How do we rank against Japanse cellphones Nowadays?

[xsecretfiles]

With all the android based phones, HP, Palm, iphone etc etc

Has anybody written an updated article to see how to we rank this time around?
or are we still lacking in technology...........

 

[smithrh]

I don't know what the fascination with Japanese phones is.

It's a different market with different tastes.

If you want odd-shaped phones with difficult GUIs and tiny keyboards which are too small for Western fingers, by all means go for it.

Having said that, we're on par with the infrastucture, but behind on coverage and reliability. That is, they have CDMA/DO, we have CDMA/DO. They have UMTS, we have UMTS.

I'd say we're actually ahead on devices right now. Finally.

 

[MTI]

The gap has closed, but the Japanese phones do have some interesting features, for several years, like live mobile TV, and some quirky ones like "smell messaging" and facial recognition, that you could probably live without. Then again, there are probably a few thousand apps in the Apple App store that you could also live without . . . pull my finger?

 

[eastercat]

The gap has closed, but the Japanese phones do have some interesting features, for several years, like live mobile TV, and some quirky ones like "smell messaging" and facial recognition, that you could probably live without. Then again, there are probably a few thousand apps in the Apple App store that you could also live without . . . pull my finger?

I remember someone had a sprint or verizon phone several years ago that had TV watching capabilities. I wasn't too impressed, considering I disconnected my cable and watch 3-4 shows online.
Different countries have different requirements for their phones. For example, I remember reading the Japanese aren't as enamored of computers; so, they use their phones as a computer of sorts. OTOH, because computers have deeper penetration, we have different requirements for our phones.

 

[Applejuiced]

I heard their cellphone internet speed is out of controll.
Way faster than what some of us have at home.
Also that they're into alot of mobile TV and video calling.

 

[TheMacBookPro]

I don't know what the fascination with Japanese phones is.

It's a different market with different tastes.

If you want odd-shaped phones with difficult GUIs and tiny keyboards which are too small for Western fingers, by all means go for it.

Having said that, we're on par with the infrastucture, but behind on coverage and reliability. That is, they have CDMA/DO, we have CDMA/DO. They have UMTS, we have UMTS.

I'd say we're actually ahead on devices right now. Finally.

Odd-shaped? They're a bit long, yes. But they're not squared with triangular tops so no, not odd-shaped.

Difficult UI? Yeah right Click main menu, 9 icons to choose from. Choose one and you get a list of options. Difficult? Leave that for WM.

Tiny keyboards? They have bigger buttons than most Motorolas and Nokias for the email-crazy Japanese.

Give me a phone with a 12MP CCD (not talking MP but the sensor type) camera and a 4 inch HXGA (1024x480) resolution screen before saying you're 'ahead'. Sure, you have these fancy Touch HD and Xperias with 4.2" screens but the resolution is still slightly subpar (for that size). I mean, keitais that have FWVGA screens are typically 2.8"-3.3", not 3.8".

Where's the FeliCa sensor? Fingerprint sensors? 1seg mobile TV?

Sounds like you've never used a keitai before

I'm not trying to flame here but seriously, try it before you spew stuff like this.

 

[nateo200]

I don't know what the fascination with Japanese phones is.

It's a different market with different tastes.

If you want odd-shaped phones with difficult GUIs and tiny keyboards which are too small for Western fingers, by all means go for it.

Having said that, we're on par with the infrastucture, but behind on coverage and reliability. That is, they have CDMA/DO, we have CDMA/DO. They have UMTS, we have UMTS.

I'd say we're actually ahead on devices right now. Finally.

Funny how Japan never had GSM and now has UMTS. Seriously there UMTS accross the entire country is like my wifi at home...they are what cellphone networks should be I don't care how small it is. DoCoMo probably has enough smartphone users with data intensive applications (ie: video chat, YouTube, music streaming, etc.) to crash AT&. Even with half those users on standbye. They also have unlocked phones where you choose your phone THEN your carrier not the other way around. So IMO the US is close to Japan in terms of hardware but not there and IMO will never be on par but carrier wise the US is a complete and utter joke compared to Japan. The way AT&T updated there 3G network with little attention to the backhaul aspect was pardon my French retarded. Surely they new that but thought the "3G" light up on peoples phones would fix everything.

