Year: <span>2006</span>
Year: 2006

Year: 2006

3D Moji Mail – Icing on the Cake

3D Moji Mail - Icing on the CakeHere’s a quick video clip we shot at the Vodafone press conference when they introduced the new V804SS handset by Samsung — the first Samsung handset in Japan — going on sale here finally today. It has a few up-close examples of the company’s new dynamic email application, “Deru Moji” 3D Pictogram Display with pop-up animations, that we thought were pretty interesting.

While the functionality is only interoperable between a few handsets so far, this is a mobile mail nation and ‘cool factor’ really does count. Look for more discussion online about this next-gen offering — centered on when will it hit EU and US markets. Remember you saw it here first on WWJ!

Usen Plans Free Mobile Video

Usen Corp. plans to begin a free video distribution service for cellular phones on March 27, with the goal of attracting 3 million registered users in the initial year. Videos, each lasting no more than five minutes or so, will be transmitted to users of 3G-handsets that support video and high-speed data communications functions once they register their personal information, including ZIP codes, sex and email addresses. No fees will be charged, but four short commercials will be inserted into each programme.

Our 5th Birthday!

Our 5th Birthday!This week marked a major milestone for WWJ! In one form or another, I’ve been writing this email newsletter for five years — and what a five year term it’s been!

I spent a couple hours last night looking over past WWJ newsletters, and was struck by how much Japan’s mobile scene has changed. In 2001, when I started writing a weekly mobile-focused newsletter for J@pan Inc, i-mode had just celebrated its second birthday, KDDI had yet to roll out CDMA 1X services and the No. 3 competitor in the market was known as “J-Phone.”

Today, DoCoMo is far in the lead with their 3G FOMA service and music and TV are the new hot trends; i-mode itself has become almost dasai (uncool). KDDI have created one of the mightiest and most unified mobile platforms on Earth, with GPS-based blogging, shopping and PC Internet integration drawing huge usage. The company formerly known as J-Phone is about to become the company formerly known as Vodafone as Masayoshi Son attacks 3G mobile with the same successful discount focus with which he attacked NTT and home broadband.

Bonus ‘those were the days’ tidbits via the WWJ Newsletter after the jump!

Samsung 3G Handset in Japan

Vodafone Japan just announced that on 25 March 2006 it will commence nationwide sales of the Vodafone 804SS, a new 3G handset by Samsung Electronics. The V804SS represents Samsung’s first mobile phone for the Japanese market and is touted as the world’s thinnest clamshell 3G handset, measuring just 14.9mm and weighs only 98g. Users can view PDF, Microsoft Word and other file types on the handset, it also supports PC Link and has a full-fledged music player functions with external controls.

KDDI and TV Asahi Announce JV

KDDI and TV Asahi have just announced they will co-op on experimental television program synchronization services targeted for mobile digital broadcasting. TV Asahi has production and the broadcast distribution knowhow and KDDI has a large-scale interactive program with a well developed platform of mobile users. The companies established this new joint-venture to explore next generation applications, contents and services enabled by combining communication and broadcasting techologies.

NEC Looking for Global Partner

According to a story in the Daily Yomiuri, NEC’s next president Kaoru Yano told a recent press conference that “It’s bizarre that there are more than 10 cell phone makers in Japan. We’ll definitely go for a tie-up”, showing his enthusiasm for a rearrangement plan. Following the Nokia-Sanyo announcement and as mentioned in our Predictions for 2006, we are not surprised to hear about his plans for consolidation in the Japanese OEM market.

Softbank-Vodafone Content Share

According to an article on EE Times, during talks that led to Softbank’s acquisition of Vodafone’s Japan unit, the companies also agreed to form a joint venture to deliver data services. The joint venture will be the base of Softbank’s Internet service that will leverage Vodafone’s mobile phone network. The combined effort will challenge NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode service, said Masayoshi Son, president and CEO of Softbank.

Dentsu Enters FIFA Broadcast JV

According to a recent press release, FIFA has announced its decision on the distribution for the Asian broadcast rights to the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup and all FIFA Events between 2007 and 2014 following a tender process that was started in the autumn 2005. It has appointed a newly-formed joint venture established between two of its long-term partners, Infront Sports & Media, the international sports marketing company, and Dentsu, the Japan-based advertising company. The rights included in the appointment are in the categories of television, radio, broadband internet and mobile broadcasting in key Asian territories.

DoCoMo to Acquire Guam Carriers

NTT DoCoMo, Inc. has just announced that the company will wholly acquire Guam Cellular & Paging, Inc. (Guam Cellular) and Guam Wireless Telephone Company, LLC (Guam Wireless) for the total amount of US$71,800,000. Both companies provide mobile services in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. DoCoMo intends to establish a holding company to acquire 100% of the shares of Guam Cellular. It will then acquire the business of Guam Wireless through Guam Cellular and merge the two companies. DoCoMo will also provide additional funds up to approximately US$6,500,000 to strengthen the newly merged company’s facilities and infrastructure according to their press release.