Panasonic appears set to re-enter the mobile phone business outside of Japan. According to Nikkei, its first move will be a return to the European market in early 2012. It is apparently already in negotiations with a European telecommunications firm. It will then follow that up with expansion to North America and Asia.
Panasonic will use Google Android for these new smartphones. They will either be assembled by one of its factories in Southeast Asia or by an unnamed OEM. Panasonic is looking at using common specifications around the world, much as many other manufacturers already do.
Panasonic is hoping to sell 7.5 million mobile phones abroad by 2015. This amounts to about half of its total projected smartphone shipments.
Panasonic withdrew from Europe and China back in 2005 due to price competition and other factors.