Kyocera Urbano V01
This is a smartphone whose design is in complete order. Residents of Europe and the USA would not refuse to purchase it, but it is not sold in these markets. In addition to an attractive design, the smartphone boasts good characteristics: a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, a 13-megapixel camera, a Snapdragon 801 processor, 2 gigabytes of RAM and a 3000 mAh battery. Like most Japanese smartphones, Urbano V01 is protected from water and dust. Protection class - IP58. The Japanese pay about $568 for this smartphone.
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra is the best affordable phablet
One of the best Japanese phones that has a large 6-inch screen with FullHD quality. On a bright sunny day, the picture and text on the display remain easy to read.
The Japanese chose the MediaTek MT6752 mobile chipset as the filling. The processor can be found in many Chinese models. However, Japanese developers have thought out the software much better. The phone has 2 GB of RAM.
For most modern users this will not seem enough. But you can solve everyday problems without freezes and lags.
The phone can attract users with its 13-megapixel front camera with a powerful flash. The main optical module also has 13 megapixels and is capable of creating good photographs.
Sharp Aquos Crystal
This smartphone has already caught our eye, and there are two reasons for this. Firstly, it is also sold outside Japan, and secondly, a smartphone with such thin frames around the display is simply impossible not to notice. A little about the characteristics: 5-inch IGZO display, Snapdragon 400, 1.5 gigabytes of RAM, 8-megapixel camera and 2040 mAh battery.
Kyocera Digno
Kyocera Digno
Kyocera's Digno line was first introduced to the Japanese market on September 26, 2011 as a rugged clamshell smartphone for Au Codi and over the next three years received only six updated versions for different Japanese mobile operators.
In 2015, the Digno flip phone from Kyocera was introduced in three versions: Digno C (404KC) for Y!mobile, Digno U for SoftBank and Digno Rafre for Au Codi.
From 2021 and in the next two years, the Digno version began to receive more updates. In 2021, Kyocera Digno 502KC appeared for Y!mobile and SoftBank operators, Kyocera Digno E (503KC) for Y!mobile, Kyocera Digno F for SoftBank and Kyocera Digno L for UQ mobile.
In 2021, the Digno line included Kyocera Digno W, Kyocera Digno Phone for UQ mobile. Kyocera Digno V for SoftBank and UQ mobile. Kyocera Digno G for SoftBank. In December, a model of the secure clamshell smartphone Kyocera Digno mobile phone 2 was released for UQ mobile, which was released in January 2021 for the Japanese mobile operator SoftBank.
In 2021, the addition was carried out only a few times and was introduced by Kyocera Digno A for UQ mobile and Kyocera Digno J for SoftBank.
There has been a lull in 2021 and Digno has not received any significant updates this entire year.
In March 2021, the Kyocera Digno Mobile Phone 3 903KC, which is a clamshell smartphone running Android OS, entered the Japanese market for Japanese mobile operators Y!mobile and SoftBank.
Possessing the same external and functional characteristics, the smartphone was given three different colors - pink, silver and black for SoftBank. And for the operator Y!mobie received only two colors - pink and silver.
Speaking of design, we can say that the smartphone is similar to the Kyocera Gratina clamshells supplied for Au Codi. Perhaps the only significant difference in this case will be the secondary display of the smartphone installed across the body and not clearly distinguished by clearly marked edges.
Like the majority of popular clamshells on the Japanese market, Digno Mobile 3 is equipped with a 3.4-inch non-touch display, a classic push-button keyboard equipped in the lower part with three programmable functions for various functions launched by long or short pressing of the key. The right side of the smartphone is equipped with a single key that allows you to turn on the secondary screen, change its appearance by setting the preferred arrangement of displayed elements, or activate silent mode when the device is in the closed position. The Japanese clamshell smartphone is equipped with a primary 8Mp camera and a secondary 1.9Mp one. The smartphone has one nano SIM card slot and a microSDHC memory card connector.
Like all phones from Kyocera, this representative is also protected from dust and water in accordance with the IP58 standard, as well as from falls and vibrations in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-810G. In accordance with the manufacturer's statement, the housing coating can withstand wiping with alcohol or chlorine-based solutions without any consequences.
Another innovation can be considered the use of a standard USB C connector by today's standards. The functionality in this case includes more powerful earpiece volume and vibration signal level than the previous model.
The phone has one interesting feature: in case of a missed message or call, the smartphone will signal this with a sound or vibration signal at certain intervals. If you try to call again within ten minutes after the first call, the signal will sound with increasing volume, thus signaling a repeat call.
