Apple needs to get MMS and Video working on the iPhone immediately to attract Asian users. They need to open some of their default apps like SMS and E-mail to access by third parties. Definitely behind entrenched players when comparing features.
Quote:
Originally Posted by slapppy
"I showed how I can play videos with iPhone's iPod feature. She then pulled out an antenna and showed how she can get live satellite broadcasts. In fact, we were watching the same show on her phone that we were watching on TV.
I said "Oh, wow"
Well thats why the Japanese aren't too impressed with the iPhone. Can't even copy and paste on it.
i think one of the things important to "iphone life" that was never given importance by carriers when Apple decided to make it available to more countries was How to get more of iphone. the carriers are so naive, getting the iphone contract done (with apple) was their only goal. They never thought much about how to sell the iphone to their subscribers,and to keep selling it.Hype they thought would make them keep the iphone sales stable. they should have known better that it could help them give a good start, but it would not stand in the long run.
they should have thought of ways on how to market the iphone given they would know more about the customers they have.
I hate to say this, but Japan is an increasingly unattractive, even uninteresting, market for Apple (as it will arguably become for most non-Japanese electronics manufacturers; look at what the article says about Nokia's share in Japan). Mac's shares are declining too.
It has become a chicken-and-egg issue: The potential size of the Japanese market for non-Japanese electronics manufacturers simply does not justify the $$ that would need to be spent given the extent of customization that would be required.
Anyone who has dealt with Japan, and who has been to Japan understands why this is the case. I'm sorry, but the Japanese have come to expect quite a bit more from their electronics. The US has always been behind the whiz-bang compared to Japan. Hell, in the nineties I was laughed at when I showed them my then mobilephone?they were so much further than the US back then, and now.
Well, I've lived in Tokyo now since 2003, and I always try to destroy the myth that Japan has more advanced tech than the U.S. Japan does not. It is quite archaic in fact. Yes, there are a lot of "whiz-bang" things around, but making payments with your phone (when you already have a card in your wallet that does the same thing) is just redundant, and you risk scratching your phone when you have to slap it onto the scanners.
There is NO wi-fi in Japan, paid or otherwise (imagine going to Starbucks with no wi-fi, that's Tokyo for you)
There were no smartphones until like 1.5 years ago, and the ones now are still bricks
I'm looking forward to returning to the future when I move back to the U.S. next year and having wi-fi again like I did in 1999.
I'm an American who got an iPhone from Softbank on day three after the launch. It's my first cell phone in Japan, but I have a fair bit of experience with Japanese phones, and in particular with the 905i and 906i phones from DoCoMo. My experience is that I often cannot pull the phone out of my pocket without someone making a comment about how I have an iPhone and about how great it is. I usually feel obliged to let strangers play a few games and have fun flicking the icon screens back and forth.
Then again, all the email I get has strange characters because the Mail app doesn't know what to do with the emoji.
You knew I had to come on this thread and say "I told you so".
BS reports about the amazing success and debut of the iphone. People lining up. Yeah people lining up. That was it. Lining up, NOT purchasing!!
If you want quick Asian input the iPhone is not for you. I have tried it many times and continue to try it (to convince myself to buy it ) and it just doesn't cut it. I'm not even a native Japanese and the input is too slow for me. I type Japanese quite fast. Like many Japanese I use both thumbs to type even faster.
I can buy a smaller / waterproof / 1SEG TV / efficient input / 4MP camera (which records VIDEO) / SD card / rotating & flip LCD / mp3 capable / full email capable mobile phone for $30-$40 USD on a one year contract.
As I mentioned before my girlfriend works at Soft Bank. She ain't the big cheese but she's pretty high up there as Soft Bank has an empowering environment for women. NONE of her co-workers own an iPhone. Most of them have models from 2007. As they say in her office, 'the iPhone also has poor reception compared with other phones and carriers'. Still better than the current North American nightmare of course. It depends on the phone though. For Soft Bank the Sharp phones are quite reliable.
