Says Ars Technica.

The iPhone has proven quite popular in Japan, despite the fact that many phones in the Japanese market have most of the common features that the iPhone lacks. Because of this, a former NTT DoCoMo executive blames the industry for being too insular, designing phones only to carrier specifications.

Japan, which has long had 3G networks (still in relative infancy here in the US), has been in many ways years ahead in innovations compared to other markets. Most phones can scan QR barcodes, pay for items at vending machines, and use a complex system of “emoji” for messaging, all features that the iPhone currently lacks. But data access is built around the i-mode system, developed by NTT DoCoMo in 1999 as sort of an Internet “lite” that is speedy and easily transmitted over cell networks, and Japanese handsets are built to work with the i-mode network.

The iPhone, on the other hand, was built to access the “real Internet,” using standard protocols and data formats. And since it wasn’t limited to any carriers’ specifications, Apple was free to design a device with an innovative interface and relatively open features. “I believe the iPhone is closer to the mobile phone of the future, compared with the latest Japanese mobile phones,” Tsuyoshi Natsuno—former head of the i-mode division at DoCoMo—told Nikkei’s TechOn. He compared Steve Jobs’ vision in developing the iPhone to that of Sony’s Ken Kutaragi, responsible for the Playstation and Playstation 2, and Nintendo’s Satoshi Iwata, the man behind the Gameboy DS and the Wii.

{Photo by Tighten up!}

Mobile Manga, or comics consumable on a mobile phone is booming in Japan, and is on the way to being a hit overseas. NHK features this news on the innovation of Japanese manga on the market frontier. iPhone which has debuted in Japan last month was predicted to be the one mobile phone that could push the popularity of manga not only in Japan, but globally. Hmmn, I don’t know, reading manga I seem to like to see the whole cover or the combination of manga cells in one frame better than just cell by cell. Maybe it’s just a matter of getting used to - what say you? 

Maybe some of you have been licking your lips for the arrival of iPhone. Well Softbank has good news for you. The company just announced a “low” price target for those of you who can’t wait to get your hands on the i-thingy. 23 thousand and change will be its price, or $215. And that price is only for new subscribers - that is, for those who are not already Softbank subscribers.

Well that’s a bit high for most of us who just gets our phones for zero yen, but mr.SoftB here says you could pay for it in 2 years time. It’s a bit early to comment on the device now, and there may be some issues with Japanese character inputting capabilities - imagine inputting Japanese texts two-handedly, one holding the phone the other inputting the message. Maybe that’s why only few Japanese are excited about the coming of the iPhone in Japan. Meanwhile, Docomo is still continuing its battle to get a piece of the iphone candy. Next month will be pretty exciting for the Japan mobile industry.