The iPhone has taken the world by storm and the the next country to have a rumored release is Japan, and sources there say that Docomo will likely be the company to release the Gadget of the Year here in Japan.
Two of the biggest players in Japan are in talks with Steve Jobs, both NTT Docomo and Softbank Mobile. While there’s little doubt Docomo is favourite – 53 million customers to Softbank’s 17 million – the smaller firm could yet pull a fast one by getting into a revenue share deal with Apple.
Wherever the iPhone ends up in Japan, it means one thing – it has to be a 3G model, as there simply is no GSM network in the country.
I for one will be upgrading as soon as i can, from what i’ve seen the iPhone is brilliant and everything a cellphone junkie could ask for. Maybe there’ll be an announcement at the upcoming Macworld , Jan 14 – 18.
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I think Apple’s problem may be the price – there are phones in Japan that can do all it can for a fraction of the US retail cost. If they drop the price to compete, it’s only a matter of time before people manage to get them to work in the US and just import them.
It’s a tough decision either way.
I`m hoping the price is competitive but even if its the same as it is in the US i will buy. The p903 i have at the moment does heaps but i use so little due to language issues. I can`t sync with my PC as the 3rd party pc APP is Japanese only … lots of Kanji too. I think i will get more use out of the iPhone …. time will tell. It might be a big seller here with foreigners only.
I for one will get one, having just purchased an iPod touch it is clear the usability of the iPhone will be far better than a Japanese phone, and as Neil points out no more language compatability issues.
I wonder how much this will be when it comes out in Japan..
-Mike
It will be interesting to see who will get awarded the iPhone contract, but I don’t think I’ll be running out to buy one anytime soon. While I’m no fan of the Japanese way of getting from Point A to Point B on a cell phone (why do they insist on having 5 drill down menus just to send a darn text message when there’s a darn “Message” button on the phone?), the Apple way of doing things just doesn’t appeal to me.
That said, if this phone does become a hit with the gaijin market in Japan, then perhaps other foreign cell phones will start to appear in the DoCoMo, Au or SoftBank lineup. I’d really enjoy getting my hands on a sexy little Nokia with a North American English menu system
That’s probably what i’m looking for Jason,the simplistic use of a phone designed for the western market …. regardless of if its the Apple iPhone or another phone i’m used to … i was formally a Nokia lover in Australia.
The English menu Nokia you wants alread exists. I have (2 yr old ?) Nokia 6630 (Voda…errr Softbank? 702NK). The OS is an Englsih OS first…. so there`s no half-assed translated stuff. Currently the have the 705NK (http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/en/product/3g/705nk/index.html). Check it out.
When you upgrade prepare to enter into a 2-year contract to keep your next phone.
Im hoping the deal Docomo strike will be different to that off the states based on the Japanese consumers phone habits being different to that of the US …. fingers crossed anyway!
You know – I don’t think the iPhone is going to draw that much attention over here – the phones here are great – if and when the iPhone does go on the market I have a feeling it will not receive the same celeb status it did in the US – and elsewhere in the world. However slick the screen is, eye-candy, gotta have one it may appear – I can see it kinda sticking out like a sore thumb compared to the jpn phones at the moment – the key in my blah – ‘at the moment’, if I had my way, let Apple products run for prez…they certainly got my vote -
Folks.
iPhone is nice however… I would prefer to have different mobile but mp3… iPod touch only
later
アィフオーヌ？！
freakin hilarious!check your online romaji to katakan translator man!:-)