Composer/pianist
Ryuichi Sakamoto, best known for his seminal synth-pop with the Yellow
Magic Orchestra and soundtrack work, has carved out new territory with
his work for the Nokia 8800 cell phone.

The Nokia 8800, introduced to the market in June, 2005, recently
surpassed the one million unit sales mark, and picked up the GSMA Award
for Best GSM Handset for its blend of design, materials and innovation.
The GSMA also praised the phone’s sound suite of ringtones, alarms, and
alerts.

“The Nokia 8800 has clearly found an audience with individuals who
appreciate quality materials and world-class design,” says Alastair
Curtis, who directs the design team at Nokia’s Mobile Phones unit. He
calls the phone “as much an object of art and desire, as it is an
advanced piece of technology.”

The Nokia 8800 introduced a complete soundtrack, including a theme,
all ringtones, alarms and alerts, created by Sakamoto. Sakamoto’s
musical accompaniment became a unique selling feature, striking a
powerful chord with consumers.