Buy iPhone 8/X from Japan

[Drakas]

Hi,
I'll go to Japan this December and my intention is to buy an iPhone 8/X (of course X if available) from a Japanese Apple Store.

My question is:
I live in Italy (Europe), so iPhone 8 or X will be perfect compatible for my country?
So full support of national GPS, full internet 4G speed/support and no drawbacks?

I read that only drawback is the shutter sound but is it the only one?

Thanks a lot

 

[Diorama]

You can’t turn the camera sound off on Japanese phones. So even on silent/zero volume it will make a loud shutter sound with every photo.

Edit: should have read your whole post

 

[Drakas]

You can’t turn the camera sound off on Japanese phones. So even on silent/zero volume it will make a loud shutter sound with every photo.

Edit: should have read your whole post

Thanks a lot, but is it the only drawback? For example functions like GPS or 4G will works perfectly?

 

[Archer1440]

Apple Pay might will not work- different NFC system. You will need to buy from an actual Apple store for an unlocked model- good luck competing with 200 Chinese people in the lines until well into the new year... last time I went to the Ginza store Chinese outnumbered Japanese 50-1. It's going to be very difficult to score an unlocked phone, I believe.

You can’t turn the camera sound off on Japanese phones. So even on silent/zero volume it will make a loud shutter sound with every photo.

Not in Live Mode, it doesn't.

 

[Nermal]

full internet 4G speed/support

The Japanese model supports all the same LTE bands as the western models, plus three more. So no issues there

 

[C DM]

Not in Live Mode, it doesn't.

So Live Photos don't make a shutter sound? What's the point of even having it on regular photos then if there are plenty of simple ways to get around that (even just shooting a short video would do the trick realistically speaking)?

 

[Vermifuge]

Hi,
I'll go to Japan this December and my intention is to buy an iPhone 8/X (of course X if available) from a Japanese Apple Store.

My question is:
I live in Italy (Europe), so iPhone 8 or X will be perfect compatible for my country?
So full support of national GPS, full internet 4G speed/support and no drawbacks?

I read that only drawback is the shutter sound but is it the only one?

Thanks a lot

I'm curious, why do you want the Japanese model?
[doublepost=1512002511][/doublepost]

Apple Pay might will not work- different NFC system. You will need to buy from an actual Apple store for an unlocked model- good luck competing with 200 Chinese people in the lines until well into the new year... last time I went to the Ginza store Chinese outnumbered Japanese 50-1. It's going to be very difficult to score an unlocked phone, I believe.

iPhone 8/X support NFC A-B-F and are compatible with Global FeliCa. This is true for iPhones from any region. Previously only the Japanese iPhone 7 / 7 Plus Supported NFC-F. iPhones from other regions did not have the ability to use FeliCa. Weather this was a licensing, software or hardware issue is unknown. The good news is all you have to do is set your region to Japanese, and you can enable Suica (Japan's / Sony version of contactless payment) Even better once you enable Suica you can set you region back to no ill effect.

 

[Drakas]

Apple Pay might will not work- different NFC system. You will need to buy from an actual Apple store for an unlocked model- good luck competing with 200 Chinese people in the lines until well into the new year... last time I went to the Ginza store Chinese outnumbered Japanese 50-1. It's going to be very difficult to score an unlocked phone, I believe.



Not in Live Mode, it doesn't.

I believe that IPhone X sell into Japan Apple Store are all unlocked ( in Italy all iPhone sold are unclocked from all Apple store).
Why so Chinese? XD

 

[Archer1440]

That is great news, I looked it up and it seems very easy. Thank you!

 

[Drakas]

I'm curious, why do you want the Japanese model?
[doublepost=1512002511][/doublepost]

iPhone 8/X support NFC A-B-F and are compatible with Global FeliCa. This is true for iPhones from any region. Previously only the Japanese iPhone 7 / 7 Plus Supported NFC-F. iPhones from other regions did not have the ability to use FeliCa. Weather this was a licensing, software or hardware issue is unknown. The good news is all you have to do is set your region to Japanese, and you can enable Suica (Japan's / Sony version of contactless payment) Even better once you enable Suica you can set you region back to no ill effect.

I prefer japan model becouse is very cheap. (In Italy is expensive)

I don’t understand.. so I will not have any troubles to use Japanese iPhone 8/X in Italy with Apple Pay?

 

[Archer1440]

It seems there will be no problem with Apple Pay. As I mentioned, your problem will be finding one in the first place.

 

[haruhiko]

I'm curious, why do you want the Japanese model?
[doublepost=1512002511][/doublepost]

iPhone 8/X support NFC A-B-F and are compatible with Global FeliCa. This is true for iPhones from any region. Previously only the Japanese iPhone 7 / 7 Plus Supported NFC-F. iPhones from other regions did not have the ability to use FeliCa. Weather this was a licensing, software or hardware issue is unknown. The good news is all you have to do is set your region to Japanese, and you can enable Suica (Japan's / Sony version of contactless payment) Even better once you enable Suica you can set you region back to no ill effect.