In terms of technical characteristics, the smartphone is not much different from the previous model. Japanese manufacturers are in no hurry to equip devices for the Japanese domestic market with the latest powerful processors, large amounts of memory and a bunch of other innovations that are popular among modern smartphone users.
Characteristics of Digno Mobile Phone 3 903KC
- Dimensions: 51×112×17.9 mm
- Weight: 131 grams
- OS: Android 9.0
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, 2014, 32-bit, quad-core, 28 nm, Qualcomm Adreno 304 GPU
- Memory: RAM 1GB LPDDR3 SDRAM ROM 8GB
- Display: primary – TN-TFT 3.4 inches 288 PPI resolution 480×854 secondary – mono E lnk 0.9 inches
- SIM card: 1 nano SIM
- Camera: main - 8Mp secondary - 1.9Mp
- Sensors: accelerometer, compass, light
- Battery: Li-ion 1700mAh
- Protection: IP58 MIL-STD-810G
✓ Interesting fact! Game app usage in Japan tends to be relatively high among men and women across all age groups. Teenagers use gaming apps about four times a day, women in their 40s eight times a day, and women in their 50s about 10 times a day, making older women the most dedicated users of gaming apps.
Kyocera Brigadier
A tough-as-a-tank smartphone from Kyocera is available not only in Japan, but it’s difficult to call a smartphone widespread. While Apple and other manufacturers are gradually deciding to use sapphire crystal, Kyocera has already decided. The 4.5-inch HD display is protected by sapphire crystal from scratches and cracks. The smartphone itself is protected from everything, the protection class is IP-68. It runs on a quad-core Snapdragon 400, shoots with an 8-megapixel camera and is powered by a 3,100 mAh battery. The rugged smartphone costs $399.
Brigadier is the best smartphone for extreme sports enthusiasts
If you lead an active lifestyle and love extreme sports, this smartphone model is designed for you. The phone has a particularly durable body that can work even in water at a depth of 1.5 meters. It is built to military standards and can withstand use even in the most extreme conditions.
The phone screen, although small, is very reliable. The display diagonal is 4.5 inches and is covered with high-strength sapphire glass on top. Such glass is almost impossible to scratch with anything, even if deliberately drawn with a sharp nail.
The phone is not intended for gamers. The old Snapdragon 400 chipset is used here. The performance is complemented by 2 GB of RAM. This is quite enough for the phone to perform all basic tasks without problems.
The highly durable phone can last a long time without recharging, as it has a small screen diagonal and a 3100 mAh battery capacity.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1
The manufacturer itself states that this is a camera first and a phone second. Its 20-megapixel camera with a Leica lens is seven times larger than conventional smartphone cameras. The characteristics of the device are quite good: 4.7-inch FullHD display, quad-core Snapdragon 801, 2 gigabytes of RAM and a 2600 mAh battery. You will have to pay at least $1000 for the device.
The best Japanese smartphones: rating of 5 models
For many years, Japanese manufacturers have maintained a positive reputation in the eyes of customers. Lexus, Sony, Sharp, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Fujitsu are brands that are trusted all over the world. It is not surprising that the ranking of Japanese smartphones 2016 is of interest to many users.
The TOP of the best Japanese smartphones includes not only models sold all over the world, but also devices released for the domestic market. Despite the difficulties in purchasing them in Russia, these devices deserve attention and a place in this review.
The best Japanese smartphones available on the global market (and not just in the Land of the Rising Sun itself, and even with a contract from NTT DoCoMo) are produced by Sony. Therefore, you should not be surprised that more than one model from this brand was included in the review.
5th place: Panasonic Eluga L 4G. Best budget employee
Panasonic Eluga L 4G is a smartphone from the category of devices that are difficult to find here. This seemingly unremarkable smartphone was included in the rating of Japanese smartphones due to its thickness. It is only 6 mm , which is smaller than any flagship 2021. Otherwise, the characteristics of the Panasonic Eluga L 4G are not outstanding, and the device is from the “state budget” category, except for the price of about $ 180 (for which you can buy 3-4 similar models from China ), stands out only for LTE .
As of 2021, the characteristics of the Panasonic Eluga L 4G can be called, although unremarkable, quite modern. They include a quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, 1 gigabyte of RAM and 8 GB (MicroSD flash drives are also supported), and also, which is very unusual for a “Japanese” - support for 2 SIM cards .