When you are on a moving train or walking which is what we are doing in Japan when we actually have time to communicate, touch input is not your friend. For the most part, you either have to stop walking or wait until the train stops.
Sorry to say but the iPhone in Japan will always be the phone that's popular for 'westerners' or Japanese who 'just have to have the Apple iPhone'.
As they say on YouTube, 'FAIL'.
*disclaimer* in Japan only.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertSwier
I'm an American who got an iPhone from Softbank on day three after the launch....SNIP....
emoji? Are you one of those foreigners/westerners that has been here for years and still types mainly in English? Anywho...As you said people stop you because yes it is a 'novelty' and the games are 'neat'. They certainly aren't running to the stores after they see your toy to buy it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcollin3k
There is NO wi-fi in Japan, paid or otherwise (imagine going to Starbucks with no wi-fi, that's Tokyo for you)
Wi-Fi is certainly not easy to find in Japan however cafes are slowly starting to carry it.
Emphasis on slowly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcollin3k
I'm looking forward to returning to the future when I move back to the U.S. next year and having wi-fi again like I did in 1999.
I know this is about iPhone and Japan but here's my recent experience after showing off my iPhone to my niece in Korea.
First of all, there's no GSM so I couldn't use the phone but they did have Wifi in the apartment so was able to show e-mail and other features.
Obviously you have an iPhone 2G. It seems the 3G when used in Korea or Japan runs out of battery in just a few hours and that the Japanese have to carry a second phone.
I'm an American who got an iPhone from Softbank on day three after the launch. It's my first cell phone in Japan, but I have a fair bit of experience with Japanese phones, and in particular with the 905i and 906i phones from DoCoMo. My experience is that I often cannot pull the phone out of my pocket without someone making a comment about how I have an iPhone and about how great it is. I usually feel obliged to let strangers play a few games and have fun flicking the icon screens back and forth.
I recently read an article that stated WiFi isn't widely deployed in Japan. Also that Japanese aren't as sure what to do with the App store. Japanese don't purchase from the internet.
Quote:
Then again, all the email I get has strange characters because the Mail app doesn't know what to do with the emoji.
I doubt emoji is an officailly supported language for email.
Calm down. The report does not say the iPhone is a failure in Japan. That it isn't doing as well in Japan as in other parts of the world. Much of the reason for that is price. The iPhone is more expensive in Japan than most everywhere else.
I recently read an article that stated WiFi isn't widely deployed in Japan.
True
Quote:
Originally Posted by TenoBell
Also that Japanese aren't as sure what to do with the App store.
Maybe they're waiting to buy the Hello Kitty app.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TenoBell
Japanese don't purchase from the internet.
Not true. Amazon JP is hugely successful. Main reason for successful Blu-Ray sales in Japan.
Btw, OT but Amazon JP rocks the house. I can print out my barcode/order at home in the evening, walk across the street to Seven Eleven, they scan my bar code and I pay cash and receive my Blu-Rays the next day for free. Wicked service. Or I can transfer my funds at the ATM or bank online. Either way I get it next day free.
Obviously you have an iPhone 2G. It seems the 3G when used in Korea or Japan runs out of battery in just a few hours and that the Japanese have to carry a second phone.
Well, I've lived in Tokyo now since 2003, and I always try to destroy the myth that Japan has more advanced tech than the U.S. Japan does not. It is quite archaic in fact. Yes, there are a lot of "whiz-bang" things around, but making payments with your phone (when you already have a card in your wallet that does the same thing) is just redundant, and you risk scratching your phone when you have to slap it onto the scanners.
There is NO wi-fi in Japan, paid or otherwise (imagine going to Starbucks with no wi-fi, that's Tokyo for you)
There were no smartphones until like 1.5 years ago, and the ones now are still bricks
I'm looking forward to returning to the future when I move back to the U.S. next year and having wi-fi again like I did in 1999.
Good luck destroying that myth as obviously you are still an outsider. There are many avenues Japan is pursuing with their Asian counterparts that go unannounced...that's how the Japanese do it.
Also that Japanese aren't as sure what to do with the App store. Japanese don't purchase from the internet.