There is no need to switch to Japan in region settings to add Suica to Apple Pay. Everyone can do that in the Suica app.

 

[fischersd]

iPhone 8/X support NFC A-B-F and are compatible with Global FeliCa. This is true for iPhones from any region. Previously only the Japanese iPhone 7 / 7 Plus Supported NFC-F. iPhones from other regions did not have the ability to use FeliCa. Weather this was a licensing, software or hardware issue is unknown. The good news is all you have to do is set your region to Japanese, and you can enable Suica (Japan's / Sony version of contactless payment) Even better once you enable Suica you can set you region back to no ill effect.

So, if Apple finally has an NFC chip that can support all of the bands, including Japan, then why have a Japanese model at all? (adding a few additional LTE bands to the model used for the rest of the world would be a pretty trivial exercise).

Edit: Found a source for the information. Seems the support is also in the Apple Watch 3 (so people won't need to take their phones out for swiping for the train)

The article said it was also available in the iPhone 7/7+ and Apple Watch 2, but were only enabled for Japan.

https://atadistance.net/2017/09/12/iphone-x-keynote-global-felica/

...that still makes me wonder why Apple bothered making a different SKU, just for 3 additional LTE bands???

 

[ChristianVirtual]

Another drawback might be warranty ... in many cases only working for repair/replacement in country of origin ... so you might need to go back to Japan in case something is wrong.

Check in Italy if they honor foreign devices

 

[Vermifuge]

...that still makes me wonder why Apple bothered making a different SKU, just for 3 additional LTE bands???

I agree. it's a odd choice. In the case of the watch, as you probably already know, the radio only supports the local RF bands in that region. So a Japanese Apple watch will not work with the cell networks of another region. However, you can still use wifi and you can still use contactless payment.

What is interesting is how Suica has enabled contactless payments on the iPhone. Biometrics are not required. I.E. you don't have to unlock you phone to use it to board a train or make a purchase from a vending machine or konbini.

 

[Archer1440]

There is no need to switch to Japan in region settings to add Suica to Apple Pay. Everyone can do that in the Suica app.

That's apparently true, however, in order to easily transfer the balance from my (very well worn) plastic Suica card to my phone, I found it much easier to switch region to Japan, follow the English prompts to add the Suica to the phone (my Japanese reading comprehension is on par with a three year old who was dropped on their head a few times), and then switch back. So perhaps you should say "everyone who can read Japanese well can do that in the Suica app"

I also, as an experiment, was able to add ¥1000 to the existing Suica balance using Apple Pay, which is the real convenience of this arrangement. It also automatically added the ¥500 card deposit to the balance.

Now the only question remaining is, now that my Suica is transferred to Wallet, can I leave the phone on USA region next month in Japan, and have it actually work with the train gates. If so, that will be really convenient.

...that still makes me wonder why Apple bothered making a different SKU, just for 3 additional LTE bands???

Perhaps the always-on phone shutter sound industry agreement has something to do with it.

 

[Vermifuge]

Now the only question remaining is, now that my Suica is transferred to Wallet, can I leave the phone on USA region next month in Japan, and have it actually work with the train gates. If so, that will be really convenient.

Perhaps the always-on phone shutter sound industry agreement has something to do with it.

From the videos i have watched... my understanding is you can switch the region back (to your home region) and use it with no ill effects.

 

[its Dale]

TIL you cant turn off the shutter on a Japanese phone

 

[Archer1440]

From the videos i have watched... my understanding is you can switch the region back (to your home region) and use it with no ill effects.

Fairly sure you're right. This will save so much trouble - no more finding a 7-11 ATM for cash and feeding the Suica charger, and it makes it a lot easier to keep a big enough balance to allow easy shopping from convenience stores, etc.

I typically burn through ¥20,000 on a typical trip in Suica charges between kombini and train fares.

 

[Vermifuge]

Fairly sure you're right. This will save so much trouble - no more finding a 7-11 ATM for cash and feeding the Suica charger, and it makes it a lot easier to keep a big enough balance to allow easy shopping from convenience stores, etc.

I typically burn through ¥20,000 on a typical trip in Suica charges between kombini and train fares.

I didn't leave Tokyo on my last trip. I had a Pasmo previously and before that I used the JR pass. Never getting a JR pass again. It wasn't until my last trip that I really started to use the Pasmo for everything... I preloaded like ¥8,000 thinking i would have left over. In reality i ended up loading another ¥8,000. Never getting stopped for ID. not having to unlock anything. It ever worked through my wallet... Just tap and go

Need to catch that train? Tap
Need a bottle of water or a coffee? tap
After work snack or beer? Tap

 

[Archer1440]

I preloaded like ¥8,000 thinking i would have left over. In reality i ended up loading another ¥8,000. Never getting stopped for ID. not having to unlock anything. It ever worked through my wallet... Just tap and go

Soooo true. All those little things add up over a couple of weeks. But the convenience is wonderful.