2003 Panasonic P2102V

After the Matsushita era?.

	3G only Network	N/A Mobile TV	NFC None
	N/A Biometry	0.3 Megapixel	N/A Optical Zoom
	129ppi 176 x 240px	2.3" Screen Size	TFT LCD Type

It's the year 2003 #pastfuturetechnology.

The P2102V was one of the first commercial successes of the 3G FOMA (Freedom Of Mobile Multimedia Access) network as its body reduced in size and battery life increased when compared to the Matsushita P2101V. Matsushita Telecommunications became Panasonic Mobile with this model.

Standard wise, this model became the first to feature a rotating screen that would activate the side-camera, which was 0.3Mpx at the time. Although the handset was released in early 2003, it was already the second-generation FOMA 3G device in use and the last of the 2xxx series before the P9xx series took off in early 2004.

To put the development of 3G devices into perspective: The Matsushita P2101V as the world's first 3G WCDMA mobile was launched in October 2001, with a NEC OEM model Matsushita P2002 in June 2002 and the P2102 in March 2003. Here we have first and second generation FOMA devices released in a matter of 1 _ years – compare this to Nokia's first 3G device, the 3360, which launched in June 2004.

This isn't to throw shade on Nokia at all, since the network technology was also in the hand of the Japanese and the Finns were busy servicing the ever-growing need of GSM handsets in Europe and Asia-Pacific. WCDMA 3G services simply took longer in the western world, but the Japanese made all the mistakes ahead of everyone else which ultimately be a good thing.

I'm very grateful to be able to showcase some of these pioneers in 3G tech, and there are more coming soon!

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