iPhones in Japan

The World

The Japanese love their cell phones, but they're not so sure about the iPhone. "The World's" Cyrus Farivar reports from Tokyo.

Japan runs a distant second to the U.S. in iPhone sales. Japanese consumers want specific features that the iPhone doesn't have -- like an electronic wallet, or e-wallet, that contains encrypted bank and credit card data that allows users to make electronic purchases and other transactions on their phone.

In the U.S., Apple advertises the iPhone as a cell phone that anyone can use to get online and send email, and while that might be new for many American cell phone users, it’s old-hat for users in Japan.

The company that sells iPhones in Japan recently cut the price of its monthly plan in half to draw in new customers.

PRI's "The World" is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe. "The World" is a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston.

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