NEC, Casio Computer, and Hitachi Mobile Operation Merger – Consumers Win

Big news for the Asian mobile market. Japanese companies NEC, Casio Computer and Hitachi plans to merge their mobile phone businesses. Make no mistake, this move is purely a business move. But of course, we can also look at it in the consumers point of view. Each of these companies are leading in their respective technological fields, and combining them together, we expect great results.

The companies are merging their mobile phone business by next April to reduce costs and boost technological expertise and expand market share. The deal will combine Casio Hitachi Mobile Communications Co, a joint venture formed by Casio and Hitachi five years ago, with NEC’s mobile phone operations. The west may not know it but Casio Hitachi Mobile develops mobile phones such as the Exilim that make use of Casio and Hitachi imaging technology as well as the Boulder, a rugged handset made from shock-resistance and water-resistance technologies from Casio’s wristwatch unit.

Of course, NEC is the more popular company. Most of us already knows what the company brings to the table. The company promised to contribute technologies such as WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) and LTE (Long Term Evolution, also called 4G, or fourth-generation mobile telecommunications) wireless technologies as well as Linux software development and ultra-thin, low power handset designs to the new company.

NEC Casio Mobile will employ 2,200 people when its headquarters in Kawasaki City, Japan opens. Casio Hitachi Mobile currently has 506 workers.