 

[eye.surgeon]

It's unfair to compare covering most of a a North American continent with fast wireless compared to country the size of Montana. Plus most of the "features" popular with Japanese phones have little interest beyond the schoolgirl demographic here. Why do I want to watch TV on a 4 inch screen? I have a 120+ inch screen with surround sound in my home theater which in and of itself is probably bigger than the average Japanese home.

 

[MTI]

Exactly, why listen to music that's been compressed and expanded when you have a tri-amplified, megawatt audio system at home . . .

 

[MadMacxxx]

like others said, the country is tiny and that means it's much easier to cover the span of Japan with high quality service. As far as hardware goes, we have different tastes, but I'd say the gap has been nearly closed.

 

[smithrh]

As others have noted, there's mobile TV here in major markets as well (MediaFlo - if I have the spelling right). I'll pass on the smells, thanks.

For "MacBookPro" yes, I've spent time over there and used the devices. You're obviously impressed, that's great. I'm not.

Are they cool? Sure.

Are they suitable for other markets? Not so much. So, go ahead and spew yourself, but bottom line none of those devices have made it to the US or are going to make it to the US. Even if they did, I think you'd likely be surprised at the response to them.

Speaking of networks (as opposed to devices) - while they do operate in a smaller _and_ more dense environment than in US, they also spend a crapload more on equipment and backhaul plus operations staff. They've very very exact in what they do.

From first-hand experience, I can say that the Japanese operators that I've dealt with are heads and shoulders above Verizon as far as operational excellence goes - and there's no comparison against AT&T based on my iPhone experience.

 

[nateo200]

It's unfair to compare covering most of a a North American continent with fast wireless compared to country the size of Montana. Plus most of the "features" popular with Japanese phones have little interest beyond the schoolgirl demographic here. Why do I want to watch TV on a 4 inch screen? I have a 120+ inch screen with surround sound in my home theater which in and of itself is probably bigger than the average Japanese home.

Why would I Want look at emails or browse the web on my phone when I have a 20' inch laptop at home? Don't try that game...Also you can't deny AT&T half assed there network and failed to address capacity and backhaul constraints that could have made there network amazing.

As others have noted, there's mobile TV here in major markets as well (MediaFlo - if I have the spelling right). I'll pass on the smells, thanks.

For "MacBookPro" yes, I've spent time over there and used the devices. You're obviously impressed, that's great. I'm not.

Are they cool? Sure.

Are they suitable for other markets? Not so much. So, go ahead and spew yourself, but bottom line none of those devices have made it to the US or are going to make it to the US. Even if they did, I think you'd likely be surprised at the response to them.

Speaking of networks (as opposed to devices) - while they do operate in a smaller _and_ more dense environment than in US, they also spend a crapload more on equipment and backhaul plus operations staff. They've very very exact in what they do.

From first-hand experience, I can say that the Japanese operators that I've dealt with are heads and shoulders above Verizon as far as operational excellence goes - and there's no comparison against AT&T based on my iPhone experience.

solid post. I take it dropped calls there never happen, haha. It's nice to know some carriers in the world actually work hard to make a solid network.

 

[str1f3]

While Japan may ahead of us in features when it comes to cellphones, the rest of the world is rapidly catching up. Japanese handset makers are struggling to sell their odd looking phones outside their own market. While Japanese phones have tons of features, they have horrible UIs compared to the iPhone or the Pre partly due to them being flip phones.

 

[CocoaPuffs]

When was the last time anyone saw a Sony Ericsson phone?

 

[BergerFan]

From what I've seen, where Japan and Korea really excel, is in their network infrustructure. Their wi-fi and mobile network speeds destroy anything in Europe, nevermind the US.
Their hardware is comparable, and I'd say probably inferior to the top devices over here.
So IMO, having an iPhone on their networks should be killer.
But it's about asking a society to adopt something totally alien to what they're used to, being the reason why adoption is slower than hoped.