Japanese smartphone for seniors expected

A leading Japanese phones maker says it plans to sell easy-to-use smartphones for seniors in overseas markets.

Fujitsu Ltd. plans to release smartphones outside Japan in 2013. The devices have easy-to-read display images, larger letters and increased volume outside Japan in 2013, Asahi Shimbun reported Friday.

Fujitsu said it sees a marketing opportunity in seniors, since Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. tend to dominate the smartphone market for young people.

"As the Japanese market has already hit a peak, we have to sell devices overseas to increase our sales numbers," Fujitsu President Masami Yamamoto said.

As part of that strategy, Fujitsu will sell its "Raku-Raku Smartphone" (easy-to-use smartphone), released in Japan last summer, in the United States and Europe after making modifications for each market, he said.

Fujitsu said it expects overseas sales to increase its mobile phone shipments from 8 million units in fiscal 2012 to 10 million in fiscal 2014.