Slash LaneApple Inc. this month is moving on plans to launch the iPhone across parts of Asia next year, recently meeting with executives from two of Japan's premier mobile wireless carriers, sources are telling both The Wall Street Journal and Reuters.
Those same people said Apple has also been talking to No. 3 operator Softbank Corp. and executives from both companies have made multiple trips to Apple's Cupertino, Calif.-based headquarters.
Spokespeople for Apple, DoCoMo and Softbank all reportedly declined to comment on the talks.
For Apple, moving into Japan — the world's second-largest economy — is compelling not only because of its strong base of iPod fans, but also because of its nearly 100 million mobile-phone users who buy new phones every two years on average, the Journal said.
"Japanese consumers are also already used to shelling out hundreds of dollars for expensive phones with advanced capabilities such as digital television, camera and music."
While Softbank is reportedly expressing divine interest in partnering with Apple, it's reported that DoCoMo is likely to be the iPhone maker's first choice as a partner because of the strong preference it has shown so far for signing agreements with top mobile operators.
While discussions with both carriers remain active, neither has taken lightly to Apple's demand that it receive approximately 10 percent of iPhone service revenues, Reuters said, citing its own sources.
"If it can't reach a deal with DoCoMo, Apple may turn to Softbank, which has been making an aggressive push to take customers away from its larger rivals," the Journal added. "A person familiar with the situation said Apple doesn't expect to have any difficulty concluding a deal with a Japanese operator."
The same cannot yet be said for Apple's efforts to secure a deal in China, where it also hopes to launch iPhone sometime next year. Multiple reports last month suggested that talks between the company and China's two most popular wireless carriers — China Mobile and China Unicom — had so far failed as a result of similar revenue sharing disputes.
Andrew Orr
Christine McKee
Sponsored Content
Wesley Hilliard
AppleInsider Staff
Amber Neely
36 Comments
I was hoping for AU, so on this news I guess I'll be out of luck unless I move networks (which I don't want to).
Maybe they'll do an unlocked one for a reasonable price. And maybe it'll have 32gb of storage. Hey It's Christmas time, I can wish...
I'm currently living in Japan. I use NTT Docomo. All telecommunications in Japan are expensive compared to America. I spend at least $100 USD per month for basic calling and email on my phone.
Softbank plays a nasty game to get new customers. They charge upwards of $500 to $600 USD for their phones, and nicely split that new phone cost over the next 24 months on your bill. Then they offer low-cost plans. In the end, it equals out almost with NTT.
Japan's cell networks are much different than others. We have actual email on our phones from the cell provider. Because of how bad the pricing is, I could imagine the data charges being nasty and not unlimited. Also, voicemail isn't a standard feature (at least for docomo). I'd have to pay extra just to get voicemail before possibly having visual voicemail. I'd love an iPhone, but I'm not sure how it will fit into Japan.
Anyone think the iPhone will sell well in Japan? They've already got the fastest networks and full-featured phones that easily outdo the the iPhone in number of features including built-in TV tuners. Unless the iPhone is considered so fad or prestige item, I can't see it selling all that well. I know the user interface is probably much better than what is offered on handsets in Japan, but will that be enough? The Japanese love texting and I'm guessing that the virtual keyboard won't satisfy the Japanese at all.
So what's your take on future sales?
Anyone think the iPhone will sell well in Japan? They've already got the fastest networks and full-featured phones that easily outdo the the iPhone in number of features including built-in TV tuners. Unless the iPhone is considered so fad or prestige item, I can't see it selling all that well. I know the user interface is probably much better than what is offered on handsets in Japan, but will that be enough? The Japanese love texting and I'm guessing that the virtual keyboard won't satisfy the Japanese at all.
So what's your take on future sales?
Have patience grasshopper. we shall all have to wait and see
Yeah, I live in Tokyo too and use Au. I thought it was funny that visual voicemail was so revolutionary for iPhone. I've had that for years, BUT, I can only have 3 voicemail messages! It's not a problem for me as I hardly ever talk on my phone.
I'd like to see the iPhone come to Japan, but would enough of the features and services be in English? Yeah my 3G Sony Ericsson phone might have a ton of awesome features, but they are ALL in Japanese save for the ability to send e-mail and browse the Internet.
So unless the maps features and all that other stuff has an English UI, the iPhone will be just like all the other phones in Japan, super useful, but only if you can read Japanese.
Save for a few models the past year, no phones here have QWERTY keyboards. Everyone hits the same 9 buttons multiple times to enter text. It's easier in Japanese than in English. So even the iPhone's weak touch keyboard would probably be an improvement, at least for English input.