News

Kyocera Wireless Corp. Licenses Palm OS® Platform for Wireless Communications Products

Smartphone with State-of-the-Art Design, Enhanced Security Features to Debut By End of 2000

SAN DIEGO--Sept. 20, 2000--Kyocera Wireless Corp. today announced an agreement with Palm Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) to license the industry-leading Palm OS® platform as the foundation for a new line of advanced wireless communications products. Kyocera Wireless Corp. plans to develop a line of handsets incorporating the Palm OS software and bearing the Palm Powered™ brand identity. For Palm, the agreement further extends the Palm OS platform into the wireless communications market and creates new opportunities for the Palm Economy to support mobile electronic commerce and wireless access to enterprise networks.

"Our goal is to make the Palm OS platform the clear choice for people worldwide to manage information critical to their personal and professional lives. Our agreement with Kyocera Wireless Corp. will enable a new suite of smartphone solutions that will help us execute on this vision," said Alan Kessler, chief operating officer of platform and products of Palm, Inc. "By driving the evolution of handheld devices in which computing and communications converge, Kyocera and Palm can further expand the Palm Economy with broader mobile commerce and wireless data access applications."

"Kyocera Wireless Corp. is excited to use the Palm OS software as the basis for creating a new generation of smartphones that meets the needs of the average consumer as well as the enterprise user," said Masahiro Inoue, president and CEO of Kyocera Wireless Corp. "Improving on the foundation established by the pdQ smartphone, Kyocera's next generation product will feature greatly improved usability and security enhancements to support mobile e-commerce applications. Kyocera expects to introduce this new generation of smartphones before the end of this year."

The pdQ smartphone, which was introduced in September 1998, was the first CDMA digital wireless phone to integrate the Palm OS software. In February 2000, Kyocera purchased QUALCOMM Incorporated's terrestrial CDMA handset business, including the pdQ smartphone and the Thin Phone series of CDMA digital wireless phones. This new agreement between Palm and Kyocera represents a transfer of the original QUALCOMM license to Kyocera Wireless Corp.

An open architecture for handheld computing, the Palm OS platform provides an ideal basis for third-party developers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to create and deliver successful mobile computing solutions. The platform consists of five primary components: the reference hardware design, the device operating system called the Palm OS software; the HotSync® conduit data synchronization technology; the platform component tools including an applications programming interface (API) that enables developers to write applications; and the software interface capabilities to support hardware add-ons. Today, more than 100,000 developers are creating software solutions for the Palm OS platform, while more than 5,000 software applications, developer tools and services are already available.

About Palm, Inc.
Palm Inc. is the leading provider of handheld computers (IDC, Dec 1999), including the m100 and Palm III, Palm V and Palm VII series of handheld computers. The Palm OS platform is the foundation for the industry-leading handheld computers from the company as well as products from its strategic partners such as IBM, Franklin Covey, Handspring, TRG, Sony and Symbol Technologies. Platform licensees also include Kyocera and Nokia. Designed to support the increasingly mobile and geographically dispersed nature of information management, Palm's handheld solutions allow people to carry their most critical information in their pockets.

About Kyocera Wireless Corp.
Kyocera Wireless Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyocera International, Inc., the North American headquarters and holding company of Kyocera Corporation, which acquired QUALCOMM Incorporated's CDMA consumer wireless phone business in February 2000. Kyocera Wireless Corp. incorporates QUALCOMM's CDMA technology in the development and manufacture of wireless phones and accessories for customers worldwide. For more information on Kyocera Wireless Corp., please visit our website at http://www.kyocera-wireless.com.

Kyocera Corporation, the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of advanced ceramics. By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of solar energy systems, telecommunications equipment, semiconductor packages, electronic components, cameras, laser printers and copiers. During the year ended March 31, 2000, the company's net sales totaled 812 billion yen (US$7.9 billion) with net income of 50 billion yen (US$489 million). Kyocera Corporation has been recognized by IndustryWeek magazine as one of "The World's 100 Best-Managed Companies."

Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including timely product development, the Company's ability to successfully manufacture significant quantities of wireless equipment on a timely and profitable basis, and those related to performance guarantees, change in economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports.

Kyocera is a registered trademark of Kyocera Corporation. QCP and pdQ smartphone are trademarks of Kyocera Wireless Corp. QUALCOMM is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Palm OS and HotSync are registered trademarks and Palm and PalmPowered are trademarks of Palm Inc. or its subsidiaries.

CONTACT: Kyocera Wireless Corp. | Rick Goetter, 858/882-2722 | rgoetter@kyocera-wireless.com