Try the latest model of "G'zone" that appeared for the first time in nine years- "G'zone Type -XX" impression

The latest model "G'zone Type-XX" of the resurrected famous machine "G'zone"

KDDI announced on Tuesday that the release date of the already announced toughness smartphone "G'zone Type-XX" has been decided on December 10. It was positioned as a 20th anniversary model of the G'zone series, which had been cut off by the withdrawal of the Casio Computer's mobile phone business, and G'zone designed by Casio was revived for the first time in nine years. The price is 52,800 yen. [Photo] A folding style that feels nostalgic. Because it is a physical button, G'zone, which is easy to operate when wearing gloves, is a mobile phone / smartphone that has gained popularity with high toughness performance by Casio known for G-SHOCK. Since C303CA, it has been loved by generations, but new products have not been launched by the withdrawal of the 2012 G'zone Type-L from the mobile phone terminal business. In the second half, a full touch panel-type product was also introduced, but since the 2005 "G'zone Type-R", folding-type feature phones-style products are continuing and popular, and those who are still using it now. It is the only product that is there. G'zone revived as "G'zone Type-XX" inherited the style of G'zone Type-X that appeared in 2010. It was already announced in August and the release time was after November, but this time it was decided to be released on December 10. "It took four years to be realized," said Takayuki Kondo, the Product Planning Department of KDDI's Personal Planning and Division. Even after G'zone ended in 2012, there are strong fans in camping, mountain climbing, and actor scenes. Some people have been using it for 15 years for a long time, and many people say that feature phone -style terminals with physical buttons are needed. In particular, G'zone users were more dissatisfied with the existing lineup than other feature phones, and they tended to want the same brand and the same manufacturer. Kondo) decided to commercialize it. Started development with the aim of commercializing the 20th anniversary. Casio, which has already withdrawn from the mobile phone terminal business, cannot develop and manufacture the terminal, so there are issues such as what to do with the manufacturer's search and what will happen to specifications, so it has been 4 years to release. It was necessary. As a result, it was released in 2021, which is 21 years since 2000, and was not in time for the 20th anniversary, but the project will be released as a 20th anniversary model. Manufacturing has been decided by Kyocera, which provides the toughness smartphone "TORQUE" for KDDI. In terms of design, Casio's successive G'zone team reunited and was in charge. Kondo appeals, "Miracle products beyond the barriers of companies." For the first time, the closed sub -display adopts a circular display. It is designed to make use of the conventional G'zone motif, such as a circular numeric keypad with the first G'zone motif and a screw -type battery lock on the back. Remake the ringtone that was also mounted on G'zone Type-X. It seems that "phantom songs" that could not be recorded due to the number of sounds are also installed this time. The final product is also manufactured without a bumper and protector just by adding a bumper and protector to the first concept design of G'zone Type-XX. It was realized by Kyocera's high technical skills. The added protector is not only a shock, but also plays the role of sending air into the inside and incorporating the outside air into the internal temperature sensor in a duct -style design. Toughness performance is the same as before, high 1.8mから落下しても壊れない耐衝撃性能に加え、19項目のMIL規格に対応。今回初めて塩水噴霧への耐性も備えたことで、船上で釣りの際に利用するといった場合も安心して使えるようになった。内蔵アプリとしては、天気や温度、気圧・高度、天気予報、コンパス、歩数、潮汐、魚の活性度といったアウトドアシーンで活躍する機能を搭載。山中で活用できるホイッスル音やクマ鈴などの音を鳴らせるブザー機能なども備えている。別売アクセサリとして、ナット型の卓上ホルダ、首掛けやカラビナでの取り付けが可能な2WAYストラップ&マルチケースの2種類も用意される。価格は52,800円で12月10日発売。開発・製造は京セラだが、発売元はKDDIとなる。ただしもちろんSIMロックフリーなので、auユーザー以外も利用することは可能だ。また、既存のG'zOneユーザーには無料で機種変更できるプログラムも用意するという。既存のG'zOneユーザーは、来年3月末に3G停波によってau VoLTE非対応端末では通信が利用できなくなることから、この無料交換プログラムでユーザーを引き留めたい考えだ。発売を記念して、KDDIでは「au CASIOケータイグランプリ」を実施する。これはau向けのカシオ製ケータイ35機種＋G'zOne TYPE-XXの計36機種の中からグランプリをユーザー投稿で決定しようという企画。カシオケータイは、G'zOne以外にもデジタルカメラの「EXILIM」をブランド名に冠したEXILIMケータイなどもあり、その中から1位を決める。投票期間は12月6日から2022年1月10日まで。応募者の中から抽選でプレゼントも用意しており、ストレート端末「C303CA」をモチーフにしたリングライト、G'zOne TYPE-XXをモチーフにしたモバイルバッテリー、G'zOne MOTORSロゴ入りVICTORINOXマルチツール、CASIOデザインのオリジナル壁紙をそれぞれ提供する。特にリングライトとモバイルバッテリーは、想像以上にC303CAとG'zOne TYPE-XXに似せられた大きなもので、インパクトを含めて注目だ。今回は、記念モデルとしてG'zOneが復活したが、KDDIでは基本的にタフネススマートフォンは既存のTORQUEをメインとしていく考えで、京セラによるタフネス製品の実力をG'zOneユーザーにも知ってもらい、今後の移行にも繋がることを期待する。G'zOne自体の継続は「未決定」と近藤氏。反響があれば次回に繋がる可能性もあるというが、基本的にはTORQUEでニーズをカバーしたい考えだ。

Yasuhiro Koyama