Created: 16 May 2012 · Last edited: 9 September 2026

The first of three new phones announced by au and Sharp for the Summer 2012 collection, the AQUOS PHONE SERIE ISW16SH is au's flagship for the season. “SERIE”, Italian for “series”, was Sharp's designation for its premium au smartphone line.

The AQUOS PHONE SERIE ISW16SH features a generous 4.6-inch display with an HD resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels. It is powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8660A processor, accompanied by 1 GB of RAM and a substantial 16 GB of built-in storage. Like the other new phones in the range, it runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).

The ISW16SH supports au's Global Passport service and is compatible with CDMA, GSM and UMTS networks, as well as WiMAX, with download speeds of up to 40 Mbps. Other connectivity and keitai features include Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, infrared and One Seg TV. It is also water- and dust-resistant. In addition to the Japan-standard FeliCa mobile wallet, Sharp has added NFC support, making the ISW16SH one of the more internationally minded Japanese smartphones of its generation.

At the back is a 12.1 MP CMOS camera with shake reduction, autofocus and an LED flash, capable of recording Full HD video. A 0.32 MP front-facing camera is provided for video calls.

Despite its generous screen and specifications, the AQUOS PHONE SERIE ISW16SH weighs just 136 grams and measures 66 × 126 × 11.6 mm (W × H × D). It is powered by a 1800 mAh battery.