You might think iPhone 3Gs are equal all over the world. Well, not quite.
There are something that is only available on Japanese iPhones: the shutter sound in silent mode.
In Japan, the camera on mobile phones can be as high as 5.2M Pixels and they could be used for sneak shots such as spy shots and/or dirty pictures.
For this reason, Japanese manufacturer have stopped the disabling of shutter sound in silent mode; some manufacturers have even put louder shutter sound.
Many cell phone collectors have wondered if the sound will be on on the iPhone 3G especially because they knew the original iPhone 2G killed the shutter sound in silent mode; well, the answer was 'YES' and, although quietly, the Japanese iPhone 3G would make a sound if you take picture even when it is set to silent mode.
In Japan, the biggest question nowadays is how many iPhones will be sold in Japan this year?
My honest guess is: I don't know.
Everyone around me is making a bet but I seriously have no ideas if it would stop at the 10,000 Apple fan boys or extend to 100,000 or maybe even more.
No one knows how important the "One-Seg" TV features found on most Japanese phones are.
I don't need it.
No one knows how important the e-wallet features found on most Japanese phones are.
I, personally can't live without the wallet feature of my phone. I use it to ride on trains, taxis, buses. I also use it to pay at cafe, restaurants, massage place and convenience stores. I get points/discount with it, etc. etc. I wouldn't go back home to get my real wallet, if I noticed that I've left it at home. But I will run back home, if I left my cell phone because of this wallet feature.
But it is also true that there are many people who haven't discovered the benefit of this wallet feature.
So I honestly don't know how broad the iPhones will be accepted; every analyst is saying a different thing but they aren't based on any convincing data, after all, they are all hunch.
NOT ENOUGH iPhones
One things, I can say for sure is this:
There will be not enough iPhones in Japan for a while.
I found it so cynical when I read American IT news say "there will be ample supply of iPhone 3Gs" because here in Japan, it is not.
Maybe, Apple wasn't sure how successful iPhone will be in Japan and put a limit on shipping volume.
It is said that Masayoshi Son asked all Softbank mobile stores to cancel any pre-orders BECAUSE there will NOT BE ENOUGH iPhones for a while.
There will be much less iPhones 3Gs than the pre-orders made at those stores which were taking pre-orders.
If Apple could fill the demand and Japanese news paper can write 10,000 iPhones sold in one day or something like that; iPhones could attract more people.