I thought one of the reasons iTS was soft there was because people there were already routinely buying their music using their phones, a few years ahead of Apple's music store. Why apps are such a leap beyond that, I wouldn't know.
Not true. Amazon JP is hugely successful. Main reason for successful Blu-Ray sales in Japan.
Btw, OT but Amazon JP rocks the house. I can print out my barcode/order at home in the evening, walk across the street to Seven Eleven, they scan my bar code and I pay cash and receive my Blu-Rays the next day for free. Wicked service. Or I can transfer my funds at the ATM or bank online. Either way I get it next day free.
I don't understand the need to scan a barcode or go to an ATM when it's still being mailed to you. The whole point is in being able to purchase online without going anywhere.
I can buy a smaller / waterproof / 1SEG TV / efficient input / 4MP camera (which records VIDEO) / SD card / rotating & flip LCD / mp3 capable / full email capable mobile phone for $30-$40 USD on a one year contract.
Last time I checked we can get these type of phones for free in the US!!! By full email do you mean desktop quality email? push email and Exchange support?
and who need a waterproof phone?!
Quote:
Originally Posted by success
When you are on a moving train or walking which is what we are doing in Japan when we actually have time to communicate, touch input is not your friend. For the most part, you either have to stop walking or wait until the train stops.
I use the bus, more shaking and short stops, every day and never had a problem typing using the touch screen and both thumps!!
I don't understand the need to scan a barcode or go to an ATM when it's still being mailed to you. The whole point is in being able to purchase online without going anywhere.
I don't use credit cards and Japan is pretty much a cash society. I could use my CC if I wanted to / had them but I don't / don't need. Gotta go out anyway next door to buy groceries so it's all the same.
Last time I checked we can get these type of phones for free in the US!!! By full email do you mean desktop quality email? push email and Exchange support? and who need a waterproof phone?!
Who NEEDS an iPhone LOL. No one. Didn't say you needed a waterproof phone either. It's simply an included feature of many models. The emails come directly to my phone as soon as someone sends me an email. Why would I need anything else? USA? So then you aren't communicating in Japanese day in and day out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NasserAE
I use the bus, more shaking and short stops, every day and never had a problem typing using the touch screen and both thumps!!
English input is not Japanese input. Japanese can be typed much faster than English due to the nature of the syllabus. If the device detracts from this ability then it's a waste.
Comments
"I showed how I can play videos with iPhone's iPod feature. She then pulled out an antenna and showed how she can get live satellite broadcasts. In fact, we were watching the same show on her phone that we were watching on TV.
I said "Oh, wow"
Well thats why the Japanese aren't too impressed with the iPhone. Can't even copy and paste on it.
they should have thought of ways on how to market the iphone given they would know more about the customers they have.
It has become a chicken-and-egg issue: The potential size of the Japanese market for non-Japanese electronics manufacturers simply does not justify the $$ that would need to be spent given the extent of customization that would be required.
Anyone who has dealt with Japan, and who has been to Japan understands why this is the case. I'm sorry, but the Japanese have come to expect quite a bit more from their electronics. The US has always been behind the whiz-bang compared to Japan. Hell, in the nineties I was laughed at when I showed them my then mobilephone?they were so much further than the US back then, and now.
Well, I've lived in Tokyo now since 2003, and I always try to destroy the myth that Japan has more advanced tech than the U.S. Japan does not. It is quite archaic in fact. Yes, there are a lot of "whiz-bang" things around, but making payments with your phone (when you already have a card in your wallet that does the same thing) is just redundant, and you risk scratching your phone when you have to slap it onto the scanners.
There is NO wi-fi in Japan, paid or otherwise (imagine going to Starbucks with no wi-fi, that's Tokyo for you)
There were no smartphones until like 1.5 years ago, and the ones now are still bricks
I'm looking forward to returning to the future when I move back to the U.S. next year and having wi-fi again like I did in 1999.
That would be nice, but Apple as far as I can tell, is not allowing any actual cell bandwidth using media apps except for their own token video app.
