After the news of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ death was reported on October 6th, there were some happenings at the Apple Store in Ginza.  At the moment there seem to be no plans to hold an official memorial event accordion to Apple Store, but nevertheless many Apple fans came to give flower offerings.  Also in many places sudden memorial events were held.

The state of affairs at the Ginza Apple Store on night of the 6th.  Although it may appear that the number of people was minimal, at that time people had gathered to the point that security guards went onto the sidewalk to regulate.

The situation at 10:00 P.M.  Although the store had been closed for an hour, bouquets were piled up thick.

Not only bouquets but also message cards and apples referencing the logo mark were offered in tribute.  Also in this way, the feeling that people truly love Steve Jobs the man and the Apple Corporation could truly be expressed.

Incidentally when I checked in to the Ginza Apple Store with the location information app “Foursquare,” I saw that some 266 users had also checked in.  Don’t you think that’s probably the first time so many people have ever checked into the Apple Store in one day?

Also, Melting Dots CEO Hiroshi Asaeda made a memorial video of  Steve Jobs and opened them out on YouTube and NicoNico Douga (Smile Video).  Please go ahead and watch it from here too.

Youtube version

NicoNico Douga version

Translation authorized by VSMedia

Tags: Japan by Chiho Komoriya
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About an hour prior to Apple's "Let's Talk iPhone" event, Apple Store Ginza (Tokyo, Japan) page [J] is showing that the new iPhone 4S will be on sale from 8 a.m. October 14.

The text is here with my translation,

iPhone 4S、登場。

10月14日、午前8時より、Apple Storeで発売。あなたにぴったりの通信事業者と料金プランを選ぶお手伝いをします。iPhoneの設定もスタッフが行うので、ストアを出る前から使い始める準備が完了します。さらに詳しく

iPhone 4S has come.

It's on sale from 8 a.m. October 14 at Apple Store. We will assist you to choose carrier and plan fit the best for you. Since our staff will set it up, your iPhone will be ready even walking out the store. See more,

Some Japanese says the text "to choose carrier" means that now Japanese consumer can choose KDDI au on top of long time exclusive seller Softbank Mobile. Maybe so, but it is also possible that the whole text was straight translation from English site.

Here is the full page screenshot,

[Update]

On the right side, iPod nano with "the new user interface, improved fitness function, new clock face and multi-touch" is also announced. The price is from 10,800 yen (US$140)

The same texts are on all local Apple Store pages as well on Shinsaibashi(Osaka), Nagoya-Sakae, etc. but not on Shibuya store.

[Update 2] It seems that all local store pages had mistakenly been switched with the one with the new iPhone 4S, turned back to the old page one by one. Anyway Tim Cook start talking now.

via Netafull [J]

Tags: Japan, News by Akky Akimoto
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Japanese Yen has been staying high against US dollars, especially last year. Apple finally thinks its 115 yen(US$1.45) is too much for $0.99 apps.

@kokubucamera reported [J] that all 115 yen iOS apps are now sold at 85 yen, which is $1.08 on today's rate, about 26% discount this morning.

230 yen app is now 170 yen. 350 to 250, 450 to 350, etc.

Tags: Japan, News by Akky Akimoto
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The world's largest ad agency Dentsu announced it had partnered with Apple for the sales of smartphone ad network iAd in Japan.   Dentsu will start the sales in early 2011, and their subsidiary Cyber Communications Inc. provides ad content production services including media planning.

iAd is installed on iOS4, which is the latest edition of the iPhone platform, and allows the iPhone users to purchase goods, apps and content advertised while playing another apps.   The iPhone app developer participating in the ad network can receive a reward, which is 60% of the entire revenue earned through ads placed on his/her apps.

Apple took over Quattro Wireless last January for launching the iAd network in North America, and is expecting Dentsu will play the same role that Quattro does for launching their new business in Japan through the partnership.

Tags: Company, News, Service by Masaru IKEDA
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At the end of last month a rumors had spread that Apple would buy Sony and Sony stocks had moved up.

If Apple buy Sony we might be able to see Sony Pictures' movies on iTunes, more games on iTunes and Sony Music artists' songs on Japanese iTunes store ( and Japanese iTunes music store is not rich on song lineup so this might be a great benefit for Japanese iTunes lovers).

It was just a rumor but Google has more reasons to buy Sony than Apple does.

1. Google TV

Sony recently release Google TV and being the best partner to spread Google TV against little Apple TV set top box. Although Sony is not shinning as it was on 80's, Sony is being a top leading company and known brand for TV.

2. Good partner to spread Android handsets

Sony’s first Android handest Xperia is the second best selling smartphone in Japan. 2.2 million smartphone was shipped in the first half year of 2010 in Japan and while Apple iPhone occupied 60.1 % of the market, Sony covered 20.6%, shipped 460 thousand Xperia handsets.

3.Google is a company good to make software / Sony is a company good to make hardware

Sony can provide hardware for Google, and Google can provide software for Sony. This might be a best combination. Apple is not making hardware by themselves but selling hardware is their main business.

4. Good executive relationship?

Former president of  Google Japan, Koichiro Tsujino was president of Sony's personal computer division, where he led VAIO PC brand before joining Google.

Of course this is just a speculation but Google might work to buy Sony if Apple is really thinking to buy it.

Tags: Japan, Joke by Hiroumi Mitani
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