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Leading Japanese Carrier NTT DoCoMo Losing Customers as iPhone Deal Remains Elusive
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well that's bad, i'm sure they'll soon offer it because apple is known to provide it's products in each and every part of the world.
Just did a quick post history and rabid Android fanboy comes to mind. Yep. I called it.
This is a really bad idea if you do any video streaming (AppleTV, Netflix, Amazon, etc.) All of these companies use your DNS to route your traffic through a CMS closest to you either physically or number of hops. If you switch to Google DNS it will think you are in California and your streaming video speeds will suffer dramatically.
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.
This times 1000!
So many clueless and thoughtless iDefenders whose left hands don't know what their right hands are doing.
Steve Jobs couldn't save Apple even after he was re-hired to run the ship. Microsoft did.
This is the single most ignorant and uninformed thing I have read on these forums in years. You sir have no clue about the resurgence of Apple. Not one clue.
So many clueless and thoughtless iDefenders whose left hands don't know what their right hands are doing.
Steve Jobs couldn't save Apple even after he was re-hired to run the ship. Microsoft did.
Yep, you should tell Comcast et al. how to run their services. They own the pipes, they don't own the content. Except the cable/telcos saw what happened to cellular and wanted none of the "dumb pipe" bullcrap.
The longevity of your product means nothing. Look at Nokia.
Do some independent thinking on your own instead of having someone else do that work for you, kid.
And why do you care?
I don't give a damn if Apple goes out of business tomorrow. The world can and will move on without Cupertino. Get a hint.
And how will that matter? Oh yeah, it's bad for iOS because 1) you are not allowed to jailbreak your iDevices as you'll void warranties and lose all product support, and 2) you are not allowed to replace core Apple system apps with third-party apps.
I'd like to see the unthinkable happen so I can start reading every iBrainwashedFanboy whine how the world is being so unfair to Apple. The world is unfair. We don't necessarily play by Apple's rules. Deal with it.
Is there one or two facts in your rebuttal? Probably not,
In terms of tech culture, Japan has always been an "Apple-friendly nation". In the Macintosh era (before iPhone), Macworld Expo Tokyo was the world's largest Apple convention. The sheer number of Japanese Apple fanatics attending that trade show would dwarf the San Francisco (Moscone Center) Macworld Expos.
I'd wager to think that native Japanese tech companies (e.g. Sony) probably harbor some resentment and jealousy of Apple being so successful and embraced in Japan.
Seeing as the chances of Apple abandoning its core (no pun intended) principles with regard to bloatware and advertising, then it is obvious that someone at DoCoMo is going to have to perform ritual suicide in order for the company to save face before they cave in.
The only problem with that is that Google will know _exactly_ which websites you are visiting, which is information that for example the NSA will be really interested in. And advertisers using Google will be interested as well.
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Steve Jobs not only saved Apple, but also saved Samsung by making a $100 million investment in the company. (Not really with the second, but you seem to think that some token investment saved Apple. Look, Steve Jobs could have invested ten times as much as Microsoft out of his own pocket. )
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With historical hindsight it should be clear what happened: The possibilities where AT&T getting the deal, Verizon getting the deal, or both getting the deal. If one of them got the deal, it would be a huge competitive advantage to them (it was for AT&T) which would make them willing to make a huge financial investment (which AT&T did). If both got the deal, it wouldn't have been a big advantage for either AT&T or Verizon. An exclusive deal was much much more valuable for either than a non-exclusive deal. So in hindsight it is obvious that there would be only _one_ deal. Also obvious that, as it happened, Verizon tried to save face and claim they were not really interested.
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Never heard of that. Not at all. And most definitely not as a "common refrain". So I suppose you were making this up. Sure, telling him "this can't be done" was kind of career limiting, but that would be the case in many companies. Especially when he finds someone who can do it.
