Sharp to introduce 5G smartphone prototype during IT Month

Taipei, Dec. 3 (CNA) Osaka-based Sharp Corp., a subsidiary of Taiwanese manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., said Tuesday it will demonstrate its 5G smartphone prototype at the upcoming Information Technology Month in Taipei.

It will be the first time Sharp has attended the IT Month event, one of the largest annual electronics trade shows in Taiwan, with about 300 exhibitors.

IT Month opens at the World Trade Center in Taipei on Wednesday and runs through Sunday.

It will also be the first time the Japanese tech heavyweight, in which Hon Hai owns a majority stake after an acquisition completed in 2016 for US$3.5 billion, shows its 5G smartphone prototype in Taiwan.

Sharp said its 5G smartphone is scheduled to go on sale in Japan in the first half of next year by cooperating with Japanese telecom operators, which are gearing up to build the network.

In Taiwan, Sharp said sale of the phone will depend on the 5G technology development progress in the country.

Taiwan's government has designated 2020 the first year of the 5G era and will hold an auction later this month to release 5G spectrum to local telecom services operators.

Asia Pacific Telecom Co., another Hon Hai subsidiary, is among the five Taiwanese telecom operators which will take part in the upcoming 5G spectrum auction.

In addition to the 5G smartphone prototype, Sharp said it will also show at IT Month a 120 inch 8K high resolution flat panel, the world's smallest 8K camera, Dynabook notebook computers as well as smart family applications.

In the latter category, Sharp said, it will introduce a cloud technology-based mechanism to detect indoor air quality by sending data into its cloud computing, which will be able to run air cleaning devices in an effective and efficient way.

After the Taipei event, IT Month will move to Taichung from Dec. 12-16, Tainan from Dec. 19-23 and Kaohsiung Dec. 26-30.

Separately, FIH Mobile Ltd., another Hon Hai subsidiary, said it will invest US$99.99 million in India to boost its efforts at developing cell phones, communication devices and other electronic gadgets.

FIH Mobile said its existing production site in India is one of the largest contract electronics makers in the South Asian country and the new investment is expected to help the company optimize its production process and boost output in a bid to secure more orders from its Chinese clients which have operations in India.

According to FIH Mobile, its five largest customers account for 89.6 percent of its total sales, with Sharp among the top five, making up an 8.5 percent share.