A central challenge of MEDIA SKIN was how to realize, at a mass-production level, a tactile quality that remained faithful to the concept of a “second skin.” Soft-feel coatings that provide a pleasant touch had long existed, but coatings made from urethane particles were prone to hydrolysis over time, resulting in a sticky surface.

Coinciding with the development of MEDIA SKIN, a coating manufacturer proposed a new soft-feel coating with resistance to hydrolysis. This made the realization of the “second skin” concept feasible. Ultimately, the Black model combined a soft-feel coating with a textured surface finish, while the other colors employed coatings blended with silicone particles, achieving tactile qualities appropriate to the concept.

MEDIA SKIN also attracted attention for its technical achievements, including being the world’s first mobile phone to feature an organic EL display and setting a record at the time for thinness among models equipped with One-Seg TV and mobile wallet functions. Its release in January 2007 coincided with a turning point in mobile design history, when INFOBAR, talby, neon, and MEDIA SKIN were selected for the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and the first iPhone was announced in the United States.

【Awards】
2007: Good Design Award – Gold Prize
2008: Asia Design Award – Grand Prize (China / Hong Kong)

【Collections】
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York
Design Museum, London

Source: Sunahara, Satoshi (2017). *Keitai no Keitaigaku [The Morphology of Mobile Phones]*. Rokuyosha.