Continuing from Japanese iPhone survey indicates massive demand - Part I:

What's not to like about the iPhone?

Asked about concerns, respondents' top choice was cost. Many respondents said they'd base their purchase consideration on the price – though with pricing details appearing shortly before the survey's end, that result doesn't tell us much.

Among those who knew of the service plans' costs, opinions were split. Many found the plans fairly priced, and many didn't; some users considering purchase of an iPhone as a second phone – possibly a high-end iPod, essentially – said they'd prefer a lower-cost, usage-based data plan, as they didn't need unlimited data.

Another concern was SoftBank's 3G transmission quality (SoftBank is behind in HSPDA deployment) and reliability overall, a concern for switchers used to staid DOCOMO's reliability.

Looking at some some concerns of "positive" respondents:

• "pricing" (52%)
• "cancellation charges for the current carrier" (32%)
• "loss of current family and other discount plans" (31%)
• "carrying data over from current phone" (28%)
• "potential inability to view Japanese mobile sites (17%)
• "other" (22%)

Broken down by current carrier, all of the above concerns were strongest among  DOCOMO users, followed in order by au, SoftBank, and WILLCOM. The exception was pricing, about which current SoftBank customers were the most concerned, followed in order by WILLCOM, au, and DOCOMO users. 

Kakaku also asked what features users want to see added to the iPhone. Not surprisingly, One-seg TV and e-wallet features ranked high in free-response comments; these are seen as near-standard features on domestic mobile phones, and their absence is a demerit for the iPhone. On the other hand, Kakaku says more than a few respondents feel the iPhone's Internet and music capabilities are attractive on their own without the forced addition of cost- and size-adding features like a TV tuner.

Something else users want: more carriers. Many want to see a DOCOMO iPhone, for reasons of familiarity, perceived reliability, or HSDPA.

A few free-response concerns:

• "It's inconvenient without Felica e-wallet." (Male, 20s)
• "I'll lose my current e-wallet functionality. Beyond that, it has too many features for a mobile phone, so battery life will be short. It looks difficult to use for voice." (Male, 40s)
• "Can't change the battery; I'll have to replace the phone when the battery wears out. That's far too inefficient." (Male, 40s)
• "I'm concerned about service coverage and transmission speed." (Female, 40s)
• "I'm most concerned about SoftBank's call quality and reception. After that, battery life." (Male, 40s)

Some free-response wishes for the iPhone:

• "I want to be able to choose DOCOMO, and want One-seg TV and e-wallet." (Male, 30s)
• "I want One-seg, SUICA (e-money card) etc. And 5-megapixels or more on the camera." (Female, 30s)
• "I want to choose carriers, and not be restricted to one. I want carriers to release their own MMS software." (Male, 40s)
• "I want to be able to jump carriers. I want Japanese carriers to be able to put their own advanced features into the phone." (Male, 40s)

Good luck getting one!

What's it all mean? If the survey results are at all indicative of what'll go down just days from now, the above results mean three things:

1. A loud and sustained ka-ching in SoftBank Mobile and Apple cash registers
2. Pain for DOCOMO, au, and WILLCOM
3. Long waiting lists for buyers

Kakaku weighs in on some findings: While the MNP system makes it seemingly easy to change carriers and conveniently keep the same phone number, it's actually a process with serious hurdles, including big payments for early contract cancellation, and loss of the existing carrier's proprietary services. The number of potential switchers suggests that the iPhone's attractiveness as a product goes beyond the inconveniences and costs of switching, says Kakaku.

So, are the predictions of an iPhone frenzy correct? One never knows; with an online poll of this nature, people with an existing interest in the survey topic no doubt respond disproportionately, skewing the results. So take it all with some salt. But whether or not the magnitude of adoption turns out to match survey predictions, Kakaku's results are yet one more sign of massive Japanese interest in the iPhone 3G, which looks set to send a shock wave through the country's mobile market.

As an afterthought, here's the result of my own minuscule survey: This week past, I went to my local Tokyo SoftBank  shop to check the phone selection, and asked about my chances of scoring an iPhone on July 11. The answer: No chance. They're all spoken for, I was told, and the staffer could give me no guess at when the shop could get one into my hands.

A meaninglessly small data point, but I'm taking it as a hint of what to expect.

More info: http://kakaku.com/research/backnumber019.html (Japanese)

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