Can Rakuten Mobile open to the start of "iPhone"?-Medificial Watch

"IPhone" for mobile phone companies

　At present, Apple's iPhone, which has a share of nearly half in Japan.In recent years, due to the high -priced route, the absolute strength like a time has shown a shady, but the latest sales still show that it accounts for around 40 % of the total, and each mobile phone.It is one of the most important products for the company.

　However, as readers know, the iPhone is not a product that any business operator can handle.In addition to Apple, only mobile phone operators who have signed a formal contract with the company can be sold.In July 2008, SoftBank started selling the iPhone 3G exclusively, but at first, au or NTT DOCOMO could not handle the iPhone.At the time, the au was adopted by the CDMA method, so there was no help for it, but NTT DOCOMO has not been able to handle the iPhone for about five years since the release of SoftBank, which has a major impact on the company's MNP transfer.It is said that he gave it.

　Behind SoftBank's exclusive use of the iPhone is a personal connection between the late Apple founder Steve Jobs and the SoftBank Group Chairman and President Masayoshi Son.It is said that it is also related, but the business has been realized by SoftBank accepting various sales conditions presented by Apple.Although the details of the conditions have not been disclosed, it is said that not only the sales volume, but also the sales method, discount limit, pricing preferential measures, and differentiation of handling from other models were included.

　Later, following the launch of the CDMA version in February 2011, in October of the same year, the iPhone 4s based on this will be sold, and in September 2013.Finally, NTT DOCOMO starts handling "iPhone 5s" and "iPhone 5c".Since then, three major companies have been dealing with iPhones and iPads, and every September of the latest iPhone's release, the annual sales starting event is held at flagship stores at each company.

　In addition to the three major companies, the SIM -free version of the SIM -free iPhone was not sold in Japan, and no SIM unlock was provided, so it could not be used.For this reason, some of the SIM -free versions of SIM -free versions sold overseas were imported, and the SIM cards of each mobile phone company in Japan were inserted, and there were some movements to use.

　However, on the IIJ official blog "Tekurogu", which is now familiar in this magazine, data communication can be used by loading the APN configuration profile in the iIJmio SIM card inserted.The information has been gradually revealed, and the method of using the iPhone and iPad with SIM cards other than three major companies in Japan has begun to attract attention.

　At the same time, Apple started selling SIM -free "iPhone 5s" and "iPhone 5c" in November 2013.However, the SIM card requires a separate contract with each mobile phone company, and when used by MVNO companies, an APN configuration profile must be prepared.In other words, the SIM -free iPhone sold in Japan is an official product sold by Apple, but only three major companies are officially supported by the three major companies, and the use of MVNO companies is independently supported by each company.It was just the treatment.

　In addition, the sales of iPhone 5s were launched on Y -Mobile in March 2016 and in UQ Mobile in September of the same year.The latest model at that time was the "iPhone 6s" series and the "iPhone 7" series, so the "iPhone 5s" was a model drop model, but the two brands still began to handle the iPhone, which greatly boosted contracts.Became.However, the iPhone handling of both brands is different from the three major companies, and there are restrictions such as the need to apply APN configuration files, like MVNO companies, and the latest models cannot be handled.

　As you can see from these trends, whatever the same form for any mobile phone company, brand, and MVNO companies, it can be used by handling the iPhone or using it on its own line.I was able to do it.In particular, in the migration by MNP, the iPhone was the most likely platform, so each company has taken up a considerable heat sales measures.However, in recent years, many negative opinions have been heard about how to handle such a biased iPhone, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has launched a policy with this situation in mind, but its effects are limited.So, the results have not been seen so much that the flow of the market changes drastically.