iPhone crash

Oct 1, 2008 | Tag: Mobile service

iPhone crash in Japan

Daily Tech informs that the Apple Company and mobile connection operator Softbank that got the right for iPhone 3G distribution could not perform the planned amount of Apple smartphones.

During the first two months Apple planned to sell not less than 1 million smartphones in Japan. Now after this period has passed both companies keep the sales numbers as a secret unlike the German T-Mobile that, a month and a half after the sales began, announced about the sales of 120 thousand 3G smartphones in Germany on August 25th. It is probable that Softbank has strong reasons not to make this information known. According to the UBS analytic Inui Makio only 200 thousand iPhones were sold in Japan during the first two months which is five times less than the planned volume. The analytic himself predicted more reserved sum of 350 thousand devices.

It is interesting that a month after the sales beginning Softbank lowered the prices for the "blocked" phone trying to increase the demand. At the beginning the iPhone users had the payment of $55 a month including endless traffic. Later the company offered a wider choice of payments with the monthly payment from $16. For us to compare, in general Softbank receives $40 a month from each user.

The Japanese were not impressed with the iPhone advantages and rather disappointed at its incomplete functions.

According to the experts view the iPhone crash in Japan has some reasons all of which have to do with the technological aspect.

First of all it does not support icons in text messages. Because of this the users cannot send images which are very popular in Japan as they allow to transmit information not making an expensive call. Besides it is easier to transmit one image hieroglyph than to write a text message. Secondly, unlike most phones sold in Japan, iPhone cannot be used as an electronic wallet for the shopping and transportation payments. In Japanese phones this advantage exists due to the Felica chip developed by the Sony Company. Finally iPhone does not support the digital television 1Seg receiving. As a result only the Apple fans buy these phones while regular buyers look for other options.

According to Makio iPhone was not thoroughly prepared for Japanese market – this is the main reason of oPhone crash. Besides, as the experts mention, unlike the West where mobile phone is viewed only as a means of communication, in Japan web surfing, music listening, movie watching and not something new.

It should be mentioned that an investigation was made that proved that only every tenth Japanese is going to buy iPhone.

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