iPhone 3G in Japan: Prices & Plans Released!

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Counting down to its July 11 multi-national debut, Japan's Softbank has announced (in Japanese, 'natch) their official iPhone 3G prices and plans. The hardware itself will cost ¥23,040 for 8GB and ¥34,560 for 16GB, a roughly 7% premium over Steve Jobs' US$199 maximum, amortized over the length of the pre-requisite 2 year contract.

Plans will be color coded, primarily in white, but rumor has it also in orange and blue. Based on the linked-to details, this color system is impenetrable enough I can't believe North American carriers haven't rushed to adopt it!

Any Japanese readers who can shed further light on how these charges will shake out on a data-hungry iPhone-class device, please let us know in the comments!

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Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

4 Comments
  • Hi! I live in Tokyo, Japan. The plans for this phone are differant compared to all the other models that Softbank offers. White plan is about $10 am month, with free calls on Softbank network most of the day and evening. About 40cents a min. to non softbank numbers. Flat data pack is $60 extra but you have to subscribe to it with iphone. Other models from softbank offer a flat packet plan as an option. It starts at about $10 and rises as the total date rate increases to max at about $45. In Japan customers make an original email address and use that to commuticate(other mobiles?PC/webmail.instead of SMS. MMS on softbank is an email that you can attach a photo or video to. And then send.Anyway blue plans are DoCoMo plans, and orange plans are AU KDDI.These are the #1 and #2 carriers in Japan. Softbank will let customers choose a competitors plan and undercut it by $2. Anyway. For the
    Iphone, About $73 a monthly fee to start, plus $8 a month for 24 months for a 8G phone. Special sim just for iphone. Chekck Softbank english website for press release.
  • will the iphone be sim card free in japan???
  • If iphone 3G 8gigs is sold with plans at 99 dollars, I'm 100% sure it will still gather dust in the shelves around the world,what majority of the poor people worldwide are finding all their lives are unlocked 99 dollar iphone for their loves ones in school and for their own convenience in this hi-tech world. and that is a HUGE living and existing market, believe me!
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