This is exactly what Pandora and AOL Radio do.
Web App through Safari is also an option.
Then again, all the email I get has strange characters because the Mail app doesn't know what to do with the emoji.
BS reports about the amazing success and debut of the iphone. People lining up. Yeah people lining up. That was it. Lining up, NOT purchasing!!
If you want quick Asian input the iPhone is not for you. I have tried it many times and continue to try it (to convince myself to buy it
I can buy a smaller / waterproof / 1SEG TV / efficient input / 4MP camera (which records VIDEO) / SD card / rotating & flip LCD / mp3 capable / full email capable mobile phone for $30-$40 USD on a one year contract.
As I mentioned before my girlfriend works at Soft Bank. She ain't the big cheese but she's pretty high up there as Soft Bank has an empowering environment for women. NONE of her co-workers own an iPhone. Most of them have models from 2007. As they say in her office, 'the iPhone also has poor reception compared with other phones and carriers'. Still better than the current North American nightmare of course. It depends on the phone though. For Soft Bank the Sharp phones are quite reliable.
When you are on a moving train or walking which is what we are doing in Japan when we actually have time to communicate, touch input is not your friend. For the most part, you either have to stop walking or wait until the train stops.
Sorry to say but the iPhone in Japan will always be the phone that's popular for 'westerners' or Japanese who 'just have to have the Apple iPhone'.
As they say on YouTube, 'FAIL'.
*disclaimer* in Japan only.
I'm an American who got an iPhone from Softbank on day three after the launch....SNIP....
emoji? Are you one of those foreigners/westerners that has been here for years and still types mainly in English? Anywho...As you said people stop you because yes it is a 'novelty' and the games are 'neat'. They certainly aren't running to the stores after they see your toy to buy it.
There is NO wi-fi in Japan, paid or otherwise (imagine going to Starbucks with no wi-fi, that's Tokyo for you)
Wi-Fi is certainly not easy to find in Japan however cafes are slowly starting to carry it.
Emphasis on slowly.
I'm looking forward to returning to the future when I move back to the U.S. next year and having wi-fi again like I did in 1999.
Michael J. Fox.
What methodology do these analysts use to determine the number of sales?
If SoftBank says they got 215,000 iPhone activations the first month, how is 160k going to be credible?
Softbank had 215,000 net subscribers additions in that month --- that's nothing to do with iphone activations.
http://www.palluxo.com/2008/08/07/so...ne-3g-pricing/
I know this is about iPhone and Japan but here's my recent experience after showing off my iPhone to my niece in Korea.
First of all, there's no GSM so I couldn't use the phone but they did have Wifi in the apartment so was able to show e-mail and other features.
Obviously you have an iPhone 2G. It seems the 3G when used in Korea or Japan runs out of battery in just a few hours and that the Japanese have to carry a second phone.
http://www.christianlindholm.com/chr...one-3g-is.html
And if anyone should know about mobile phones it is Christian Lindholm.
I'm an American who got an iPhone from Softbank on day three after the launch. It's my first cell phone in Japan, but I have a fair bit of experience with Japanese phones, and in particular with the 905i and 906i phones from DoCoMo. My experience is that I often cannot pull the phone out of my pocket without someone making a comment about how I have an iPhone and about how great it is. I usually feel obliged to let strangers play a few games and have fun flicking the icon screens back and forth.
I recently read an article that stated WiFi isn't widely deployed in Japan. Also that Japanese aren't as sure what to do with the App store. Japanese don't purchase from the internet.
Then again, all the email I get has strange characters because the Mail app doesn't know what to do with the emoji.
I doubt emoji is an officailly supported language for email.
As they say on YouTube, 'FAIL'
Calm down. The report does not say the iPhone is a failure in Japan. That it isn't doing as well in Japan as in other parts of the world. Much of the reason for that is price. The iPhone is more expensive in Japan than most everywhere else.
Calm down.
LOL
I recently read an article that stated WiFi isn't widely deployed in Japan.
True
Also that Japanese aren't as sure what to do with the App store.
Maybe they're waiting to buy the Hello Kitty app.
