SoftBank Announces iPhone for Japan

[nick9191]

I've got to ask, surely if Japan is as technologically advanced as its made out to be, surely your not using Windows, or even OS X for that matter.

 

[dicklacara]

I think its really cool that iPhone is coming to Japan. As a Docomo user, I would strongly consider switching carriers to SoftBank. However, I think there are several key items that the 3G iPhone will have to have when marketing in Japan:

1. Strong built-in camera (at least 3 megapixels is a must, considering many use camera phones as their main camera)

2. Digital TV tuner - the "One Seg" tuner is becoming almost a standard feature on all cell phones

3. Electronic cash/Edy/Felica/Mobile Suica - many people are using their mobile phones in Japan to board trains and purchase items at convenience stores and kiosks.

I think the latter two are domestic features that probably won't be included in the next iPhone, but I think its going to be a huge hit!!

I googled:

Electronic cash/Edy/Felica/Mobile Suica

but found only your post.

Where can I find out more of this usage of a mobile phone?

KDDI had a series of concept videos a while back (KDDI Ubiquitous) that used a mobile device as an electronic wallet & remote security monitor (in addition to the usual phone, web, gps, etc.).

With some creative expansion of the ubiquitous iTunes store, electronic wallet could be the killer iPhone/Touch app.

A really, really killer app!

i'd like to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather...
rather than screaming in terror like his passengers.

 

[janakin2k5]

I know....

@TRES

@JapanScott

You both misunderstood my post. Of course I know there will be English menus available for the iPhone and its basic operation. What I am talking about is will there be English for the more advanced online features? Like the features in Docomo's IMODE, etc. If the new iPhone does have GPS, will there be a GPS walking service available in English? Things like that.

On my Au Sony-Ericcson now all I can do easily is send e-mail and receive calls and browse a few websites.

But anyway, yes....looking forward to the iPhone coming here.

 

[mavis]

You won't have to do this because the iPhone and iPod touch both have English menu options, but how hard is it to sit down with an electronic dictionary and work out the menus? It's what I did when I got my phone.

Fortunately for us, Apple is an American company and therefore we don't have to worry about Japanese menus and apps. We'll be able to install whatever we want from the App Store, and the default apps are all multi-lingual to begin with, so this is really a moot point.

 

[JapanScott]

I've got to ask, surely if Japan is as technologically advanced as its made out to be, surely your not using Windows, or even OS X for that matter.

Huh?

@TRES

@JapanScott

You both misunderstood my post. Of course I know there will be English menus available for the iPhone and its basic operation. What I am talking about is will there be English for the more advanced online features? Like the features in Docomo's IMODE, etc. If the new iPhone does have GPS, will there be a GPS walking service available in English? Things like that.

On my Au Sony-Ericcson now all I can do easily is send e-mail and receive calls and browse a few websites.

But anyway, yes....looking forward to the iPhone coming here.

It is an Apple product. It runs OS X. This isn't a Sony-Ericcson. As people have said before, the iPhone is a basically a handheld computer running OS X. Just like you have the option on any Mac running OS X to switch between languages, on the iPhone you will be able to do the same thing. In English...英語で, or in Japanese 日本語で.

 

[mavis]

@TRES

@JapanScott

You both misunderstood my post. Of course I know there will be English menus available for the iPhone and its basic operation. What I am talking about is will there be English for the more advanced online features? Like the features in Docomo's IMODE, etc. If the new iPhone does have GPS, will there be a GPS walking service available in English? Things like that.

GPS is a good question, because the Maps.app currently shows only Japanese in hybrid view and street view. But the same is true in any country (Italy shows only Italian, France is only French, etc) ... As for the IMODE stuff, I guess if you're worried about that, you've kind of missed the point of the iPhone entirely. Or do you also feel limited when you surf the web on your computer, because you can't readily view those portal sites? The great thing about the iPhone is that you're no longer limited to that spoon-fed, watered-down portal crap - when you open Safari on the iPhone, you're free to go ANYWHERE, just like on your PC. If you can't read Japanese, just stick with the MILLIONS of English sites out there.

 

[gkarris]

Wow, the next iPhone with 3G is taking the world by storm.

Dear Mr. Ballmer - Open mouth, insert foot....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oGaZIKYvo


You all will love it, I love mine...

 

[carfreak12321]

FINALLY!!!!!!!!
Im so happy now i wont have to switch carriers and pay a crap load of money!!!!
yes this is the best apple news of the year!!!

im just hoping that it comes out soon!!!

 

[dicklacara]

WWDC New iPhone carrier announcement

It appears that Steve has now set the stage to make the Big announcement of a new iPhone carrier at WWDC:

Mainland China!

