Wall Street Journal -- Sharp & Foxconn

Wall Street Journal

TOKYO—With a nearly $6 billion takeover up in the air, Sharp Corp. this week highlighted its latest lineup of quirky consumer products, displaying the tradition of innovation Foxconn would gain if it goes through with the deal.

Foxconn believes Sharp’s brand can help it transition from a product assembler to a producer. It also has its eye on Sharp’s engineers and technological prowess.

At home, the 103-year-old company is mostly associated with quirky innovation. Consumers in Japan are now awaiting the RoboHon—a mobile phone and pet robot. Sharp plans to roll out the 8-inch gadget, the product of a collaboration with famous robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi, by the end of June. With the market for smartphones nearing saturation, Sharp hopes the robotcum-phone will represent the next step in mobile communication

Foxconn tried several times to sell electronics directly to consumers but fell short because it wasn’t as good at creating products as it was at assembling them, Mr. Osanai said. “With Sharp and Foxconn helping out each other, they can become an Apple