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Japanese iPhone 3G S launches to smaller crowds

updated 03:40 pm EDT, Thu June 25, 2009

Japanese iPhone 3GS launch

Japanese shoppers are already in line to buy the iPhone 3G S, which goes on sale with Softbank at 7AM local time on Friday, equivalent to 6PM Eastern on Thursday. Lines are smaller than those for the iPhone 3G launch, according to IDG, at present closer to 100 people at Softbank's flagship Omotesando store. When reservations opened for the 3G S last week, approximately 200 people arrived at the Omotesando location. Online preorders have not been allowed with Japanese iPhones.

Demand may be lower due to relatively incremental hardware improvements, such as as voice recognition, a faster processor, higher maximum storage and 7.2Mbps 3G. Store lineups are expected to increase as 7AM approaches however, and more casual purchases may occur over the weekend. The Japanese launch will be mirrored by introductions in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands.

 
Previous Comments

The Japanese have

06/25, 07:42pm reply

no use for the iPhone. Apple might as well not even sell it over there since it does nothing they need a handset to do for them since it lacks the proprietary hardware. I'm just suprised the SoftBank CEO Son thought that the iPhone would sell well and he doesn't even know his own people.

Mr. Son must have been one of the nails that stuck out and never got hammered back in.

Constable Odo

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2007

-4

Japanese are my...

06/25, 11:22pm reply

best customers outside the US for my iPhone app Tap Forms www.tapforms.com

I think they love their iPhones. At least from my experience.

ClickSpace

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 1999

+4

Re: The Japanese

06/26, 08:09am reply

Or, maybe, the Japanese are just much smarter than their American counterparts, knowing that wasting hours in a line to pick up a cell phone is silly, when one can get it a day or a week later...

LouZer

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2000

+1

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