AFIK, that leaves only Greenland

 

[finnns2000]

I think the latter two are domestic features that probably won't be included in the next iPhone, but I think its going to be a huge hit!!

Yeah I doubt that stuff will be included, and not included in other regions. Too much to change hardware wise.

That said, I hope that my iPhone works next time I visit Tokyo. When I came in January, my iPhone was a doorknob. Hopefully I have the option to roam next time

 

[pauld]

GPS is a good question, because the Maps.app currently shows only Japanese in hybrid view and street view. But the same is true in any country (Italy shows only Italian, France is only French, etc)

It would be an absolute treat if there was an English option for J-Googlemaps.


As unlikely as it may seem, I think that the Japanese market would be the one area where it may be plausible for a modified iPhone to exist, solely to incorporate some of the very unique, demanded features that exist there. The incredible number of potential customers there would make this viable.

 

[carfreak12321]

I am quite happy to hear this announcement, but also a bit worried about the service plans. I hope that you can run the thing on their "White" plan and maybe do some ala carte with the data.

Yeh i agree

i have the white plan right now and im hoping that i can get an option for unlimited data fo 2,000 per month!!

hope they dont overprice it.

 

[Zer0]

I think its really cool that iPhone is coming to Japan. As a Docomo user, I would strongly consider switching carriers to SoftBank. However, I think there are several key items that the 3G iPhone will have to have when marketing in Japan:

1. Strong built-in camera (at least 3 megapixels is a must, considering many use camera phones as their main camera)

2. Digital TV tuner - the "One Seg" tuner is becoming almost a standard feature on all cell phones

3. Electronic cash/Edy/Felica/Mobile Suica - many people are using their mobile phones in Japan to board trains and purchase items at convenience stores and kiosks.

I think the latter two are domestic features that probably won't be included in the next iPhone, but I think its going to be a huge hit!!

Valid points and that is why I think it wont sell too well in japan! The camera's in Japanese phones are much much better than the on in current iPhone. We will see an improvement with the 3G phone but I wonder how much!! They will not include a 1-seg tuner for sure and neither will they include Edy!!! Plus all my Japanese female friends found it extremely hard to use my iPhone with their over length fingernails!

90% of the phones you see in japan are flip phones and that is because Japanese like nice responsive keypads! It wont be smooth sailing for sure!

 

[ThatGuy]

1seg is a hardware issue, so that could be difficult. One minor rumor suggested the iPhone might pack in MediaFlo, which is a north american version of 1seg (more or less). Hard to believe they would ship another version for Japan, and while I don't know if they are remotely compatible, I kinda doubt it.

QR Code recognition could easily be implemented in software, so that's not a show stopper.

Digital Wallet tech? I don't know how it works over there. Is it via bluetooth? If so, one could hypothetically roll a wallet app. I'm guessing it's more like RFID though.

 

[iAlan]

[SNIP] We'll be able to install whatever we want from the App Store, and the default apps are all multi-lingual to begin with, so this is really a moot point.[/SNIP]

The problem is that you cannot download content from iTunes stores outside your country (actually, the country where your credit card is issued*) so if developers don't make content available across multiple stores then under the current set-up people may not be able to get access to some of the early content. Of course, Apple may allow apps to be downloaded from a 'central' store but then pricing may be a problem given currencies, etc. And I would like additional apps outside of the default apps to take advantage of all the creativeness floating around out there (or soon to be floating around out there!).

[SNIP] Plus all my Japanese female friends found it extremely hard to use my iPhone with their over length fingernails! [/SNIP]

Good point, but seriously I hope Apple are not going to target these individuals, that would just cheapen the iPhone image

 

[dicklacara]

Mobile Suica felica on iPhone

OK, I did some googling.

The card technology (Suica, felica) is based on an unpowered RFID chip in the card. When the card comes within a certain proximity of a reader, it powers up, exchanges data and an uniquely-generated transaction code.

Mobile Suica uses Java software on the cell phone to perform the function of the card (and more).

Softbank recently added mobile Suica to some handsets (software download)

Apple has some patent activity regarding interfacing RFID-- here's an interesting article:

http://watchingapple.com/2007/05/connecting-iphone-to-your-wireless-home/

I am not clear if the iPhone/Touch will require a chip with the RFID frequency or if this can be handled by the existing radio chip.

But, it is possible that the iPhone/Touch already can (or soon will be able to) handle the Mobile Suica functions of an electronic wallet.

Edit: Softbank also supports Edy which uses FeliCa and Suica technology. AFAICT, Edy brings the capability of adding money and online review of your account.

This, too, appears to be something the iPhone/Touch can/could do (with the appropriate licensing).

 

[Zer0]

OK, I did some googling.

