28th
NEC, Hitachi and Casio to merge mobile phone businesses?
There are reports today that NEC is in talks with Hitachi and Casio to take a controlling stake in Casio Hitachi Mobile Communications Co. effectively merging the three companies mobile phone businesses into one.
If the merger eventuates, the three companies would see greatly reduced development and procurement costs at a time when mobile phone sales are dropping sharply and development costs are rising. The resulting entity would become Japan’s second largest mobile phone manufacturer with 20% of the Japanese mobile phone market. Currently Sharp is the largest mobile phone manufacturer in Japan with a 23% market share.
Each of the companies have issued statements reporting that no decision has been made so far, but none have denied the reports.
