The Mobile Phone as a Cultural Product: a design history comparing products in Japan and the UK

Abstract

The mobile phone is among the most significant technological developments of the late 20th Century. Mobile communications devices have changed the way we interact with others and the world around us. Furthermore, mobile phones and other communications devices, such as Blackberries and other smart phones, have had a powerful influence upon lifestyle and the way in which people organise their time. This thesis examines the differences between the British and Japanese mobile phone markets. It focuses on the ways in which the industries driving mobile phone technologies in Japan are different from those in other developed countries, and illustrates the origins of functions and design features that first appeared in Japan. For the purposes of this thesis, Britain has been chosen as an example of a Western developed countries.

Date of Award	Dec 2010
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Brighton