5c_and_5s According to research firm Kantar Worldpanel (via Unwired View), the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c accounted for 76% of new smartphone sales in Japan during the month of October, including 61% of phones sold on NTT DoCoMo, the country's biggest carrier.

Availability of the new iPhone 5s and lower-cost iPhone 5c through DoCoMo marks the first time that Apple's mobile phones have been offered on the carrier, coming after a July report pointed to a loss of 3.2 million users over the last four and a half years as the carrier did not have a deal with Apple to offer the iPhone. DoCoMo's losses continued in September with a record loss of 66,800 subscribers, with that drop attributed to a lack of stock of the new iPhone 5s.

Reports of DoCoMo adding the iPhone ramped up ahead of the September iPhone 5s/5c launch following comments from CEO Kazuto Tsubouchi citing "compelling reasons" to reach a deal, and the carrier did indeed launch the new iPhones alongside other Japanese carriers on September 20.

All three major Japanese carriers including DoCoMo, SoftBank, and KDDI have been offering the iPhone 5s free on contract through special promotions since its launch in September. DoCoMo has also been offering rewards points for users who bring in used iPhones from SoftBank or KDDI.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

proline Avatar
122 months ago
3 out of 4 phones sold were iPhones, I'd say that's quite impressive to say the least.
Don't worry, this is macrumors where the trolls frolick freely under their rain clouds. They will find a way to spin this into something terrible. Just watch. DOOM!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pauliaK Avatar
122 months ago
3 out of 4 phones sold were iPhones, I'd say that's quite impressive to say the least.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dumastudetto Avatar
122 months ago
The Japanese have always demanded the very best technology. It's so no surprise to see them choosing Apple devices over everything else regardless of price. They want great experiences and they know only Apple can provide that.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
penajmz Avatar
122 months ago
What a flop!:rolleyes:
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheMacBookPro Avatar
122 months ago
Only on MacRumors can fanboys think someone saying Apple's success was predictable is a bad thing.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pavinder Avatar
122 months ago
Yes, still sim-locked here, even if one pays full price for the handset.

These comments about the 5s being free are simply not true. One can either pay up front (and have a cheap monthly bill) or pay in 24 installments over 2 years (the contract period). This second option is interest-free.

I think in some way they try to pretend it's free - masqueraded as a monthly fee which is coincidentally "discounted" by exactly the installment amount if you pay for the handset in full up front!

But the bottom line is you pay for it either way. Of course you do. No network is going to simply give away millions of $800 phones.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2023 Event Taking Place June 5 to 9

Wednesday March 29, 2023 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. Like WWDC 2020, 2021, and 2022, WWDC 2023 will be an online event for the most part, and it will be open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will provide online sessions and labs, which will allow...
iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Low-Energy Chip to Allow Solid-State Buttons to Work When Device is Off or Out of Battery

Wednesday March 29, 2023 1:54 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums. CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...
CarPlay Phone Call

General Motors to Phase Out Apple CarPlay Starting This Year in EV Transition

Friday March 31, 2023 8:43 am PDT by
General Motors (GM) will phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its vehicles starting this year, shifting to a built-in infotainment system co-developed with Google (via Reuters). GM owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC in the United States. It will stop offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, which goes on sale this summer. The company plans ...
iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2

iPhone 15 Pro Rumored to Feature Multi-Use Action Button Instead of Mute Switch

Wednesday March 29, 2023 7:28 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are rumored to feature a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra, according to a MacRumors forum member who leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models last year. The source claimed the Action button will replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. They did not...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Now Available for Your iPhone With These 8 New Features

Friday March 31, 2023 8:55 am PDT by
Following six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 was released to the public this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and changes added with iOS 16.4,...
iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Three New iOS Features Coming to Your iPhone Following Apple Music Classical

Thursday March 30, 2023 7:13 am PDT by
With the Apple Music Classical app and an Apple Pay Later early access program now available, the list of previously-announced iOS features that have yet to launch is beginning to shrink. However, there are still a few features we are waiting for. Below, we have recapped three more iOS features that are expected to launch in 2023, including an Apple Card savings account for Daily Cash,...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Kuo: Apple Mixed-Reality Headset May Not Appear at WWDC as Mass Production Pushed Back Yet Again

Thursday March 30, 2023 4:50 am PDT by
Apple has again pushed back mass production of its mixed-reality headset and the device may not appear at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane In a tweet, Kuo explained that Apple "isn't very optimistic" about whether the headset will be able to create an "iPhone moment." As a result,...