Created: 12 October 2012 · Last edited: 10 September 2026

The first of the Winter 2012/2013 collection, the AQUOS PHONE ZETA SH-02E, is arriving with some seriously impressive hardware – and, most importantly, the world's first smartphone display using Sharp's new IGZO LCD technology.

The 4.9-inch HD display offers a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels and uses Sharp's revolutionary new IGZO technology. IGZO is designed to dramatically reduce power consumption while maintaining excellent image quality, allowing Sharp to claim that the phone can last for around two days of normal use on a single charge. In continuous still-image display testing, Sharp claims battery life approximately 4.8 times longer than that of its previous SH-01D.

Underneath the display is a quad-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon processor based on Krait cores, accompanied by a generous 2 GB of RAM, an Adreno 320 GPU and 32 GB of built-in storage. Storage can be expanded using microSDXC cards of up to 64 GB.

The SH-02E is also equipped with a 16.3-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS camera using Sharp's ProPix image-processing engine. The camera features optical image stabilisation, a reduced shutter-release time and voice activation, allowing photographs to be taken without physically touching the phone. It can also record Full HD video.

The front-facing camera is particularly interesting for a phone of this period. At 1.2 megapixels, its back-illuminated CMOS sensor is considerably higher-resolution than the 0.3-megapixel front cameras commonly found on Sharp's earlier smartphones, making the SH-02E much better equipped for video calls and self-portraits.

The SH-02E launches with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, with an upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean promised by Docomo. Sharp's Feel UX user interface is also included.

Another unusual feature is the phone's support for both touch and pen operation. A small stylus is supplied with the handset, allowing the user to operate the screen with greater precision when required.

The phone supports Docomo's Xi LTE network, with download speeds of up to 100 Mbps, as well as 3G and GSM networks for overseas use. Wireless connectivity includes dual-band 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0, while infrared, One Seg and NOTTV are also supported.

The SH-02E also supports FeliCa and NFC, including NFC payment functions. It is water- and dust-resistant, and features Sharp's Direct Wave Receiver technology. Instead of relying solely on a conventional earpiece, the system conveys the sound of an incoming call through vibrations in the phone's body, allowing the user to hear the caller even in noisy surroundings and by placing almost any part of the phone against the ear.

USB host functionality is also provided, allowing devices such as USB keyboards and flash drives to be connected to the phone.

Sharp has also included a rather unusual shortcut called Finger Step. Double-tapping the phone activates the voice launcher, after which the user can simply speak the name of an application to launch it.

The combination of all this hardware and the highly efficient IGZO display is backed by a substantial 2320 mAh battery. The phone measures 135 × 68 × 9.8 mm (H × W × D), with a maximum thickness of approximately 10.9 mm, and weighs 152 grams with the battery.