Japan Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Scosche's RDTX-PRO for iPhone and iPod touch detects radiation

by Steven Sande (Aug 31st, 2011)

Scosche Industries produces a wide line of accessories for Apple products, ranging from iPad cases and flexible keyboards to screen cleaners and headphones. Now the company has developed and is selling the RDTX-PRO Radiation Detector and app for the iPhone and iPod touch. Primarily designed ...

Apple reportedly adds earthquake warning to Japanese iOS

by Kelly Hodgkins (Aug 22nd, 2011)

Apple is supposedly adding an Earthquake widget to its Japanese version of iOS 5. The widget will connect to Japan's earthquake warning system and will alert iPhone owners of an impending natural disaster. The system will tie into iOS 5's new notification center and give Japanese residents a ...

iPhones, iPads drive Softbank's huge Q1 profits

by Steven Sande (Jul 28th, 2011)

Being a carrier partner of Apple can help drive your bottom line. As reported on The Apple Blog, Japanese cellular carrier Softbank's fiscal first quarter results showed an almost 500 percent increase in net income over the same quarter in 2010. To what did Softbank attribute the spectacular ...

Nintendo's Pokemon getting an iOS app

by Mike Schramm (Jul 6th, 2011)

Nintendo has been careful not to support Apple at all with its iOS initiative -- though mobile devices are huge in Japan (and a lot of Japanese companies have found success even on the North American App Store), the general feeling out of the video gaming giant seems to be that Apple's iPhone and ...

DeNA bringing Infinity Blade X to Japan's Mobage platform

by Mike Schramm (Jun 22nd, 2011)

DeNA's been on the iOS hunt for about a year now -- I saw them at GDC Online last fall asking developers to create games for their Mobage mobile platform in Japan, and then they outright purchased popular iOS developer ngmoco not long after that. Now they've put together plans to bring another ...

The iPhone 4 sales ranking in Japan

by Kelly Hodgkins (May 18th, 2011)

Even in cell phone crazed Japan, the iPhone 4 is the top-selling handset according to a report from market research firm GfK Japan. Data from the first quarter of 2011 shows the 16 GB and 32 GB models in first and second place, respectively. Rounding out the top three is the Android-powered ...

Apple offering free repairs for iPod touches, iPhones, and Macs damaged in the Japan quake and tsunami

by Michael Grothaus (May 13th, 2011)

Apple is offering free service and repair to those Mac users who were affected by the Japan tsunami and earthquake in March. As stated in a Support & Information Services note [Japanese version/ Google-translated English version] on Apple's Japanese website, the company is offering free ...

Softbank profits surge thanks to the iPhone and iPad

by Kelly Hodgkins (May 9th, 2011)

Japan's number three wireless carrier, Softbank, reported record profits thanks to the success of the iPhone and the iPad. Net profit for the quarter ending in March climbed to Y47.41 billion, up from Y1.85 billion in the same quarter last year. Softbank's ARPU (average revenue per user) also ...

iPad 2's Japan, India release draws big crowds

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 29th, 2011)

Apple's iPad 2 made its official debut in Japan on Thursday along the white iPhone 4. The second generation tablet debuted for 44,800 yen (US$500) and was available from Apple Stores and the wireless carrier Softbank Mobile. Apple has a good week in the Asian-Pacific region. The iPhone 4 flew ...

iPad 2 will land in 12 new countries starting with Japan on April 28

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 27th, 2011)

Apple confirmed the iPad 2 will land in Japan starting tomorrow, April 28. Sales begin at Apple retail stores at 9 am local time. Select authorized resellers will also carry the tablet device and prospective iPad 2 owners should call ahead to confirm availability. If you prefer to shop online ...

Japanese newspaper reports Apple picked Toshiba as sole LCD supplier

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 20th, 2011)

A Japanese newspaper report suggests Apple has chosen Toshiba as the sole supplier of its LCD displays for the iPhone. Earlier this year, a circulating rumor suggested Apple had invested US$1.2 billion in a Sharp-owned LCD production plant. The plant would go online in 2012 and provide Apple with ...

Apple takes a bite out of PC market

by Dana Franklin (Apr 14th, 2011)

For the first time in six quarters, worldwide shipments of personal computers declined during the first three months of 2011, according to reports from Gartner Inc. and International Data Corp. (IDC) released this week. Despite faltering demand for PCs, Apple enjoyed increased sales and market ...

Apple reportedly to absorb costs from Japan tragedies

by Dave Caolo (Mar 31st, 2011)

As Japan's people and industries respond to the recent horrible disasters, routine electrical brownouts are being rolled out to conserve available resources. Manufacturing is being affected as a result, and the tech industry is not immune. DigiTimes reports that Apple will absorb the extra cost ...

SoftBank to replace iPhones lost in Japan's earthquake, tsunami

by Kelly Hodgkins (Mar 30th, 2011)

In the midst of an overwhelming catastrophe, Japan's wireless carrier SoftBank is stepping up to the plate to help many of those affected by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son recently traveled to Tamura, a city that is serving as a refuge for those devastated by the ...

Roundup of developers and apps to help Japan

by Chris Ward (Mar 19th, 2011)

The developer community is stepping up its offers of help to disaster-struck Japan with increasing ways to send money to those in need. This is a roundup of offers we've heard about -- let us know in comments of any others. Simplest of all is the offer from Japanese startup Lunascape: ...