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Comment by masklinn | Hacker News Reader

I don't think this chart makes much sense: if you compare them to the phones generally sold in the west, the dumbest japanese keitai is already a smartphone much more than a "feature phone": it can surf the web (iMode & such, including Flash movies), playback movies, watch TV, send and receive mail, serve as wallet, mass transport pass and identity card, video call, do GPS navigation, handle calendars, address books, memo pads, etc...

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Japanese phones can surf hacker news maybe (after printing out all of the javascript source to screen) but the rest of the web is sort of illegible on those browsers.

Video calls work, sure. For 75.6 yen (US$0.93) per minute:

http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/charge/bill_plan/plan/val...

On standard Docomo phones? I've been able to browse the internet on a 1000yen AU since 3 years ago. I could also download music. If the link considers 93% of Japanese phones not smart phones, the term "smart phone" should be defined more clearly.

> Japanese phones can surf hacker news maybe (after printing out all of the javascript source to screen) but the rest of the web is sort of illegible on those browsers.

That doesn't make or break a smartphone. The iPhone introduced desktop-class browsing to phones in the west, but a number of westerner smartphones still have terrible browsing experience (BlackBerry OS 4 and 5 devices, Symbian stuff, etc…)

Maybe most of japanese websites have a mobile version ?

It's hit or miss. Looking for venue information when you're out and trying to get somewhere is frustrating -- most venue sites are designed for full browsers.

Yea, the real number (if I read the article correctly) is that Apple now has 7% of the entire cell phone market, up from 5% last year.

> serve as wallet, mass transport pass and identity card, video call

How are these things handled by people with iPhones in Japan?

From what I understand, iPhones aren't really bought to be used as everyday phones and an iPhone owner will probably have a second, Japanese phone as well. If someone has one it's because it is a cool, western thing to have (basically just a gadget) plus they can be used on trips to the US and elsewhere.

I've literally never heard of this (live in Japan, know lots of Japanese people, see a _lot_ of iPhones out and about), and I basically don't buy it whatsoever. Maybe it's something from a couple of years ago?

For the wallet and metro pass they just use a separate RFID card (pasmo or suica). Which is actually pretty normal, you don't really see that many people using their phones for the gates at the metro.

With a separate keitai. No, I'm not kidding. There are also iPhone cases in which you can put a FeLiCa, which kinda-sorta turns your iPhone into an RFID-enabled phone.

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