The Japanese conglomerate, which has occupied the budget phone niche for quite some time, has begun to suffer as American consumers want more bells and whistles on their mobile phones, and are willing to pay for them.
The company reported in its 2010 results statement that its telecommunications group sales declined by 13.5% from 2009 to 2010, citing "sluggish sales of mobile phone handsets in the U.S. market, despite efforts to expand sales of new models."
"Mature markets are heading for more feature-rich phones," says Llamas.
Kyocera (KYO) unveiled its Zio M6000 in March, the group's first smart phone in several years and its first foray into the Android (GOOG) world. With an estimated unsubsidized price around $200, the phone would likely be the least expensive Android device on the market.
But do smart phone shoppers even want a budget-grade device? Or is it time for Kyocera to turn tack for developing mobile markets in Africa and the Middle East?
NEXT: The Japanese quartet: How to break out?
