My understanding of the current situation is this:
1) carriers subsidize handsets
2) therefore handsets must have lots of functionality built in that
will create revenue for carrier, and need not have functionality that
users may want but that is not potentially revenue driving. And they
definitely may not leave out functionality that users don't really want
(like anything more than phone/email) or that may reduce revenue (real,
consumer usable VOIP)
3) result is a proliferation of large, boring handsets.
There was a justification for this model in the early days of the
market as it helped get things going. High churn meant rapid
innovation. But now high churn is starting to be a problem as handsets
become more complex.
Enter Linux, which the carriers hope will cut dev/handset costs...
result: Less need to subsidize handsets, so more room for handsets
which have functionality that does not drive revenue through packet
use/online stores etc.
SO....
It is not CURENTTLY possible to buy a slim handset that just does phone
and email.
It is not CURRENTLY possible to buy a phone in Japan that has decent
PDA functionality and can sync with a Mac. AFAIK.
Anyone care to guess whether it ever will be - in Japan?
Nick
Received on Mon Nov 29 06:32:36 2004