Sharp will commercialize a mobile phone equipped with a solar cell module for the Chinese market from this February, the company announced today.

This will be the first solar-powered mobile phone by Sharp for the overseas markets.

Sharp introduced solar-powered mobile phones into the Japanese market in 2009. These handsets have proven popular, reflecting a recent surge in the number of ecologically minded consumers.

The new SH6230C phone is powered by Sharp's proprietary solar cell module, a 2.9-inch LCD screen, and a 5-megapixel autofocus camera.

Sharp will also introduce into the Chinese market theSH6220C and the SH6228C models incorporating Memory LCD. The Memory LCD is a low-power-consuming display with high visibility under the daylight. The Memory LCD can continuously display information such as time and e-mail status, Sharp said.

The phones will be available in China early next month.