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Leading Japanese Carrier NTT DoCoMo Losing Customers as iPhone Deal Remains Elusive
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I hate it when carriers put their stupid logo on the handset, or when they preinstall crapware on it. It's why I only buy unlocked, SIM-free phones. I'd rather save up for a full-priced iPhone and actually own the device straight away than pay twice as much over the course of a year and never truly own it.
Dear Carriers,
Just be a dumb pipe.
Just move bits to and from my phone. (And try not to charge me too much.)
Don't try to be a brand.
Don't try to add value.
Don't mess with my devices.
If you try to impose these things we will move to another carrier which does what I want.
Love iPhone users. (and friends)
Just be a dumb pipe.
Just move bits to and from my phone. (And try not to charge me too much.)
Don't try to be a brand.
Don't try to add value.
Don't mess with my devices.
If you try to impose these things we will move to another carrier which does what I want.
Love iPhone users. (and friends)
I've never heard of any of the hardwired internet companies imposing their branding on computers... I don't get why the cellular internet companies make such a fuss about it.
As a poster just before me said, just make me a nice pipe for my data. You can have a spot in the top left corner so I can remember that you did a good job, if you want, but IMO, most people curse their carrier for having crappy coverage, they don't praise them for having good coverage, so really, you aught to avoid making your presence known at all (like Verizon and Comcast do at home.)
As a poster just before me said, just make me a nice pipe for my data. You can have a spot in the top left corner so I can remember that you did a good job, if you want, but IMO, most people curse their carrier for having crappy coverage, they don't praise them for having good coverage, so really, you aught to avoid making your presence known at all (like Verizon and Comcast do at home.)
Kinda hoping the same for NTT DoCoMo, showing that Apple cannot dictate every carrier they want
The carrier is trying to dictate Apple. They want Apple to preload their software onto iOS. No, this is about Apple resisting demands.
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Same goes for ISPs. My ISP blocks SMTP 25 outgoing and makes it tough to switch the router from their junky Actiontec. Just give me an ethernet cable connected to the Internet!
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It says on the app before you get it that there are IAPs. Some people like IAPs, and they are used for good instead of evil most of the time. If you're like me, you don't get it, or you do get it then use our friend LocalIAPStore on the evil IAPs.
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Kinda hoping the same for NTT DoCoMo, showing that Apple cannot dictate every carrier they want
No... not in this case. Obnoxious carrier branding and bloatware are not the points on which to stick it to Apple for "dictating" terms. Revenue sharing? Sure. But not this.
There are a couple of exceptions. A lot of them keep telling you about their email service, and Verizon makes it much, much harder to switch their Verizon-branded Actiontec router than would be normal. There's also the infamous SearchAssist BS they give you if you type a URL wrong on their DNS. Give me Google for crying out loud!
Kinda hoping the same for NTT DoCoMo, showing that Apple cannot dictate every carrier they want
Wow, you're so anti-Apple that you're actually defending the cell phone providers.
I understand what you are saying, but I think this is one of those situations where Apple is right to uphold their terms & conditions.Kinda hoping the same for NTT DoCoMo, showing that Apple cannot dictate every carrier they want
If they want presence on the phone then write an iOS app and include a card/leaflet directing customers to the store to get it. Does who want your service will go and seek it out and those who don't won't have to bother.
Apple manufactured the phone which means they get to control what goes on it. DoCoMo is just another carrier of several.
Apple manufactured the phone which means they get to control what goes on it. DoCoMo is just another carrier of several.
DoCoMo: "We require that you allow us to pre-install all sorts of crapware and advertising-sponsored bloatware on your iPhones. Deal?"
Apple: "No deal. That's not how we roll."
Apple: "No deal. That's not how we roll."
I don't think DoCoMo will change its rules so easily.
Especially because we are talking about Japan. It would be like loosing against apple
Especially because we are talking about Japan. It would be like loosing against apple
Change your DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, and you will have Google. (Unless of course, your ISP is filtering your DNS traffic, then there are larger issues at play).
Do you also pay exorbitant amounts of money to wear clothing with garish designer logos on them as well?Kinda hoping the same for NTT DoCoMo, showing that Apple cannot dictate every carrier they want
Do you want to know what people in first class airport lounges wear? Well made clothes with no large logos on the front of their shirt or jacket.
