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iPhone 3G could flop in Japan

Apple's insistance on a built-in battery for the iPhone could mean that the device ends up being a flop in Japan.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer

Apple's insistance on a built-in battery for the iPhone could mean that the device ends up being a flop in Japan.

According to a survey by iSHARE, 91.0% of Japanese mobile phone users are not planning to purchase Apple Inc's "iPhone" mobile phone.

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Respondents who said "I prefer replaceable batteries" accounted for 77.1%, while those who said "I don't care if the battery is replaceable or not" made up 22.9%. Of respondents that have replaced a mobile phone battery before, 88.0% said "I prefer replaceable batteries."

Battery might be one issue, but I think that another is simply that the Japanese market is literally flooded with cellphones, and it takes a lot for a new phone from a new player to make a big impact.

Things might change as soon as someone releases a Hello Kitty skinning tool ...

Thoughts?

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