Vader Waves Hand. “There Is No iPhone.” But There Is — In A Big Way In Japan.

Remember back in 2008 when there was a lot of talk about how the iPhone would flop in Japan? 91 percent of Japanese would not be buying the device, said one survey . By 2009, that talk inevitably turned to how it had already flopped. With some even writing about how the Japanese people " hate " the device. Then something funny happened. That kind of talk abruptly stopped. And for good reason. As it turns out, the iPhone is actually a massive success in the country. Much like it did in the U.S., the iPhone transforming the mobile landscape in Japan. Two stories today highlight this. The first, talks about the Japanese iPhone " craze " and details how app developers are rushing to get into the potentially huge market for Japanese iPhone apps. The second story notes how NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile carrier, is turning to marketing to make up for the fact that they don't have the iPhone (it's sold there by rival Softbank). Marketing involving yes, Darth Vader .