There is not enough saying this: the FCC can sometimes be a true blessing. If it weren't for this agency, most of the mobile phones that are this close to being announced would remain under wraps, since they would linger in the rumor zone until an official announcement was made. The FCC acts like a buffer between rumor and official confirmation, because if a device appears on its official website, then it becomes clear that it is about to be introduced to the general public.

This is also the case with Sharp's new phone, the SH-01A (or, at least, that's the name under which it was tested by the FCC, since the official dubbing has not been disclosed yet). We came across it browsing the FCC's website, and it packs an 8 Megapixel camera with Flash and a 28mm wide-angle, along with the CCD sensor. The wide angle means that the photos you take with this phone will have a better quality, even compared with other devices that deliver an 8MP camera.

Another noteworthy aspect is that the phone will be a clamshell, and will allow users to expand the memory using a microSD card. However, for the time being, the maximum storage is yet unknown but, hopefully, the device will support up to 16GB. There are rumors that Sharp's SH-01A will bring users Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound, so that the media stored on it will come at an exceptional sound quality.

The bad news with the upcoming Sharp is that it seems to be destined to hit only the Japanese market, as it will be officially released on NTT DoCoMo. This could also mean that users in the US and Europe will have to wait a bit more to see it in stores.

Even if the FCC tested the device, this is by no means a guarantee that it will hit the US, since it's certified for US roaming, and only that at the moment. Of course, no price tag or release date have been made public, but given that it has a high-end phone look, it will probably not come as cheap as we might want it to.