Japanese don't purchase from the internet.
Not true. Amazon JP is hugely successful. Main reason for successful Blu-Ray sales in Japan.
Btw, OT but Amazon JP rocks the house. I can print out my barcode/order at home in the evening, walk across the street to Seven Eleven, they scan my bar code and I pay cash and receive my Blu-Rays the next day for free. Wicked service. Or I can transfer my funds at the ATM or bank online. Either way I get it next day free.
Obviously you have an iPhone 2G. It seems the 3G when used in Korea or Japan runs out of battery in just a few hours and that the Japanese have to carry a second phone.
http://www.christianlindholm.com/chr...one-3g-is.html
And if anyone should know about mobile phones it is Christian Lindholm.
This isn't specific to the iPhone. Battery is quickly drained for all phones that use HSDPA 3G.
Well, I've lived in Tokyo now since 2003, and I always try to destroy the myth that Japan has more advanced tech than the U.S. Japan does not. It is quite archaic in fact. Yes, there are a lot of "whiz-bang" things around, but making payments with your phone (when you already have a card in your wallet that does the same thing) is just redundant, and you risk scratching your phone when you have to slap it onto the scanners.
There is NO wi-fi in Japan, paid or otherwise (imagine going to Starbucks with no wi-fi, that's Tokyo for you)
There were no smartphones until like 1.5 years ago, and the ones now are still bricks
I'm looking forward to returning to the future when I move back to the U.S. next year and having wi-fi again like I did in 1999.
Good luck destroying that myth as obviously you are still an outsider. There are many avenues Japan is pursuing with their Asian counterparts that go unannounced...that's how the Japanese do it.
Also that Japanese aren't as sure what to do with the App store. Japanese don't purchase from the internet.
I thought one of the reasons iTS was soft there was because people there were already routinely buying their music using their phones, a few years ahead of Apple's music store. Why apps are such a leap beyond that, I wouldn't know.
Not true. Amazon JP is hugely successful. Main reason for successful Blu-Ray sales in Japan.
Btw, OT but Amazon JP rocks the house. I can print out my barcode/order at home in the evening, walk across the street to Seven Eleven, they scan my bar code and I pay cash and receive my Blu-Rays the next day for free. Wicked service. Or I can transfer my funds at the ATM or bank online. Either way I get it next day free.
I don't understand the need to scan a barcode or go to an ATM when it's still being mailed to you. The whole point is in being able to purchase online without going anywhere.
I can buy a smaller / waterproof / 1SEG TV / efficient input / 4MP camera (which records VIDEO) / SD card / rotating & flip LCD / mp3 capable / full email capable mobile phone for $30-$40 USD on a one year contract.
Last time I checked we can get these type of phones for free in the US!!! By full email do you mean desktop quality email? push email and Exchange support?
and who need a waterproof phone?!
When you are on a moving train or walking which is what we are doing in Japan when we actually have time to communicate, touch input is not your friend. For the most part, you either have to stop walking or wait until the train stops.
I use the bus, more shaking and short stops, every day and never had a problem typing using the touch screen and both thumps!!
I don't understand the need to scan a barcode or go to an ATM when it's still being mailed to you. The whole point is in being able to purchase online without going anywhere.
I don't use credit cards and Japan is pretty much a cash society. I could use my CC if I wanted to / had them but I don't / don't need. Gotta go out anyway next door to buy groceries so it's all the same.
Last time I checked we can get these type of phones for free in the US!!! By full email do you mean desktop quality email? push email and Exchange support? and who need a waterproof phone?!
Who NEEDS an iPhone LOL. No one. Didn't say you needed a waterproof phone either. It's simply an included feature of many models. The emails come directly to my phone as soon as someone sends me an email. Why would I need anything else? USA? So then you aren't communicating in Japanese day in and day out.
I use the bus, more shaking and short stops, every day and never had a problem typing using the touch screen and both thumps!!
English input is not Japanese input. Japanese can be typed much faster than English due to the nature of the syllabus. If the device detracts from this ability then it's a waste.