KDDI au design project

If you’re an industrial designer, tech buff or simply love consumer electronics and don’t know of ‘au’ phones or the ‘au design project’ I urge you to read on.

‘au’ is the mobile phone subsidiary of the Japanese telecommunication company KDDI and ‘au design project’ is the design subsidiary of AU, also know since 2009 by the branding ‘iida’.

At the start of the 21st century mobile phones were uniform and rather boring. Japanese phone manufacturer ‘au’ recognised the possible market opportunities in placing the power with designers; more specifically the world’s most emotionally engaging designers. As a result, since 2001 ‘au’ has been collaborating with renowned designers, such as Australia’s Marc Newson and Japan’s Naoto Fukasawa, to design its product range. Their phones are strong design statements; unique amalgamations of leading technology and design that is unequalled by any other phone manufacturer. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, as with most phones in Japan, they are exclusive to Japan and unavailable in other countries, so I don’t blame you if haven’t heard of ‘au’.

You’ve probably already seen the pictures and passed judgement, but like any tangible product, the tactile experience is also a part of product aesthetics that the internet can’t provide. When you pick up one of these phones, putting it down is like waking from a wonderful dream on a Sunday morning, you’ll want to pick it up again. The tactile aesthetics are as strong, if not stronger than the visual aesthetics of these phones, a quality that is under represented in product design.

Featuring thin slick designs, hidden and integrated buttons, magnesium alloys, rubber and plastics encasing world class technology, these phones are a testament to the power of industrial design. You get the impression that this time around, the designers got everything they wanted. It seems like the marketing, management, engineering and manufacturing departments were the ones that had to follow the designers rather than the reverse.

Any company can appoint a big name designer for their latest product range; however the success of the ‘au design project’ is not due to the names behind the designs but rather the designs themselves. The ‘au design project’ was born with three concept phones, one of which, INFOBAR, went into production and not only became an instant success for ‘au’, but an icon of Japanese industrial design. Designed by Naoto Fukasawa, the INFOBAR became the backbone of the ‘au design project’ and proved the value of focusing on a daring and strong design vision, lead by an individual rather than a design team. Nine years later the product iconography is still as strong and the design will no doubt withstand the test of time. The elegance and fundamental emotional appeal of Fukazawa’s designs often possess this timeless quality. His infamous wall hanging CD player for MUJI immediately comes to mind.

Talby by Marc Newson was released in 2004 as the third phone of the ‘au design project’. Once again, by empowering and giving free reign to the designer without the corporate constraints that in-house designers have to deal with, saw wonderful results. Although Newson mostly avoids drawing from external influence in his designs, he took cues from INFOBAR’s geometry and produced a unique yet fitting design. Newson’s retro-futuristic style married with leading technology produced a product perfect for the Japanese market.

Japanese consumers use products as a way of individualisation in a society based around group mentality and conformity. One example is how they personalise phones with stickers, skins and keychain ornaments. ‘au’ phones are focused on this savvy market segment that is specific to Japan. It’s the ideal market culture that allows for the development of bold and individual design. As to why so many of Japans products and especially Japanese phones are exclusive to Japan is off the topic and something I’ll discuss in a future article.

‘au’ is now the second biggest mobile provider in Japan and much of its success is due to its approach to design. The last decade has seen many Japanese product companies restructuring their design departments in similar ways. By creating separate design subsidiaries, companies are allowing designers more space and freedom from corporate constraints. Previously, Japanese designers worked in-house as part of an anonymous system. Japan’s group mentality has many strengths, however in the past it weakened the potency of design. The restructuring has now given rise to individual leadership and stronger design influence in corporations.