Back in June of 2008, many tech writers speculated that the iPhone might not go big in Japan. For my part, I wondered if philosophical and cultural differences might constitute barriers to adoption. I reasoned that the challenges would be practical as well as aesthetic.
Turns out the speculations were correct, though not for all the reasons we thought. Wired writer Brian X. Chen, explains in his “Why The Japanese Hate the iPhone”:
Canadians also feeling the iPain
Bad pricing isn’t unique to Japan. Here in Canada, the iPhone’s data plan is prohibitive for many - including myself. As much as I appreciate the technical virtuosity and elegance of the iPhone, I’m alienated by an unreasonable cost of use. And I am not alone. Many Canadians, outraged by telco gouging, signed the following petition:
Vancouver’s Tyee described Canadian data plans as “shockingly expensive” when compared to other countries:
One thing is abundantly clear: The greatest threat to mobile innovations like the iPhone isn’t consumer behaviour, cultural differences or reception to features, but epic and unregulated telco pricing. What’s needed is nothing less than a telecommunications revolution in which mobile developers and consumers join together to demand better data plans that are both competitive and realistic for these thoroughly mobile times.
UPDATE: Since publishing this post, news that Chen’s article (cited above) contained misquotes. Response to that story here. Despite the issues with Chen’s piece, my post above wasn’t especially dependent Chen’s cited responses, but problems with dataplans (as my chosen headline and commentary make clear). Facts about global dataplans are widely available and not in dispute.
Comments
@ 14:17
Only a financial idiot or one with a corporate financed iPhone would ever sign-up with these Gouging Mobile Carriers. I have an un -locked iPhone. and no data plan of course. But i can use wi-fi gratis in many areas of my city. For international travel ii buy a local sim card ( 10 EUROS) which lasts me a two weeks. Data-plans in Canada are pure rip-offs! Just say no to Contracts and exorbent Data-Plans. If consumers band together and refuse to play with these gougers they will begin to feel financial pain and they will change their ways…
@ 23:28
Yes, the data plan that Rogers offers for iPhone in Canada is ridiculous. The “My Fav 5″ crap is insane. They get you with the 3 months unlimited everything - so it is never really clear as to what features you are actually using. Then wham…. the 3 months are up, you haven’t manually registered the 5 numbers you call the most (each month), calls which now are outside the plan you were sold and you have a greater than $500/month phone bill, Repeated calls to Rogers has taken 3 months of billing cycles before they get my bill back to about $150/month minimum. Why should I have to register the 5 numbers I call the most…. don’t they have an automated system that can easily tell which numbers I called the most; and make those my Fav 5??? Duh! They are using a computer to do the billing right???
As a Mac user, my iPhone works with my Mac much better than a Blackberry (I had a Blackberry for 2 years). However, when my contract is up, I will be much more critical about who gets my business, and it won’t necessarily be Rogers. Sorry Apple…
@ 00:54
The story you’re quoting in Wired was largely fabricated to allow the author to come to his desired conclusion, that the Japanese hate iPhones. See appleinsider.com for a very interesting investigation of this.
@ 06:53
Don’t business practices and social or ethnic hang-ups on a iPhone. Data plans aren’t specific to the iPhone and a closed society, is, oh well a closed society to all outside influences.
@ 10:50
Your reposting of comments about the iPhone in Japan is challenged by the posting in AppleInsider where the people that Chen quoted in his Wired article specifically say they did NOT bad mouth the iPhone and specifically state they like and use the iPhone.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/28/japanese_hate_for_iphone_all_a_big_mistake.html
As far as iPhone in Canada goes, I would LOVE to get one, but I’m not interested in paying the rates that Rogers charges and I’m waiting for the new entrants onto the Canadian wireless scene before I would get an iPhone. I’ve dealt with Rogers before and have a number of Rogers customers who gripe about their cell phone rates. With the use of data by the iPhone, I have no need to spend a zillion dollars to make Rogers richer by their gouging tactics. I’ll buy an iPod Touch if need be before I go with Rogers, at least until there is competition with someone else selling an iPhone in Canada.
@ 13:55
I was so pumped when I heard the iPhone would finally be available in Canada. But when I saw the exorbitant contract Rogers wanted I deflated faster than an untied balloon. Phhhht.
@ 15:51
Laszlo. You clearly don’t understand the Fav 5 type plans. They’re a marketing gimmick meant to lure your business. Rogers wants to charge you full price for every call. When they give you a loophole like Fav 5 you’re going to have to do all the work to take advantage of it. Anyone who thinks a phone company is going to analyze your call history and automatically give you free calls is delusional.
The high cost of iPhone plans is definitely keeping me away. The touch is a nice unit, but there are simply too many places I’d like to use it where Wi-Fi isn’t available. Other problems for me are the size of text on most web pages and the fact that you’re stuck with Apple headphones if you want to use the voice input capability of the new touch. I’ve never had a pair of Apple headphones that stayed in my ears while walking, let alone a pair that sounded good.
@ 16:57
Thanks Reginald for pointing me to that piece. I’ve added a note above. Thankfully, my piece isn’t hinged on those responses but, rather, my own take on dataplans - which is based on factual, easily accessible information.
LRD: you’re quite right - bad data plans aren’t unique to the iPhone. But they sure have played a big role in deciding who gets to enjoy this product. At least here in Canada. I’m with all of the folks above in feeling that this is a great product and one I’d like to be able to use. Unfortunately, our greedy telcos have made owning one very prohibitive for a great number of people. That’s not a problem with the iphone, but it has a great impact on the adoption of this product.
@ 17:02
[...] that’s not just me talking, either. It’s Melanie at SmartMobs. Glad to start seeing high profile blogs giving this problem its due notice (I’ve been on [...]
@ 17:10
Really sucks when I go to Canada with my ATT iPhone. I turn off data because it is so expensive, then half my phone features disappear.
What a disappointment! I have a great deal of empathy with Canadians what a raw deal you have and I have when I visit your country
@ 00:54
I guess the 30$ unlimited data plan isn’t available any more? That’s what I’m on. My phone bill is still higher than I’d like (about 95$ / month all in) …