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That's something that Apple will understand and DoCoMo won't. It's not just the cost of shipping DoCoMo phones with a special iOS version for DoCoMo. Its' the cost of shipping iOS 7 updates compatible with this version. Plus the cost of shipping iOS 8 updates compatible with this version. Plus the cost for iOS 9 updates. And so on.
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As a software developer, I'd propose shooting anyone creating a DNS server that redirects to a search page instead of reporting an error code. I have colleagues who prefer cooking the slowly in hot oil.
Ummm No, they are NOT - Do you live in Japan ? Havent you been reading the news or watching TV ??? Damn check your facts !
Here is a recent example in English for you....
http://www.telecompaper.com/news/japanese-mobile-carriers-add-616900-new-subs-in-may--948283
Softbank has been ranked as the Number one mobile company for a while beating out docomo and KDDI.
They are NOT number one in Japan at all.
Funny thing is when I ask most of my students (yes, Ive been teaching English here in Japan for a long long time) about what type of smartphone they have, they usually answer with either "an iphone" or "docomo". Everyone knows what an iphone is and who makes it but from my experience, People of all ages are surprised when I tell them that Docomo is the carrier not the phone maker. Samsung or Toshiba or Sharp is....
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So many iFanboys rally in defense of Apple, it's pathetic. Like flocks of sheep being led to a slaughterhouse.
You using your morbid Carrier defense because it's an Apple Story really shows you are neck deep in pot-kettle-black territory! I guess you are such a Freetoid person that you will defend ANYTHING Apple even if that means more preloaded Carrier junk installed that one can't easily remove.
I have actually seen my young nephews dump Android for that simple reason. They don't want to "root" a phone to get rid of stuff, they are to busy playing sports and chasing girls.
Kinda hoping the same for NTT DoCoMo, showing that Apple cannot dictate every carrier they want
You want carrier branding and carrier crap ware on your phone? Yikes. Apple changed the industry for the better by fighting for those conditions. It had to sell itself to AT&T to get them.
Pssh. Until you can make Google's Maps app the default maps & navigation app for iOS instead of Apple's own Maps app, without jailbreaking, cry me a river.
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Microsoft never sued Apple while the latter tried to sue the pants off every Android smartphone OEM.
The reason?
Microsoft's patent cross-licensing deal with Apple in the late 90's as part of the plan to save the company.
Steve Jobs saved Apple? Oh please.
What the **** does your choice of mapping apps have to do with the fact that carriers would be in complete control over when and even if your phone ever receives the latest OS for it?
Yep, you'll never buy your smartphones unlocked at full price, you prefer to imprison yourself into recurring 2-/3-year contracts so you can get the latest and greatest for only $200 down. Then you complain about carrier bloatware on your subsidized phone, all the while saying how Apple is a saint in a mad, mad world.
Cry me a river.
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When iOS 6 was released to the public, it replaced Apple's implementation of Google Maps with its own, far inferior abomination, the only new feature being "3D Flyover" views. That would have been a great time to make Gmaps the system default for maps & navigation instead of Apple's iMaps.
Oh wait, you cannot do that in iOS without jailbreaking.
You still cannot do that with iOS 7.
Cry me a river.
Umm yeah... Again, WTF does this have to do with what I am saying?
Look, if you don't like what Apple has done in newer versions of iOS, that's fine. But most of us would appreciate being able to update our devices regardless of what carrier we choose.
BTW, the whole Apple maps thing has been massively overblown. Yes it has flaws, but people seem to have forgotten that Google maps itself is far from perfect.
Microsoft never sued Apple while the latter tried to sue the pants off every Android smartphone OEM.
The reason?
Microsoft's patent cross-licensing deal with Apple in the late 90's as part of the plan to save the company.
Steve Jobs saved Apple? Oh please.
"Cross-licensing deal" works both ways. Apple hasn't been suing Microsoft either. And while Windows8 is innovative (although misguided), surely Apple would have found some patents that Microsoft is infringing on.
