Japan's largest mobile operator confirms Apple talks

[AppleInsider]

NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile wireless carrier, confirmed Wednesday that its president has met with Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, presumably over the prospect of launching the iPhone exclusively on its Japanese network.

"It is true that Mr. Steve Jobs of Apple Inc. and our president (Masao) Nakamura held a meeting," an NTT DoCoMo spokesman told the Agence France-Presse, declining to reveal the timing or content of the discussions.

Kyodo News in its own report said DoCoMo is Apple's first choice to market the iPhone to Japanese consumers. However, the carrier may be reluctant to accept Apple's demand for a share of subscriber revenue, the news agency added.

The Wall Street Journal had reported earlier this week that Jobs met with Nakamura, but that Apple has also been talking to Japan's No. 3 operator, Softbank Corp.

A subsequent report by way of Reuters suggested the iPhone maker was playing the two Japanese carriers off of one another ahead of a deal to launch the iPhone in Japan sometime in 2008.

[psychodoughboy]

As some other rumor/news site noted, Japan doesn't have an EDGE network, so they'd need a 3G iPhone for this to work.

[SpamSandwich]

Interesting. Veeeeeeeery interesting.

[aegisdesign]

Originally Posted by psychodoughboy

As some other rumor/news site noted, Japan doesn't have an EDGE network, so they'd need a 3G iPhone for this to work.

Neither did O2 until a few weeks before the iPhone UK launch and it's been gradually trickling outwards from London since. Apple are quite happy it seems to launch without EDGE and without 3G.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by aegisdesign

Neither did O2 until a few weeks before the iPhone UK launch and it's been gradually trickling outwards from London since. Apple are quite happy it seems to launch without EDGE and without 3G.

I'll bet money that a 3G iPhone and the Japanese release coincide.

[JimXugle]

Originally Posted by aegisdesign

Neither did O2 until a few weeks before the iPhone UK launch and it's been gradually trickling outwards from London since. Apple are quite happy it seems to launch without EDGE and without 3G.

That may be true... but As far as I know, Japan doesn't have a GSM/GPRS network either. So this leaves us with 3 possible courses:

1) 3G iPhone
2) NTT is launching a 2G GSM/EDGE network
3) The Japanese iPhone will use WiFi as it's primary connectivity.

I doubt it's 2 or 3...

[melgross]

I just hope that Apple isn't so wedded to the idea of pulling as much of the cell operators fees to itself as it seems to be, thereby losing the biggest operator for a far smaller one. This nonsense it costing Apple long term, for shorter term profits.

I can understand Apple asking, and receiving, a fee for all users who come from other networks. That's fine, Many industries have this sort of "finders fee". But, if it's true that Apple demands up to 30% of the monthly charges, it's absurd!

This is a toll, not only for the carrier, but for the users, which are also Apple's customers, because the cell operators must pass most, if not all, of that along.

This may keep the iPhone out of the Chinese market, which, I see from reading, is the second largest cell market in the world. And the Chinese, despite the lower income of the middle classes, and tech crowd, does buy expensive phones, and the iPhone, in unofficial form, has been doing very well over there.

[pmoeser]

I'm still waiting for a rumour that Steve is flying to Australia to tell his compatriot Sol to get his company's head out of MS arse and support the iPhone!

Japan is at least close to the same time zone as us. This will save some extra jet lag

2G 3G who cares, just release the phone over here already!

oh and while you're at it, movies and tv shows on iTunes would be nice

Love Pete

[melgross]

Originally Posted by pmoeser

I'm still waiting for a rumour that Steve is flying to Australia to tell his compatriot Sol to get his company's head out of MS arse and support the iPhone!

Japan is at least close to the same time zone as us. This will save some extra jet lag

2G 3G who cares, just release the phone over here already!

oh and while you're at it, movies and tv shows on iTunes would be nice

Love Pete

For the movies and Tv shows, you need to put pressure on your local agencies. You can be sure Apple is trying.

[success]

this should have been AU/KDDI from the start.

[mxsweb]

What's up with us, Canadians?

We've been left aside from rumors for a long time now. It seams that nobody care about us anymore.

Please, Steve, I know it may be hard to like Ted Rogers (and I don't like it too) but make an effort!

When we want to do business here in Canada, we look south in the first thing, not in Japan or the UK. We're too close. We're you brotha, aren't we?

[merdhead]

Originally Posted by aegisdesign

Neither did O2 until a few weeks before the iPhone UK launch and it's been gradually trickling outwards from London since. Apple are quite happy it seems to launch without EDGE and without 3G.

It's not that simple. 2G GSM frequencies are not allocated in Japan. You can't just roll out new base stations. The phone will have to be 3G to sell in Japan.

[Bergermeister]

Japan will not step backwards to accommodate behind-the-times tech from the US, so the iPhone will have to come up to 3G to compete over here. It will also possibly have to add a TV feature and get a far better camera than it has now.

My wife recently attended a seminar during which they suggested cell phones are in for a big change mid-late 2008, but they didn't offer many details. One of the presenters works for AU/KDDI, so something seems to be up and it's not just the iPhone.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by mxsweb

What's up with us, Canadians?

Good question.

You all need to ask your government that question. Companies like Rogers don't happen in a vacuum.

[physguy]

Originally Posted by Bergermeister

Japan will not step backwards to accommodate behind-the-times tech from the US, so the iPhone will have to come up to 3G to compete over here. It will also possibly have to add a TV feature and get a far better camera than it has now.

My wife recently attended a seminar during which they suggested cell phones are in for a big change mid-late 2008, but they didn't offer many details. One of the presenters works for AU/KDDI, so something seems to be up and it's not just the iPhone.

Or maybe it is the iPhone

[melgross]

Originally Posted by mxsweb

What's up with us, Canadians?

We've been left aside from rumors for a long time now. It seams that nobody care about us anymore.

Please, Steve, I know it may be hard to like Ted Rogers (and I don't like it too) but make an effort!

When we want to do business here in Canada, we look south in the first thing, not in Japan or the UK. We're too close. We're you brotha, aren't we?

We care about our frozen buddies up Nothern way.

It's just that it's winter, and we figured you'd all be hibernating by now.

[Wil]

Originally Posted by melgross

We care about our frozen buddies up Nothern way.

It's just that it's winter, and we figured you'd all be hibernating by now.

\

Melgross

That is one cold post .