First 3G Smart-Card Handset

NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries announced that they will market the FOMA® "F900iC", which is the first 3G smart-card handset that is compatible with i-mode FeliCa Service for mobile wallet applications. Sales began on August 7, 2004.

DoCoMo's revolutionary new service and smart-card handsets may be used for a variety of unprecedented functions that were previously possible only with IC cards, including train travel, debit card (electronic money) and credit card-based withdrawals and transactions, and personal identification. Smart-card handsets users will be able to enjoy these i-mode FeliCa services at locations such as airports, cinemas and convenient stores.

F900iC is characterized by its high security functions. It can be locked using a password and sweep-type fingerprint sensor to prevent unauthorized access to smart card functions and phone numbers. Furthermore a private or public phone can be pre-registered in the handset to enable remote locking of the smart card functions or the entire phone itself if the handset is lost or misplaced. In addition, enhanced privacy mode prevents third parties from activating i-appli™ applications required to use the i-mode FeliCa service.

The new handset is equipped with an auto focus CCD camera with 1.28 mega-pixel resolution and a 2.4-inch (QVGA) main LCD with 262,144-color TFT.

F900iC will go on sale at all DoCoMo sales channels. The price of the handset will be open (unfixed), and the battery pack will cost 2,100 yen. The standard accessory pack includes a 16MB miniSD® memory card and adapter. An optional AC adaptor will cost 945 yen, and a desktop holder will cost 630 yen. These prices (all of which include tax) are for the Kanto-Koshinetsu area, and may be changed in other locations by DoCoMo's eight regional subsidiaries.

Source: NTT DoCoMo