But how come Microsoft entered into this deal? Out of the goodness of their hearts? No, because Apple had them by the balls for stolen Quicktime code (which was admittedly not stolen by Microsoft, but most likely without any knowledge of Microsoft by a company they hired).
Steve Jobs saved Apple? Oh please.
I can't tell if you are really this ignorant or if it is just part of your schtick at this point. First of all, Apple wasn't dead. They were hemorrhaging money for a few quarters but they were a profitable company for a long time and they could afford to do that for a short period of time. That is the first thing that Jobs fixed upon his return by simplifying the product line. Second, hit products, retail stores, and a number of other things are what turned Apple into the powerhouse they are today. And all of those things happened while Steve Jobs was at the helm. Bill Gates did not create the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc. THOSE are what has made Apple the largest company in the world. Nothing Gates did should even be in the same conversation with those massive accomplishments.
What in the heck does this have to do with the conversation that the rest of us are having?
The new proxy server at work doesn't return an error code either, which breaks Firefox. Enter, say, "apple" and instead of Firefox automatically using Google to search for "apple", I just get a "200 OK" page generated by the proxy server (Sophos "UTM Web Protection") telling me that "http://apple" is not a valid site
You're hint is that you are a troll..
If you don't give a damn why do you keep posting on this thread and website? Are you paid to do so? You haven't said a single intelligent thing or stated any facts....
So you're a troll?
You can't even read...that's pathetic....
NTT still the number one. Read the article again.
"Softbank again led in subscriber additions..."
"Softbank 33.04 million....NTT 61.62 million subscribers in total"....
You just posted an article which states NTT Docomo still has 28 million more subscribers than Softbank, and yet you're claiming Softbank is #1?And although I agree with flipperfeet that it's a whole 'nother ball game, I still don't see NTT Docomo winning the "let us brand and customize the iPhone" argument against Apple.
But despite all that, I think that NTT Docomo deserves a lot more respect than it's getting from people because they've contributed quite a bit to modern cell phone technology.
I'm in Japan so this actually matters to me, as I've been hoping for a match with DoCoMo and iPhone for some years.
Unfortunately I just don't see it happening. DoCoMo has their 'model' for Kayti (cellular) use and invested in their add-on software and advertising. They think of them selves as the 'big guns' and somewhat rightly so with the best connection and areas covered.
It's changing with the popularity of the iPhone and the other carriers are getting there, but to give in (and loose face) to Apple is still not critical for DoCoMo.
Reminds me of the Big-3 US auto-makers back in the 70s, their profits were just too good to change, till they were one foot in the grave.
There is one bight spot. You can buy an un-locked iPhone and use a sim card from DoCoMo. Maybe too much hassle for me, so my wife and I after being DoCoMo users for 10+ years will be switching soon. Wish I could have it both ways, but the 'other's' service has improved enough that I can live with it. Bye-bye DoCoMo
After thought my wife uses a DoCoMo smart phone and in some ways its better for her; TV, non-plugin base charging for me as a MAC user the iPhone makes more sense, and the 'bridge' software to connect to a MAC sucks.
Unfortunately I just don't see it happening. DoCoMo has their 'model' for Kayti (cellular) use and invested in their add-on software and advertising. They think of them selves as the 'big guns' and somewhat rightly so with the best connection and areas covered.
It's changing with the popularity of the iPhone and the other carriers are getting there, but to give in (and loose face) to Apple is still not critical for DoCoMo.
Reminds me of the Big-3 US auto-makers back in the 70s, their profits were just too good to change, till they were one foot in the grave.
There is one bight spot. You can buy an un-locked iPhone and use a sim card from DoCoMo. Maybe too much hassle for me, so my wife and I after being DoCoMo users for 10+ years will be switching soon. Wish I could have it both ways, but the 'other's' service has improved enough that I can live with it. Bye-bye DoCoMo
After thought my wife uses a DoCoMo smart phone and in some ways its better for her; TV, non-plugin base charging for me as a MAC user the iPhone makes more sense, and the 'bridge' software to connect to a MAC sucks.