2004 Panasonic P506iC

The world's first NFC Wallet Mobile (Osaifu-Keitai).

It's the year 2004 #pastfuturetechnology.

On July 10, 2004, NTT Docomo launches the first-ever NFC enabled mobile device for the purpose of making mobile payments (and later also covering Suica transport ticketing) - the Panasonic P506iC.

Locally the Japanese call it Osaifu-Keitai (lit. Wallet Mobile), and it is the logical next step to the existing FeliCa smartcard ecosystem, which also exists in Hong Kong under the name of "Octopus".

But the P506iC doesn't just offer an amazing mobile payments solution. It is equipped with a 360 degree, 2-axis "flex" rotating screen, strobe flash and 2 Mpx camera on top of a MiniSD expansion slot and i-mode connectivity. It features a large 2.4" TFT LCD screen with a resolution of 240 x 320 px.

One thing about the strobe flash on this thing – it is insanely strong. It'll brighten up a dark room like nothing I've ever seen before on a mobile phone. The colour reproduction and image quality is incredible for a 2Mpx phone from 2004.

The phone was exclusively distributed through NTT Docomo on its MOVA 2G (PDC) network.

All PDC networks in Japan have now been shut off, but NTT Docomo's FOMA network continues on strongly. I've already covered the 3G mobile wallet devices – the Fujitsu F900iC and F901iC, go check them out!