66% of former DoCoMo customers dumped carrier for Apple's iPhone - report
Nearly seven out of every ten customers who recently defected from NTT's DoCoMo mobile communications unit switched carriers because of the iPhone, according to new research from Japanese firm Kantar.
The survey, conducted from Feburary to July 2013, shows 66 percent of switchers did so because of the iPhone.
Apple's iPhone remains a strong driver of consumer choice in Japan's wireless industry as 66 percent of survey respondents who recently left DoCoMo indicated that they moved to a new carrier specifically to get the popular smartphone. The study, uncovered by The Next Web, was conducted via the Internet from February to July of this year and surveyed 10,000 men and women over the age of 16 each month.
DoCoMo, a unit of Japanese telecommunication giant NTT, is the largest wireless carrier in Japan, with more than 61 million subscribers. Despite counting nearly half of the Japanese population as customers and showing year-over-year gains in total subscriber numbers, DoCoMo's share of the overall Japanese mobile phone market is on a downward trajectory ? the company shed nearly two percent of its share between 2012 and 2013, ceding ground to SoftBank and au's KDDI, both carriers that offer the iPhone.
These troubling signs, combined with the recent survey results, may help explain why DoCoMo reportedly promised Apple that 40 percent of the carrier's sales would be of Cupertino's handset.
Carriers are a key channel in Japan's mobile phone marketplace, and not only for the subsidies they provide ? phones are not usually sold unlocked in Japan, and bring-your-own-phone SIM-only plans that are popular elsewhere are rare. These and other factors are why some believe that the deal with DoCoMo, as well as China Mobile, may drive up to 35 million additional iPhone sales in 2014.
The survey, conducted from Feburary to July 2013, shows 66 percent of switchers did so because of the iPhone.
Apple's iPhone remains a strong driver of consumer choice in Japan's wireless industry as 66 percent of survey respondents who recently left DoCoMo indicated that they moved to a new carrier specifically to get the popular smartphone. The study, uncovered by The Next Web, was conducted via the Internet from February to July of this year and surveyed 10,000 men and women over the age of 16 each month.
DoCoMo, a unit of Japanese telecommunication giant NTT, is the largest wireless carrier in Japan, with more than 61 million subscribers. Despite counting nearly half of the Japanese population as customers and showing year-over-year gains in total subscriber numbers, DoCoMo's share of the overall Japanese mobile phone market is on a downward trajectory ? the company shed nearly two percent of its share between 2012 and 2013, ceding ground to SoftBank and au's KDDI, both carriers that offer the iPhone.
These troubling signs, combined with the recent survey results, may help explain why DoCoMo reportedly promised Apple that 40 percent of the carrier's sales would be of Cupertino's handset.
Carriers are a key channel in Japan's mobile phone marketplace, and not only for the subsidies they provide ? phones are not usually sold unlocked in Japan, and bring-your-own-phone SIM-only plans that are popular elsewhere are rare. These and other factors are why some believe that the deal with DoCoMo, as well as China Mobile, may drive up to 35 million additional iPhone sales in 2014.
Comments
I hope offering the iPhone will give them the growth that they need.
the company shed nearly two percent of its share between 2012 and 2013, ceding ground to SoftBank and au's KDDI, both carriers that offer the iPhone.
This figure is equally as relevant as the 66 percent figure highlighted in the story. It seems that overall, about one percent of Docomo's customers left for the iPhone in the past year.
I'm pleased Apple did not give in.
On the other hand, it's a good time for an Apple stock buyback.
Can you imagine if we shipped these analysts to the mid-east to cover the conflicts! Would love to see their by-lines...
"Nearly seven out of every ten customers who recently defected[...]"
What’s wrong about simply saying "two thirds"?
Chemical weapons in Syria thought to have been provided by Apple; stock price to fall - report
This figure is equally as relevant as the 66 percent figure highlighted in the story. It seems that overall, about one percent of Docomo's customers left for the iPhone in the past year.
It's just words that AI chose to use their headline. Same story can be said in different ways.
1% of DoCoMo customers base left it to get iPhone OR 66% of former DoCoMo dumped carrier to get iPhone.
They have lost many millions of subscribers. In fact, all you have to do is count the total number of iPhone users in Japan to get a rough starting point. Before iPhone, close to 80% of all mobile subscribers were on NTT. That's dropped to roughly 50% today. They lost 30% of the market since iPhone hit. Shedding 5% a year on average. That adds up to over 6 million a year on average, but the vast majority of those have been just over the past couple of years (iPhone 4S and 5 are the models that have really taken Apple to current heights there).
The more recent subscriber additions are a far more telling measure: The two carriers who support iPhone (KDDI and SoftBank) together added TEN TIMES the subscribers that NTT did in a single month (August). That number alone makes a compelling case to NTT: carry iPhone or lose their dominant share of the smartphone market.
On other News: Jefferies channel survey of Apples C-Weapon supply chain show, that Apple has delivery issues there as well. Ergo AAPL is going to plummet even further. (WSJ).
Yeah, the white Sarin in 16GL (that's gigaliters) sold out way too fast. My order won't get here until December.
Chemical weapons in Syria thought to have been provided by Apple; stock price to fall - report
World Economic Collapse Traced Back to Original iPhone Announcement & New Blockbuster NSA Revelations Place Demands to Spy On Everyone Squarely On Apple
World Economic Collapse Traced Back to Original iPhone Announcement & New Blockbuster NSA Revelations Place Demands to Spy On Everyone Squarely On Apple
Revelations paid for by TCTSOA, Inc.
*The Committee to Schmidt On Apple
Apple found guilty of planting wax eating worms in their ear buds... Apple claims: the wax has been removed, it is a good thing! Stock falls on sticky times.
December 2014 they are telling us now!
In Japan "being replaced" is the least that happens. First, there's the public apology and deep bows to the stockholders. Then they are handed mops and sent out to a nuclear powerplant to remove 500 tons of radioactive water.
Their executive staff should be replaced for being such idiots for so long, sheesh!
I'm pleased Apple did not give in.
Apple didn't give in to what?