iPad buyers “have a choice of paying up front cash, or buying on a two year installment plan,” Nagata reports. “So pricing for an iPad Wi-fi only model in cash would be: 16GB: ¥48,960, 32GB: ¥59,040, and 64GB ¥68,880. Using installment ups it a bit at 16GB: ¥53,280, 32GB: ¥63,360, and 64GB ¥73,200. Pricing for the iPad 3G model with the prepaid plan would be (cash purchase) 16GB: ¥61,920, 32GB: ¥72,000, and 64GB ¥81,840; (monthly installments – 24x) 16GB: ¥66,240, 32GB: ¥76,320, and 64GB ¥86,160. If you sign up for a two year contract for unlimited data, Softbank will eat the interest for you so there is no difference between cash purchase price and installment plan. So the 3G model on the monthly unlimited data plan (2 year contract) 16GB: ¥58,320, 32GB: ¥67,920, and 64GB ¥77,280.”
Nagata reports, “Softbank is offering their standard unlimited data plan of 4,410 yen a month, however if you are using an iPad, you can receive a 1,500 yen a month discount dropping the monthly charge to 2,910 a month. There is also a monthly prepaid service that offers you up to 1 GB of data that you can use for up to 30 days. This will cost you 4,410 yen.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple announced last Friday that iPad will be available in Japan (and Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the UK) on Friday, May 28th. Customers can pre-order all iPad models from Apple’s online store in all nine countries beginning on Monday, May 10.
Full article here.
Any nose curling news out there? pricing schedules don’t get up my nose! I need a BLOODBATH tale please!! Like how for example iTunes and Apple Tv can now screen fresh films off the Hollywood studios into our rooms. Question that needs answering, will they be pumping out duds that would have gone directly to DVD as a con to make money out of us before we catch on that the film is a dud??
I noticed my local Barns and Noble store has moved the Nook demo stand and poster front and center to be the first thing you see when you enter their doors. Coincidence?
Also overheard another customer talking about his new Nook did not automatically update the software and store sale assistant had to help him navigate deep down into some system menu to turn it on. Plus it has a “simple web browser”. Sounds wonderful.
I saw 200-300 people in line at the Tokyo Apple store waiting to reserve their iPad.
So far it looks like the Softbank iPad will be SIM-locked, so it would not be able to be used by other carriers abroad. That’s a no-buy for me and many others.
There are other things that are also not clear.