View this article at: http://dev.macnn.com/articles/08/06/20/ntt.docomo.on.iphone.3g
Friday, Jun 20, 2008 10:05am

NTT defends lack of iPhone,...

NTT DoCoMo is defending its inability to secure an iPhone deal, writes Japan's Impress Watch. Speaking at a shareholder meeting, DoCoMo CEO Masao Nakamura has stated that while the iPhone is attractive and has an appealing fanbase, many of its features are already present on the likes of LG's Prada touchscreen phone, or the Sharp SH906i. The first iPhone was also unusually heavy, says Nakamura, although he appreciates that the 3G model weighs only 4.7 ounces.

The executive adds that although he cannot discuss the details of any negotiations due to confidentiality agreements, DoCoMo continues to be interested in the iPhone, and is still pursuing a future deal with Apple. To date the only announced Japanese carrier for the iPhone 3G is SoftBank, which is actually the third-largest cellphone carrier in the country after DoCoMo and KDDI. A recent study suggests, however, that some 91 percent of the Japanese public are not planning to buy the device.