How Europe Really Differs from Japan

Another insightful article (cf previous post in Picturephoning.com iMode vs. iMode : the difference between the East and the West) by mobiliser.org via Swiss Bitflux Blog, on why Europe's wireless Internet situation is radically different from Japan's - and how the differences are unlikely to disappear until the lead players in the mobile Internet value chain - the carriers - make some radical changes:

-- "Pricing of SMS vs. mobile email is one major differentiator between Europe and Japan

-- The Japanese message lengths are longer (in some cases, 1,000 characters),

-- Address book functionality on handsets is definitely superior

-- In Japan, mobile email is key for mobile marketing and the unofficial webs

-- And on Japan i-mode, lots of people love to get those opt-in mail marketing messages".

Another great blog, blog from Japan, offers a different take on this same article.

-- "Some of Japanese are not familiar to PC. Cell phone is major way for mail and web.

-- Almost of cell phones in stores has camera, it's commonsence for consumers. Lots of People take a shot and mail it on a daily basis, they use it like a chat. This situation has produced new bussinesses and services.

-- Some of cell phones has Video Messaging funciton, but consumers are not as keen as carriers expect. There are difference in speed within consumers as compared to carries or technologies".

emily | 10:32 PM | Mobile Success Explained: Japan, Europe, USA, China |
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