Kyocera 'Visualphone VP210' mobile video phone, 1999

Made:
1999 in Japan
Visualphone VP210 mobile video phone Visualphone VP210 mobile video phone

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Visualphone VP210 mobile video phone
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Visualphone VP210 mobile video phone
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Visual phone VP210 mobile video and camera phone, made by Kyocera Fineceramics GmbH, Japan, 1999. Silver mobile phone with 2-inch screen and built-in front camera.

Released in May 1999, the Kyocera VP 201 was the first commercially available mobile camera phone and the first mobile colour videophone. Designed with a forward-facing camera, it pre-dated the popularity of so-called selfies in the early 2000s. The phone was considered "revolutionary" at the time of launch.

The phone was developed by Kyocera Corporation, an electronics manufacturer based in Kyoto between 1997 and 1999. The 155 gram (5.5 oz.) camera could also take 20 photos and convey them by e-mail, with the camera phone retailing at the time for 40,000 yen, about US$325 in 1999.

Details

Category:
Telecommunications
Object Number:
2001-289
Materials:
plastic (unidentified)
Measurements:
overall: 140 mm x 55 mm x 22 mm, .17 kg
type:
mobile telephone
credit:
Donated by Kyocera Fineceramics GmbH

Parts

Kyocera 'Visualphone VP210' mobile video phone

Kyocera 'Visualphone VP210' mobile video phone

Visual phone VP210 mobile video and camera phone, made by Kyocera Fineceramics GmbH, Japan, 1999. Silver mobile phone with 2-inch screen and built-in front camera.

More

Released in May 1999, the Kyocera VP 201 was the first commercially available mobile camera phone and the first mobile colour videophone. Designed with a forward-facing camera, it pre-dated the popularity of so-called selfies in the early 2000s. The phone was considered "revolutionary" at the time of launch.

The phone was developed by Kyocera Corporation, an electronics manufacturer based in Kyoto between 1997 and 1999. The 155 gram (5.5 oz.) camera could also take 20 photos and convey them by e-mail, with the camera phone retailing at the time for 40,000 yen, about US$325 in 1999.

Measurements:
overall: 140 mm x 55 mm x 22 mm, .17 kg
Materials:
plastic (unidentified)
Object Number:
2001-289/1
type:
mobile telephone