The iPhone 3G Not So Big in Japan
September 15th, 2008 by iPhoneTechZone
Nomura Research Institute once estimated that Apple could sell two to to three million iPhones annually in Japan–about five percent of the market. But that was back in June when iPhone mania was at its peak and the device seemed destined to be a success wherever it was sold.
But Japan is one of the world’s largest and most demanding mobile phone markets. Perhaps even a bit too demanding for the iPhone. According to market-research firm MM Research Institute, Apple (AAPL) sold just 200,000 iPhones in Japan in the device’s first two months on the market.
And now demand is declining. So much so that analysts say sales are unlikely to top 500,000 units, let alone two million. The reason: The iPhone, even with its multi-touch screen and elegant design, pales a bit in comparison to the typical Japanese handset, which boasts not just a high-end color display, but a video camera, GPS and digital TV and electronic currency support as well. Said MM Research analyst Eimei Yokota, “The iPhone is a difficult phone to use for the Japanese market because there are so many features it doesn’t have.”
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iPhone magazines frenzy in Japan
August 23rd, 2008 by iPhoneTechZone
Going a step ahead of others, Japan has become the first in dedicating magazines for the iPhone. What do these magazines report? All things iPhone, of course. Not very surprising really. The official iPhone market in Japan is just a month old but the iPhone has been here since July 2007.
Japan is one of the countries where everyone was skeptical about the positive reception of the iPhone. Many users are still hooked to their TV enabled mobile devices and NFC handsets, but these magazines suggest that the smartphone market trend is slowly changing in favor of the iPhone. Now there is no doubt that the iPhone is going to rule even here in this High-tech country.
For now major part of the magazines contains user manuals for the 3G iPhone, the process of jailbreaking, installing applications and other tips and tricks for iPhone users. In a span of one month there are already four or so magazines dedicated to the iPhone. Six months from now newsstands in Tokyo will be flooded by iPhone magazines, that would be the time for us to provide the stats of Japanese iPhone magazines.
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