Institute For The Future

NTT DoCoMo releases first "healthphone"

On August 1, DoCoMo introduced the RakuRaku V phone that includes several built-in health functions: a step counter, a heart rate monitor, and the ability to link wirelessly to external devices like a blood pressure monitor or a scale. RakuRaku ("simple") is DoCoMo's line of phones targeted specifically to older users. There are now mulitiple phones in the RakuRaku line, which collectively, have sold more than 10 million units. (For a description of the phone in Japanese, see www.nttdocomo.co.jp/product/easy_phone/foma_rakuraku5/topics_01.html.)

I believe this is the first mobile phone with integrated health functions to be featured by a major mobile phone carrier.