SoftBank's iPhone pricing roughly in line with AT&T's
Japan's only carrier to seal the deal with Apple thus far, SoftBank Mobile, has unveiled key details about its pricing strategy when the device launches on July 11 alongside the rest of the globe. The 8GB and 16GB models will sell for ¥23,040 (about $214) and ¥34,560 (about $321) respectively, just a hair higher than the $199 and $299 being charged by AT&T in the US. As might be expected, SoftBank -- which has historically stolen customers from its competitors with extremely aggressive pricing -- is taking a more aloof approach with the iPhone, claiming that the prestige of the device will be enough to get people in the door. Along those lines, a ¥7,280 (about $68) per month plan will be required, which includes unlimited data and represents about a 70 percent premium over the average SoftBank customer's bill. Without one-seg or a wide VGA display -- two features that are virtually givens on domestic Japanese handsets these days -- it'll be interesting to see how the "yeah, but it's Apple" approach flies here.
[Via mocoNews]
[Via mocoNews]





















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bolu Oladini @ Jun 24th 2008 8:37PM
"yeah, but it's Apple" approach
it's an approach you guys at engadget use WAY too much
Allankyoto @ Jun 24th 2008 8:45PM
Live just outside Kyoto, Japan and I was thinking of getting an Iphone. I even popped into my local shop to ask to put one on reserve before I heard of the pricing.
I can get the Panasonic 920P with a 3.0 inch wide screen 800x400 resolution, TV, AV out and a 5megapixel camera, e-wallet (for purchasing stuff just by holding your phone up to a machine) etc for about $15 a month and plus another $10 for regular phone call service. Lets see....$25 a month for two years...that's about $600 for the phone and two years service. I get the Iphone and I have to pay what is it...about $75 bucks a month in phone charges plus the cost of the phone...that works out to be somewhere north of $2000 over 2 years. Are they freaking nuts?
Maybe in another country but given the level of tech here for phones I can see the market being 'really' small.
tom @ Jun 24th 2008 11:35PM
Yea but that $10 plan includes zero anytime minutes (40 cent/minute) and no data ($8 for every MB +$3 monthly fee)
All you get is free softbank mobile2mobile (but not between 9:00pm and 1:00am) and free text to other SoftBank users. BTW Softbank is the smallest of the big three Japanese carriers.
yamatomato @ Jun 25th 2008 12:34PM
...SoftPants has just 17% share of subscribers in Japan. Docomo 50%, KDDI 28%.
Makes you wonder why AAPL chose SoftPants?
...do we know how much AAPL makes from them on each handset?
englishnowtv.com @ Aug 3rd 2008 10:43AM
I live in Yamaguchi, western Japan.
I've tried twice now, to get the iPhone, but both times, get told I need to pay $800 up front!
SOD THAT! I'll stick with AU.
I tried the iPhone out in the store, but web pages don't load up well, with the wording all over the place and limited screen zooming.
Tom, the 40 cents a minute charge is exactly the same as Softpant's per minute charge on their White Plan.
Also, Softpant's tell us that we MUST subscribe to their S!Mail service, but yet, the iPhone cannot use it! So why the hell should we have to subscribe to it? And why do iPhone users have to pay a higher charge for unlimited web use and emails when ordinary SoftPant's users don't? They get the SAME service but pay LESS!
Softbank, Vodafone, DoCoMo, they're all the same - thieving robbing liars!