I always thought that Japan was late to adopt the iPhone because early models weren't much better than the feature phones already available, with basically the same features but a much sturdier build. But you've provided a more specific explanation; 2008 iPhones were lacking in emoji. It's like trying to sell someone a keyboard without a, hyphen, and t. The essential elements of communication just aren't there.
Kurita-san told me that in the 90s through the Aughts, the "walled gardens" of each telecom in Japan meant that the emoji on one service didn't necessarily translate to the screens of rival companies'. As a result, women became the driving force in PHS/feature/smartphone sales, because their boyfriends wanted to be on whatever they were using so their texts would be received properly.
I always thought that Japan was late to adopt the iPhone because early models weren't much better than the feature phones already available, with basically the same features but a much sturdier build. But you've provided a more specific explanation; 2008 iPhones were lacking in emoji. It's like trying to sell someone a keyboard without a, hyphen, and t. The essential elements of communication just aren't there.
Kurita-san told me that in the 90s through the Aughts, the "walled gardens" of each telecom in Japan meant that the emoji on one service didn't necessarily translate to the screens of rival companies'. As a result, women became the driving force in PHS/feature/smartphone sales, because their boyfriends wanted to be on whatever they were using so their texts would be received properly.
Ha ha ha. I bet there were more than a few desperate men with phones for each telecom.
Sounds like a great plot for a sitcom set in turn of the Millennium Tokyo!