Do you seriously want a Verizon, AT&T Sprint, NTT DoCoMo etc.. logo on the front of the phone that you are actually paying a thousand dollars for? Really? What did any of those carriers have to do with the design or functionality of the iPhone and iOS?
Do you want branded apps imbedded in firmware that is specific to a carrier? Do you want to be held hostage by the carrier as to whether your year old iPhone will get an update to the latest iOS release?
If you really want to be someone's ***** and pay through the nose for it, get an Android instead. They have those carrier logos that you like so much as well as the carrier branded crapware that you cannot remove as well has only receiving updates if the carrier allows it.
How about you grow a pair instead and realize that if it was not for Apple standing up to the carrier, we would still all be using locked down carrier specific phone that connected only to carrier run "stores".
I remember how the phones were before the iPhone. I had a Rogers phone where I could only have ringtones purchased from the Rogers store and games from the Rogers store and songs from the Rogers store.
They charged something like 3-4 bucks for a ringtone on top of data charges.
PS. If you really want to wear advertising then I suggest getting into NASCAR as a driver because at least then you are paid to wear it.
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So people have an idea of what DoCoMo offers:
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/service/
To see everything though, you need to click on the categories - just looking at the top level won't show everything by any means.
Note, I'm not defending this by any means, just pointing out what they offer.
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/service/
To see everything though, you need to click on the categories - just looking at the top level won't show everything by any means.
Note, I'm not defending this by any means, just pointing out what they offer.
Pre-loaded carrier services would be a nightmare! No longer would iPhone users be able to update all at the same time. Apple would have to make specific firmware versions with said services baked in, which would then need to be approved by the carriers.
It's not like carriers aren't allowed to offer any services at all for the iPhone. They just need to be downloaded from the app store.
As for branding... Jeeze, if it's so important then include it on a rubber case.
It's not like carriers aren't allowed to offer any services at all for the iPhone. They just need to be downloaded from the app store.
As for branding... Jeeze, if it's so important then include it on a rubber case.
It is your choice if you download apps with IAP. NTT don't want to give their customers a choice on if their bloatware is present, and they want it for profit, not customer experience.
One of the reasons for the quick uptake of iOS is that there is no delay while networks adds their rubbish on top before releasing. Compare that to Android where Google release an update, then there is a delay while the manufacturers add their skin and bloatware on top, then another delay while the networks adds their stuff on top. So it comes out a lot later, even if the manufacturer and network operator can be bothered.
Clean iOS to everyone is one of the iPhone's best features.
They used to have i-mode (basically WAP). I imagine there are some deluded execs within the company who still imagine i-mode represents something people want (though even the inventor of i-mode has admitted its time has passed).
They have an earthquake warning system which seems extraordinarily poorly thought out, requiring specially modified phones to provide the warning. I imagine Apple could do this just as well (and that the sensible solution here would be a national standard based on common tech, not company proprietary systems).
AND they have a PAYMENTS SYSTEM. I imagine this is the heart of the matter --- Docomo believe (rightly or wrongly) that there is a whole lot of money to be made in payments, and they can't tap as easily into that revenue stream if they don't control the whole experience. This may depend on specific HW (NFC for example), it may also depend on legal agreements/restrictions with Apple on what apps can do. You could IMAGINE technical ways around this --- eg have a Docomo app that, when payment is involved, takes a photo of a bar code --- but that all seems very kludgy and unlikely to be used.
Will Apple cave? Unlikely. On the contrary, Apple seems headed ever more in the payments direction. There are a variety of hints within iOS7, though nothing yet definite, which suggest that Apple is well aware of the interesting potential of payments via the phone, and is gradually expanding its efforts in this area. Passbook, some changes in how App Developers can monetize, BT beacons; all this suggests Apple have plans for an ever larger role in e-commerce.
Google's DNS is slow for me. I'll run NameBench and see if the fastest one it gives me has a good search page.
EDIT: Actually, the one I found has no search page. That's even better.
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Hey now, I'm often critical with Apple but I side with them on this issue. It isn't to see Apple taken down a notch in my case, just calling them as I see them. Things like this are why I buy Apple products!
Yea, I don't see Apple giving in on the phone branding. I could see maybe allowing one app to come on the phone as a compromise, as long as it's sandboxed and separate from iOS, not part of the firmware. But a big DoCoMo logo on the phone? Yea nope sorry DoCoMo.