The card technology (Suica, felica) is based on an unpowered RFID chip in the card. When the card comes within a certain proximity of a reader, it powers up, exchanges data and an uniquely-generated transaction code.

Mobile Suica uses Java software on the cell phone to perform the function of the card (and more).

Softbank recently added mobile Suica to some handsets (software download)

Apple has some patent activity regarding interfacing RFID-- here's an interesting article:

http://watchingapple.com/2007/05/connecting-iphone-to-your-wireless-home/

I am not clear if the iPhone/Touch will require a chip with the RFID frequency or if this can be handled by the existing radio chip.

But, it is possible that the iPhone/Touch already can (or soon will be able to) handle the Mobile Suica functions of an electronic wallet.

Not sure of its implementation, but I can tell you that its the coolest thing ever!!! You walk into the metro station. Flash your phone against the ticket gates and the gates open magically!

 

[dicklacara]

Not sure of its implementation, but I can tell you that its the coolest thing ever!!! You walk into the metro station. Flash your phone against the ticket gates and the gates open magically!

Yeah, i can see that... what a feeling of powerease that must be!

The ATM gives you the freedom of not carrying cash, but the power to get it when needed... but you need to go to an ATM machine, with cash and it may charge you for the service

The electronic wallet has the potential to eliminate all that nonsense... anywhere... everywhere!

 

[tony-in-japan]

Zzzzzzzz... just woke up from my slumber...

Whoooopppeeee!!! About bloody time too, but....

....Softbank???

A bit of a surprise there. I wonder what happened between Apple and Docomo?

Anyway, seems like I will have to change from Docomo to Softbank then. The only concern is whether I will get strong reception like I do with Docomo, especially in Tokyo and in the underground.

One positive is that I don’t have to deal with any cranky mobile music/video player provided by the mobile carrier. Just let Apple do what they do best to weave their GUI magic for Softbank’s iPhone.

Can’t wait to be able to watch rented movies while travelling to work on the metro each day...

On the subject of if it will be a success in Japan and the necessity of having the variety of functions already offered in other phones, I don’t think it really matters. The Japanese are fascinated by Apple’s design-orientated philosophy. They appreciate something beautifully crafted. Something that has had much thought and consideration put into it (hardware and software) will be a great attraction for the Japanese to explore and play with.

 

[dicklacara]

Plus all my Japanese female friends found it extremely hard to use my iPhone with their over length fingernails!

Fingernails are a problem*... surprisingly, gloves are not. I was recently in the hospital with a very bad staph or strep leg infection (they couldn't tell). Everyone, including me, had to wear those rubber gloves. The iPhone worked fine!

*To help a female friend with long fingernails you could stand close behind her, looking over her shoulder, then wrap your arms around her to help...

...Oops I forgot what i was trying to do... something about a phone?

 

[windowpain]

This is great news that we are finally getting a chance to get an iphone. As many people have said, japanese phones are technically miles ahead of most other countries..what is the problem though is the usability of them, which is universally dreadful!

I was with softbank but dropped them due to appalling service,poor reception and a frustratingly complicated phone.

Now with Docomo and have a phone with a TV, internet browser, camera, gps, photo-recognition translation, music player, wallet ...etc etc. But for all its bells and whistles I have very little idea of how to actually enter an email address into my contacts. infuriatingly confusing navigation. I usually just write someones details down on a piece of paper! Grrrr

I want a phone that is intuitive to use, not one that makes me want to throw it off a tall building!

 

[stagi]

Sweet lots of new countries announced over the last month. I bet steve will pull up a world map on the keynote and bam, all _____ countries will have the iPhone starting today! AAPL back to 200

 

[jpn]

finally

i have softbank. the wait is finally over.
masayoshi son (ceo and principal owner of softbank) waited patiently for this and he doesnt wait patiently very well.

felica: i cant buy it without this. felica and now mobile suica is the best way to get on the trains and subways and buses.
it is just rfid + a java app to administer it but it wont make it into the first launch.

so i wait just a little bit longer.

 

[tony-in-japan]

Success of the iPhone in Japan...

Just thought of another crucial point to the success of the iPhone in Japan...

...the ‘halo’ effect from the success of the iPod.

Apple’s iPod has over 60% of the music player market in Japan. Everywhere I travel in Tokyo I see someone with an iPod wrapped around their neck or wearing white earbuds. To some of those, the thought of having one gadget that can be used to communicate with, to listen to music and to watch video (plus have world-wide developers creating useful apps for it) will be a great temptation (inc. me).

 

[mavis]

The problem is that you cannot download content from iTunes stores outside your country (actually, the country where your credit card is issued*) ...

Actually, there are a number of guides online for setting up American iTMS accounts without a US-issued CC. I have both an American account and a Japanese ...