Sharp Corporation

Sharp Corp, the Japanese electronics company, said on September 15 that it has begun taking orders for artificial intelligence servers in Japan, with the servers manufactured by its Taiwan-based parent company Foxconn. Sharp plans to start selling the servers in fiscal 2027, which begins in April 2027, targeting local government bodies, research institutions and data center operators. The servers use the latest AI platform from Nvidia, the major US semiconductor company, while Foxconn handles procurement and manufacturing. Sharp aims for AI server business sales of about 250 billion yen, or 1.6 billion dollars, in fiscal 2030, driven by growing demand for AI use. It is also considering manufacturing servers in Japan and aims to expand the business into global markets in the future. Tetsuji Kawamura, chief executive officer of Sharp, said that as AI becomes more a part of social infrastructure, developing reliable computing infrastructure that many companies can use is important. Sharp forecasts the domestic server market will grow from about 900 billion yen in fiscal 2025 to roughly 4 trillion yen in fiscal 2030 and about 7 trillion yen in fiscal 2035. Sharp said it will consider joint manufacturing with Foxconn in the future, and if such joint production goes ahead, its Kameyama plant in Mie Prefecture in central Japan is one option that could serve as a production base.

Sharp announced on the 1st that it will begin offering a new service called 'NIAH' from the end of this month, allowing users to consult an artificial intelligence (AI) about the optimal use of home appliances. Through a smartphone app, users can communicate their household concerns to an AI character and receive suggestions tailored to their needs. At launch, the service will support 52 models of Sharp's own appliances, including washing machines, cooking appliances, and air conditioners, with generative AI providing optimal settings. The company plans to add wearable devices and televisions to the supported models and is in discussions to enable connections with other companies' products. Monthly fees range from free to 1,980 yen across four plans, depending on the number of conversations with the AI, and Sharp aims to reach 1 million users by fiscal 2028.

Sharp announced on the 1st that it will begin offering a new service called 'NIAH' from the end of this month, which allows users to consult an artificial intelligence (AI) about the optimal use of home appliances. By conveying household concerns and other issues to an AI character through a smartphone app, users can receive suggestions tailored to their requests. At launch, the service will support 52 of the company's home appliance models, including washing machines, cooking appliances, and air conditioners, with generative AI providing optimal settings. Wearable devices and televisions are also planned to be added to supported models, and discussions are underway to enable connections with other companies' products. Monthly fees range from free to 1,980 yen across four plans, depending on the number of conversations with the AI, and Sharp aims to reach 1 million users by fiscal 2028.

Sharp began accepting pre-orders on the 25th for the second generation of its palm-sized conversational AI robot, Poketomo. It will go on sale in December. Its biggest feature is a cheeky, blunt 'bossy' character that opens up and shows unexpected sides as conversations accumulate. Like the first generation, it is modeled on a meerkat, but its personality is the opposite of the first generation's honest and highly empathetic nature. The price is 49,500 yen on the official online store, with service fees starting at 495 yen per month. Miho Kagei, head of the Mobile Solutions Business Division, said, 'We want to increase the variety and develop it as a series.'

Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd. has launched its new High-Speed Colour Office Series, featuring the BP80C70 and BP80C80 multifunction printers. The series targets high-volume workplaces with a 300-sheet duplexing single-pass feeder scanning up to 300 images per minute, AI-assisted image processing, and flexible paper handling supporting up to 13,500 sheets online and media weights up to 300 gsm. It incorporates multi-layered cybersecurity including penetration-tested Sharp CR5.X Controller Platform, BIOS integrity check, firmware attack prevention, and optional Bitdefender antivirus, alongside cloud integration with Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. The modular design accommodates vertical applications such as corporate data erase compliant with NIST SP800-88, education finishing with GBC SmartPunch Plus and Plockmatic booklet makers, and commercial in-line folding options. The series is built with approximately 50% recycled plastics, is ENERGY STAR 3.2 qualified and EPEAT Gold registered, and is available for pre-order through authorized Sharp dealers.

As Japan is hit by extreme heat with maximum temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, portable coolers that require no installation and are easy to use are gaining popularity. At Bic Camera Yurakucho store, products in the 30,000 to 50,000 yen range are selling well, driven by last-minute demand for air conditioning and waiting times for installation work, leading to recommendations for customers who need immediate cooling. Usage is also increasing in rooms without air conditioning, such as kitchens and washrooms. According to Pan Pacific International Holdings, which operates Don Quijote, sales are particularly strong in Hokkaido, where air conditioner penetration is low. New entrants are appearing one after another. Following Bic Camera's launch of a private brand product last year, Nitori Holdings began handling portable coolers this year, and Sharp introduced a high-performance model with an air purification function at an estimated price in the 90,000 yen range. While energy-saving performance is inferior to typical air conditioners, Nitori Holdings expressed hope for a faster-than-expected sellout, and a Don Quijote representative pointed out the need for differentiation amid intensifying price competition.

Access Advance announced that Samsung Electronics and Sharp Corporation have joined its VVC Advance Patent Pool as both licensors and licensees. The additions bring two of the world's largest video codec patent holders into the program, strengthening the pool's position in VVC licensing. Since the beginning of 2026, other new licensees include American Future Technology, CyberPower, Sichuan Changhong NeoNet Technologies, and TIGERSECU, while new licensors also include Vidaxio, Mirage, and Telechips. With Samsung on board, the pool now counts six leading smartphone manufacturers—Honor, Huawei, Oppo, Samsung, vivo, and Xiaomi—whose combined share represents an estimated 62% of the global smartphone market. Access Advance states that the VVC Advance Licensor base now includes significant patent holders across semiconductor design, consumer electronics, and mobile technology, holding licensing rights to a substantial majority of essential VVC patents.

SHARP Corporation has launched its first health-focused smartwatch, the Karada Mate Watch, powered by HEALBE Corporation's proprietary FLOW technology. The technology automatically estimates calorie intake and hydration levels without manual food logging or data entry. The collaboration marks an important step in digital health wearables, making advanced health insights more accessible through automatic physiological monitoring. HEALBE's technology is protected by international patents and supported by multiple clinical studies, and is already available to U.S. consumers through the HEALBE GoBe U smart band.

Sharp Electronics of Canada has partnered with SKADI Cyber Defense Corporation to offer Canadian-developed cybersecurity solutions to its customers nationwide. The partnership adds SKADI's autonomous cybersecurity platform, Frostbow, to Sharp Canada's portfolio of workplace technologies, which already includes print solutions, Pro AV technologies, laptops, and consumer electronics. Frostbow uses proprietary ontological AI to autonomously detect, investigate, and respond to security threats without requiring a dedicated security team, and keeps all client data within Canada. Sharp Canada's President and CEO Carmine Cinerari said the addition strengthens the company's commitment to delivering end-to-end workplace technology solutions. SKADI Cyber Defense Corporation is headquartered in Bracebridge, Ontario.

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America has introduced the BP-80C70 and BP-80C80 high-speed color document systems, succeeding the MX-7081 and MX-8081 models. The new devices print at up to 70 and 80 pages per minute respectively, with full engine speed on heavy media up to 220 gsm, and incorporate AI-assisted image processing for real-time skew correction and document size detection. They feature Microsoft Entra ID authentication, Microsoft Modern Print Platform compatibility, Fiery FS700 software support, and advanced air-assist media handling, alongside finishing options such as the GBC SmartPunch Plus. Built-in security includes BIOS integrity checks, real-time intrusion detection, and optional Bitdefender anti-malware, with cloud-based management via Sharp Synappx Manage. The series is available for immediate ordering through Sharp or authorized dealers.