Created: 20 May 2013 · Last edited: 14 September 2026

The au Summer 2013 collection features just one Sharp phone, the high-end AQUOS PHONE SERIE SHL22.

The SHL22 is part of the trio that also includes SoftBank's AQUOS PHONE Xx 206SH and DoCoMo's AQUOS PHONE ZETA SH-06E. But not all siblings are alike: the SH-06E and SHL22 get IGZO LCD displays, 4.8" and 4.9" respectively, while the 206SH sticks with the S-CG Silicon type, all five inches of it – looks like SoftBank aren't quite as interested in the new tech.

It's these differences in display size and technology that prevent us from grouping the three devices under one model.

So, the AQUOS PHONE SERIE SHL22 comes with a 4.9-inch IGZO display with HD (1280 × 720 pixels) resolution, a 1.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm APQ8064T processor, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM (expandable by microSDXC cards).

The main camera is a 13.1-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor with Sharp's latest f/1.9 BrightEye technology, designed to improve low-light photography while reducing image noise. It also features image stabilisation, HDR photography, autofocus, continuous shooting and Full HD video recording. The sub camera is 2.07 MP.

Like the 206SH Xx by SoftBank and the SH-06E by Docomo, the SHL22 comes with the "Sweep ON" and "Shake OFF" gesture functionality for turning the phone on and off. Also featured are the so-called "Finger Step & Voice Awake" functions, allowing you to tap the back of the phone while it is off to start the voice launcher and run an application of your choice.

What makes the SHL22 stand apart from other smartphones released in Japan is the "voice feedback" feature of the UI, where various sound effects — professionally tuned acoustic sounds — have been added to complement the various movements in the UI, performed by the IDE Sound Institute.

This AQUOS PHONE SERIE, unlike most other AU phones, supports a wide range of radio frequencies: LTE (800/1500/2100 MHz), CDMA2000 (800/2100 MHz), W-CDMA (850/1900/2100 MHz) and GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), making it compatible with many carriers worldwide, and actually has a microSIM slot.

All other standard features are present too: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n + the latest ac standard), Bluetooth 4.0, infrared, OneSeg TV, mobile wallet (FeliCa/NFC), water resistance and dust resistance, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

While the IGZO technology should significantly improve battery life, Sharp have decided to make assurance double sure by adding a 3080 mAh battery.

The SHL22 weighs 155 grams and measures 142 × 70 × 9.9 mm. It is available in black, blue and white. The OS is Android 4.2.