As usual, the latestAU Design Project from KDDI is pushing the boundaries of what we think a mobile device should be to us. Japan is already known for putting out massive varieties of phones to cater to niche groups, so why not musicians?
The au Design Project x Yamaha does just that with a series of phones that double as musical instruments (or instruments that double as phones?). Designed by a foreign and Japanese team of young innovators (including Marianne Bailey) , these handsets are original, creative, and (the best part) actually able to make music!
The pieces below are called Box to Play and Key to Touch. While the latter may be self explanatory, Box to Play integrates a synthesizer, scratch pad, and other fun musical toys, and folds up quite nicely.
Sticks in the Air are just what you’d think…drumsticks with sensors for the beat, but they also snap together when you want to have a proper phone. Trio in Your Hand, however, flips open to create a scratch pad and sampler for mobile DJs.
For those who like something a little more tactile, Strings for Fingers and Band in My Pocket bring the orchestra into the mix.
Band in My Pocket is unique in that it comes with multiple accessories to create different instruments from the harmonica to the trumpet. Sounds are “hummed” into the handset (much like with Yamaha’s EZ TP Trumpet) with the rest controlled by the fingers.
Personally we were dying to see these in action, but missed the show. Luckily, these video’s from PingMag’s YouTube channel capture the magic.
AU’s latest design project with Yamaha will be on display at the always fun KDDI Designing Studio in Harajuku until the end of August.
Michael is the Editor of JapanTrends.com and Director of the 
Literally, this is mobile meets music.