Wireless Watch Japan
The original, independent source of business intelligence dedicated to covering the mobile industry in Japan



Gree to the World (Dec 22)
Japan's #2 SNS platform - Gree - IPO'd on Mothers stock-exchange last week and saw it's shares jump 52% on listing day to a valuation of just over $1.2B, closing ahead of Mixi and gliding into 4th place for all digital-focused listed companies in Japan. While claiming approx. 7M users, only half of the Mixi base, Gree is almost entirely a mobile play. Serving as defacto SNS platform for the KDDI/au network, who was an early stage investor, the service offering combines gaming and messaging with a virtual goods model. According to company financials they reported $11M in profit on revenues of $33M in their last fiscal year while noting marked increases in Q1 FYE09. Crisis.. What Crisis?!?


KDDI Announces Xmini Walkman Phone (Dec 14)
KDDI has introduced their Walkman Phone, the Xmini produced by Sony Ericsson, ready for a late December debut. This extremely small handset (w44mm x h75mm x t18mm) naturally packs full music functionality, including maximum storage capacity of 4GB, capable of holding around 2,300 full-song tracks and incorporates a touch sensor for control even when the device is closed. Apparently the super-thin model, tipping the scales at only 75g, does not have an on-board camera or 1Seg digital-tv tuner, or even external memory slot for that matter, but thankfully it will be available in several colors; Green & blue, purple & pink, white & Tarcoiz and good old black on black. Also noted, the Xmini model ships compatible with the 'EZ Chaku Uta Full Plus' service, which is also expected to come online in the latter part of December, making it possible to download and play-back AAC 320kbps tracks 'for customers who want to be able to enjoy high quality audio content'.


MCN Wins EContent Top-100 Award (Dec 10)
Tokyo-based MCN-Inc made the Top-100 list - smack between Microsoft and McGraw-Hill - under the Mobile Content and Search Engine Technology categories on EContents 8th annual most influential digital companies contest. According to the press release MCN’s recognition by a panel of 14 judges, who reviewed hundreds of candidates, comes at the conclusion of a remarkable year of global growth for the company. In 2008 MCN launched mobile content and commerce search services with more than 20 mobile operators and portals in Japan, Europe, and S. Asia and launched allwords(sm), the mobile Pay-per-Click (PPC) content promotion program and extended its subscriber reach to over 300,000,000 users worldwide.


Mobile Healthcare Named Tech Pioneer (Dec 7)
The World Economic Forum has named Japan-based Mobile Healthcare, and it's Lifewatcher product, as a 2009 Technology Pioneer [.PDF]. The company, which develops real-time mobile health solutions for preventing and managing diabetes, obesity and other lifestyle-related illnesses became one of the 34 technology visionaries - full list Here - to be honoured at the 2009 World Economic Forum. The honourees, each recognized as being at the forefront of technology and innovation, were selected by the Forum from 320 finalists from around the world through a stringent review process by a 44-strong team of global experts.


The Glittering Allure of Mobile (Dec 4)
Our good friend Alan Moore, founder of SMLXL and co-author of Communities Dominate Brands, has released this paper - commissioned by Microsoft - titled: The Glittering Allure of the Mobile Society. It's a must read for those who are following the engagement marketing space, and a honor to be quoted within, download the full PDF file Here.


Nokia to Exit the Japan Market (Nov 27)
While the Finnish giant is ramping-up to roll it's Vertu-focused MVNO sometime early next year, the company has announced it has decided to pull their regular device line-up, including the just announced E-71 model for DoCoMo, according to this statement: "In the current global economic climate, we have concluded that the continuation of our investment in Japan-specific product variants is no longer sustainable." By most estimates the world-leading ODM managed less than 1% penetration in the hyper-competative Japanese handset market.


Keitai by COACH via KDDI (Nov 24)
Coach and KDDI have announced they will offer limited edition COACH branded handsets - 1,941 units available, based on the company being founded in 1941 - from December. These models are produced by SonyEricsson using the Full-Change skin styling features with a focus not only on exterior but also the main menu and standby screen. It should also be noted that - at least from what we can tell - the retail price of, not suprisingly, 19,041jpy (about $200usd) is only for the accessories. So clients will need to buy the main handset - at open market price - as well thank-you very much. Here's to betting they sell-out in a heartbeat!


Nokia To Launch MVNO in Japan (Nov 22)
Finnish cell phone manufacturer Nokia will start its own cellphone service in Japan as early as February 2009 according to this article on the Yomiuri Shimbun. Apparently the Finnish manufacturing giant is rumored to run service on the Docomo network, although it was widely reported this summer they would go with SoftBank, for it's luxury Vertu handset lineup.


Softbank Mobile Joins Symbian Foundation (Nov 21)
The initial board members of the Symbian Foundation welcomed the latest supporters of the initiative at the interim Steering Group meeting in Tokyo this week. This announcement [pdf] includes support for the Symbian Foundation plans from 7 more companies; Borqs, Comarch, HiQ, Kanrikougaku Kenkyusho Ltd. (K3), L&T Infotech, Renesas Technology Corp. and SoftBank Mobile Corp. who add their endorsements to the 52 other companies already announced.


DoCoMo Preps for 2009 Android Launch (Nov 19)
DoCoMo is gearing up for launch of the Google phone in 2009 according to company officials. The Nikkei said Wednesday South Korea's KT Freetel is also involved in the DoCoMo-Google project but the official said nothing had been decided on potential partners. DoCoMo has a 10 percent stake in KT Freetel. The daily also said the new Google phone would come with a keyboard and a touch-panel display and be some 20 percent cheaper than currently available cellphones.