Orange launch the Stylistic S01 for Senior Citizens
It’s waterproof and dust-proof and has 4GB memory with a microSD card slot. The CPU is a 1.4GHz Qualcomm and Fujitsu have added a loud security alarm with the easy navigation. Read more at http://www.coolsmartphone.com/2013/02/19/fujitsu-and-orange-launch-the-stylistic-s01-for-senior-citizens/#c0U3kds2wGsfXh8K.99
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