The Panasonic Eluga L 4G may not be able to take high-quality photos (the main camera has a resolution of only 8 MP ), but it should not lag behind its competitors in this regard. You can view the footage on a 5-inch screen with HD resolution.
The 2000 mAh battery looks modest, even compared to smaller 4.5″ models. But considering that this is Japanese technology, one can hope that the stated figures exactly correspond to reality.
4th place: Kyocera Brigadier. The best smartphone for extreme sports enthusiasts
Kyocera Brigadier made it into the TOP of the best Japanese smartphones 2021 not for its novelty (the model is already more than a year old), but for its survivability. This does not mean the length of time it spends on the assembly line (iPhone 5s, for example, has been successfully produced for three years now), but high strength. This is a smartphone that is certified in accordance with the requirements of military organizations and is designed to work in extreme conditions. In addition, it is capable of working underwater at a depth of up to 1.5 meters.
The 4.5-inch HD screen of the smartphone is covered with sapphire glass , which in terms of reliability gives odds to the popular Corning Gorilla Glass and Asahi Dragontail. It is almost impossible to scratch a synthetic mineral, even if you deliberately run an army knife over it. Therefore, extreme sports enthusiasts will definitely like the use of artificial sapphire.
The quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor is considered obsolete, but it almost keeps up with its successors and holds up well against its competitors. In combination with 2 GB of RAM, the performance of the chipset is enough for all tasks. Only in heavy games is it possible to reduce performance, but gamers are far from the main target audience of this device.
The manufacturer placed a 3100 mAh battery . Considering the diagonal (only 4.5″), the smartphone should demonstrate decent autonomy.
The price of the “armored car” may scare away potential buyers. On international trading platforms they ask for about $1,000 .
3rd place: Sony Xperia Z5 Premium. Best screen
It is impossible not to include the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium in the TOP of the best Japanese smartphones. This is the world's first mobile device equipped with a 4K resolution display . And this is with a relatively modest (considering that the vast majority of 32-inch TVs are now equipped with a regular FullHD matrix) 5.5″ diagonal .
The characteristics of the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium in 2021 are just as impressive as they were six months ago. The eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor is still good, and the overheating problem was solved using a heat pipe. In combination with 3 GB of RAM, the device demonstrates excellent performance, which is enough for any task.
Fujitsu Arrows NX F-02G
This is a top-end device from Fujitsu with an unusual design and impressive specifications. The 5.2-inch IPS display has a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels. The Snapdragon 801 processor is paired with three gigabytes of RAM. The F-02G takes photos with a 20.7-megapixel sensor from Sony and is powered by a 350 mAh battery. The device is also equipped with an infrared port and a fingerprint scanner.
Sony Xperia Z3
Better than the Xperia Z2 - only the Xperia Z3. Sony has repeatedly said that they are not going to make their customers wait for new technologies. As a result, the company has to release flagships more than once a year. The Sony Xperia Z3 seems like a great model that is a precursor to the Sony Xperia Z4.
LG Isai VL
The South Korean company LG showed its muscles to everyone in 2014, including the Japanese market. This model came out before the LG G3, and it is in no way inferior to it. A 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels, Snapdragon 801, 3 gigabytes of RAM and a 13.2 megapixel camera - these characteristics impressed the Japanese market as much as the volume keys located on the back of the smartphone.
Based on materials from PhoneArena
Japan was once a leader in high technology. The whole world has used the products of Japanese companies and many still do. TVs and VCRs from Sony and Sharp still work without problems. Japanese companies still produce excellent products, but not all of them are popular outside the home market. Many outlandish devices remain available only to residents of the Land of the Rising Sun, as has always been the case. The Internet is breaking down boundaries. Colleagues from PhoneArena have selected the most interesting Japanese smartphones of 2014. I suggest you get to know them a little.
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium – best screen
One of the best Japanese phones, equipped with an excellent screen, the diagonal of which is relatively small and is 5.5 inches. At the same time, the smartphone received 4k resolution. Typically, this resolution is included in the equipment of more expensive and modern models.
The performance of the Japanese phone is at the appropriate level. 3 GB of RAM is enough for any task. The mobile chip chosen is Snapdragon 810 from Qualcomm.
The quality of the phone's main camera is top notch. An optical module with a resolution of 23 megapixels copes with its task in all lighting conditions. The pictures are clear, rich and without blur.
The smartphone's battery life is also fine. The 3430 mAh battery can last more than 12 hours without recharging.
- Screen 5.5 inches.
- Resolution 3840x
- OS Android 5.1
- There is an NFC chip.
- Weight 180 grams.
