“According to a survey by iSHARE, 91.0% of Japanese mobile phone users are not planning to purchase Apple Inc’s ‘iPhone’ mobile phone,” Yukiko Kanoh reports for Tech-On.
“This research was conducted in the wake of the announcement by SoftBank Mobile Corp that it will release the iPhone in Japan,” Kanoh reports. “Targeting Internet users aged primarily 20 to 49, iSHARE asked questions about their intention to purchase an iPhone, as well as other questions and received 402 responses over the Internet.”
Kanoh reports, “The survey had been conducted from June 5 to 6, 2008, before pricing [and features] for an iPhone handset was announced.”
MacDailyNews Take: Oh, so the survey is virtually useless. Thanks.
Kanoh continues, “Asked if they have a plan to purchase an iPhone, 36 respondents (8.9%) said “I am planning to purchase one.” Nearly half of these 36 respondents were SoftBank Mobile users, iSHARE said.”
MacDailyNews Take: Japan’s population is 127.3 million. Let’s take a wild guess that, oh, 30% of Japan’s population is between the ages of 20-49. That would be 38.19 million. 8.9% of that is 3.4 million iPhones sold to Japanese buyers who had no idea of the feature-set or pricing. In other words: 34% of Apple’s total iPhone unit sales goal for 2008 (10 million). Sight unseen. Fun with statistics. This bodes very well for Apple when you break it down, doesn’t it?
There’s more in the full article, in which we find that many Japanese people really, really, really love replaceable batteries, here.
MacDailyNews Note: We really couldn’t find out much information about what iSHARE even is, much less what their methodology was for the survey. If anyone has more info let us know.
For another viewpoint, WhatJapanThinks.com reports, “On the 13th of June 2008 330 mobile phone-using members of the JR Tokai Express Research monitor panel employed in private industry completed a members-only internet-based questionnaire.”
For the question, “SoftBank customers: will you upgrade your current phone to an iPhone?” (Sample size=56, SoftBank customers), 25% said they would or maybe would upgrade to iPhone.
More questions and answers here.
[UPDATE: 8:27pm EDT: Added WhatJapanThinks.com article snippet and link.]
Well, it turns out that 95% of the world isn’t buying Macs either yet Apple is doing fine. I will be really happy when 90% of the population plans never to buy a Mac.
How dumb do they think we are? 47%?
Ohh Yes, they love replaceable exploding batteries…. they made them…… Let them have nokias and LG with exploding batteries…
@Dutch-I agree , except I’d like 80-85% or so to not buy a Mac.
Apple just needs to keep cranking out the neatest stuff, maintain their agility and keep making money.
Let MS have their 70-80% share, bogged down by having to support the majority by being shackled to legacy code and hardware.
Uh. It’s common knowledge that 47.3% of statistics — are made up.
And that that statistic, has a 51% margin of error.
@Riddler, Actually, it’s closer to 48.1%
In Japan, they have mobile phone charging stations for popular brands… they’re in malls and other places. Plug in your phone, add some money and it charges the phone.
Also, EVERYBODY “PREFERS” replaceable batteries… but does it influence whether you will buy a phone or not?
In any case, the iPhone will not become popular in Japan on its own merits. It will become popular the first time it is seen being used by a popular actor. If a well-respected person or organization ensorses the iPhone it will be a raging success.
Last winter I saw the iPhone on numerous Japanese Dramas.
They probably laughed when 3G was announced….we are still very much behind. I’m tellin yall, when iPhone gets WiiMax (Sprint only) it will outsell laptops.
Are you suggesting that the MOE is, 51.4%?
There’s only a 1.59% chance of that.
90% of statistics can say anything you want, 50% of the time.
WiiMax?
The new iPhone Wii controller
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/smartass/
@Dutch et al.,
I’m looking forward to the day when MS starts talking about their 90% ‘installed base’ rather than new sales. It will be a significant change in mindset when MS sells less than the magical 90-something-percent of US sales.
4 out of 3 people have problems with fractions.
Let’s take another survey.
How many people give a crap if Japanese iPhones sell.
Vote – GAC (Give a Crap) or DGAC (Don’t Give a Crap)
Personally, I need to take a crap.
This survery is crap. They’ll buy it for sure! Any time something new comes out here, there are lines around the block.
…and I’m buying on too!
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You’re saying — 133.3% of ‘all people’ — have difficulty understanding fractions, yeah?
“91% of Japanese will not buy iPhone says survey conducted before Apple released features and pricing.”
And after Apple released features and pricing, 84% said they would.
What a moronic post MDN.
Does pre-WWDC Japan really have over a fourth of Apple’s iPhone goal. Wow.
If 91% of Japanese consumers DID want to by iPhones, Apple would have a supply chain crisis and Steve Ballmer would be inconsolable.
Ron included a percentage and/or fraction in his post.
He’s in the club!
“4 out of 3 people have problems with fractions.”
And there are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don’t.
01100111011001010111010000100000011010010111010000111111
DGAC
Ohh, that was rhetorical…. woops. 31.8% of me thought is was rhetorical, but 50.49% wasn’t sure, and 20.222 thought is was a real poll… and wait… how much am i up to now? uhhh…. all these “Numbers”… i need to make spreadsheet.
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The Dude abides.
iSHARE = Steve Ballmer and a huge bottle of sake.
japan has a serious population crisis.
most of japan is probably over 40. no shit.
Personally, I find the replaceable battery in my Palm Treo invaluable. When the Treo locks up every couple weeks, the only way to reset it is to remove the battery, reinsert it. If the Treo battery were built-in, I’d be stuck. I guess that’s why all the Treo uses are amazed that you can’t remove the iPhone battery.
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Treo… sounds like something my grandmother would name her dog.
The Dude abides.