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iPhone for Everyone in Japan
One of Japan's largest cellphone carriers, Softbank Mobile just announced a new iPhone campaign called 'iPhone for Everyone'. With this new offer valid until late May, you can get an 8gb iPhone for free (yup, 0 yen) or a 16gb iPhone for about $100 with a 2 year contract.The iPhone was released in Japan in July of 2008 and although it generated a ton of buzz, shortly after its release I started reading about how its sales didn't meet expectations. Perhaps this is a new attempt to boost iPhone sales in Japan.
News Source: Yahoo! Japan News
Comment
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Comment by Scott Murphy on March 1, 2009 at 10:29pm -
I haven't read anything about them adding some of the key features like payment systems. The iPhone still lacks some of the most common cellphone features in Japanese cellphone culture like osaifu-keitai, chaku-uta and 1SEG. They did however, apparently add e-moji (emoticons) in their software updates.
I've also read some complaints that the iPhone by default displays PC sites instead of cellphone sites. As many companies do promotions on their cellphone sites, the iPhone going to the PC version instead of the cellphone might be annoying. Again, I haven't tried it myself so I can't say for sure.
Maybe in the next generation of iPhones, Apple will reevaluate the Japan market and add some of these features.
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Comment by Cameron Souza on March 1, 2009 at 5:32pm - Do you know if they plan to add the features common in Japan like payment systems?
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Comment by Scott Murphy on February 27, 2009 at 6:52am
- Just found this interesting article: Why the Japanese Hate the iPhone. The article talks about how the monthly rates for the iPhone plan are expensive and that there are more fashionable alternatives.
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Comment by Scott Murphy on February 26, 2009 at 3:18pm
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Josiah
I don't think any one cell phone dominates the Japan market but here is the Japanese ranking for cellphone sales two weeks ago. The Softbank 830P and NTT Docomo's P-04 were the best selling models of that week.
You look closely and in 10th place is Docomo's らくらくホンV a cellphone that deliberately eliminates key features for older generations (you ever see those Jitterbug commercials?). These type of cellphones are introduced by most of the carriers in Japan because they sell very well.
Brian
I agree. I still haven't bought my iPhone but to me, its the most interesting phone sold in U.S and I can't wait to get one.
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Comment by Brian Kirsch on February 26, 2009 at 9:28am -
Well that must be nice. I wish the iPhone was not tied exclusively to AT&T in the U.S.
As much as I love my iPhone I am not a big fan of the ATT&T signal or service.
Plus the upfront and month costs to have an iPhone in the U.S. are pretty high.
That being said the iPhone is pretty much the greatest piece of technology I have ever had.
So I am stoked :)
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Comment by Josiah Hester on February 26, 2009 at 8:28am - Wow. Do you know what, if any mobile phone is dominant in the Japanese market?
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