Sharp AQUOS

Sharp AQUOS At a glance

frog and Sharp ideated, designed and launched "Feel UX" in a short 9-month time span
Launched 7 versions of the Sharp AQUOS smartphones with 3 different carriers in Japan
Globally distributed team of 21 designers and technologists spread across 4 time zones
Designed a new Android mobile experience that emphasizes simplicity, warmth & humanity

As one of the leading handset manufacturers in Japan, Sharp recognized the need to address an expanding market of smartphone users. After conducting surveys in Japan and the US, the company wanted to create new Android handsets that would stand out in a crowded field and attract first-time buyers while catering to the needs of current Android customers.

Redefining the Android Mobile UI Paradigm

According to Google statistics, an estimated 850,000 devices are activated every day across the world, making Android the most popular smartphone platform. However, while many customers favor the platform’s openness, flexibility and diverse choice of handsets, an overload of branded phones without clear product differentiation can make selecting an Android device overwhelming. The traditional Android model had some fundamental usability issues, and an entirely fresh approach was the only solution to create a meaningful experience.

Sharp collaborated with frog’s team of designers and technologists to design a new mobile user-experience model, called “Feel UX”, that is uncluttered and effortless to organize and use. Unlike other handset manufacturers who historically customize Android by simply adding another layer on top of the platform, the frog team carefully curated the experience to create a new device that is straightforward for beginner Android users, yet has the flexibility in customization that advanced users love.

frog and Sharp’s vision was to create a sleek
line of smartphones that would break out of the conventional Android model and offer a visually stunning, highly interactive experience.

Sharp Aquos Lock Screen

Simple to Use and
Personalized in all the Right Ways

The lock screen concept, which traditionally served its purpose of securing personal data, was redesigned to give users faster access to their most cherished content, such as photos, music or stock quotes. "Normally, a user is required to complete multiple actions to prepare the phone to share photos. Now all the user needs to do is simply hand over the device to his or her friend, without worrying whether the friend will stumble upon personal information. The phone remains locked," said Theo Calvin, Creative Director, frog.

Download Brief

“When you visit a store, it's very difficult to distinguish between the different Android models. We knew that a special lock screen experience would be crucial to making a great first impression.” Paul Pugh, Vice President, Creative, Software Innovation

“frog was chosen as Sharp’s innovation partner because of the company’s unique combination of consumer insights, strategy, design, and software engineering capabilities. Through our collaboration with frog, we have adopted an advanced approach to Android’s concept, features, and philosophy, creating a distinctive device that will ultimately increase the life of the product and enhance customer satisfaction.” Itsuki Kouchi, Division Deputy General Manager,
Global Product Development Center, Sharp