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Panasonic has announced that the next version of its Lumix DMC-CM1 smartphone will dispense with its phone functionality to concentrate on being a camera. The Lumix DMC-CM10 will initially only be available in Japan, and is very much the same as the original DMC-CM1, but while it will run on the Android 5.0 operating system it will not be equipped to make phone calls. It will, however, be equipped with LTE communication facilities, and will be able to send text messages and send and receive data via telephone networks with an appropriate SIM card in place. Panasonic will provide its own network access for users as part of its Wonderlink service, where CM1 and CM10 owners can get 3GB a month with 150Mbps download speeds for 1480 yen/£9/$ 12.50.
The camera appears to have the same lens and sensor as the DMC-CM1, and exactly the same body and features. It will be available from 25 February in silver and only 500 will be made per month. While the price isn’t clear yet it appears from the Panasonic store in Japan that it will be around 100,000 yen/£600/$ 850.
For more information see the Panasonic Japan website.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)