Japan's Cell Phones Too Complex?

[SkyBell]

Found this story kind of interesting.
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/wireless/news/2008/06/japan_phones?npu=1&mbid=yhp
Any comments?

 

[Abstract]

I agree. The iPhone is short of a few features that my girlfriend would use. She pays for stuff with her mobile phone. I don't know how she does it, but she does it, and I don't think she'd give up that feature.

Oh, and she bought her mobile phone used for $30 USD, and it had a fingerprint reader, easily usable internet, and a 2 MP camera. It even has GPS, I think. We've used her internet to tell us how to get from one place to another. Her phone then tells us where to go. The phone is probably 3 years old, and totally "obsolete". The iPhone would be difficult to market there. What are they going to advertise......GPS? 3G? Welcome to 2003, Apple.

 

[bbbensen]

I agree. The iPhone is short of a few features that my girlfriend would use. She pays for stuff with her mobile phone. I don't know how she does it, but she does it, and I don't think she'd give up that feature.

Oh, and she bought her mobile phone used for $30 USD, and it had a fingerprint reader, easily usable internet, and a 2 MP camera. It even has GPS, I think. We've used her internet to tell us how to get from one place to another. Her phone then tells us where to go. The phone is probably 3 years old, and totally "obsolete". The iPhone would be difficult to market there. What are they going to advertise......GPS? 3G? Welcome to 2003, Apple.

Wow....... $30 for a phone like that? I want a phone like that. The US is way behind phone tech.


But the question is, how much a month does that cost?

 

[Abstract]

Yes, around $30, but it was used, although in immaculate condition. Her mobile phone isn't tied to a plan or anything. I'm sure she's on whatever makes things cheapest. She's not a heavy phone user.

 

[irmongoose]

There is still a sizable market for the iPhone in Japan.
The revolutionary user-interface, real internet browser, and the upcoming mobile application platform are all unique to the iPhone, and probably will be for a while to come.
There are plenty of people who would shell out money for that kind of thing.

It's the same as in the US - the iPhone is marketed towards a certain group of people, and those people are always in awe of the multi-touch this and the multi-touch that. Then there's everyone else who's happy with their "normal" phones.
It just happens to be that in Japan, "normal" means 3-inch display, 5-megapixel camera, and mobile TV.

But I agree with the overall sentiment - Apple will probably gain a stronghold or perhaps eventually even dominate the smart-phone market in Japan; the problem is, the smart-phone market itself is so small here, and there isn't much scope of it growing.



irmongoose