Still waiting in Japan...

It is hard to narrow down my "waiting" now. Originally, this blog was set up as I was waiting for the introduction of Windows Phone to Japan. But now there is more to it, going from simply too bad, to ridiculously bad:

• Microsoft Japan introduced, with KDDI Au, the very first Windows Phone "Mango" handset in July of 2011. At that time I was getting excited, but as time wore on more wary. I traveled through central Tokyo to attend a Windows Phone event, only to be told that while they wanted to add more carriers in Japan, they mainly wanted to export the Fujitsu phone. Epic fail on both accounts.
• At the same meeting, I was told Japan would never become part of the Zune - now XBox music service. After all, there were plenty of music services in Japan.
• Finally, in December I had had enough. After visiting my carrier I was told that even if I bought an unlocked phone in Japan, they could not add it to their service. When I did break down and purchase my HTC Titan unlocked and Sim free, they said they would not swap out the Sim card from my iPhone 3GS. So sorry.
• But Did it myself and love my phone.

Now fast forward to 2012. In June of this year, Microsoft announced the upcoming Windows Phone 8 (Apollo). Accompanying that, as now it was revealed they were not going to move that update to existing phones, they were pleased as punch to announce Windows Phone 7.8. This would arrive shortly after Windows Phone 8 and the new handsets were to be announced.

I understand the wait. I am sure thousands of customers have opted to move to the new handsets, better memory, higher quality screens, NFC, etc that is required to run WP8 and additional applications. No word on WP7.8. 

• But....leaked devices (later discovered to be prototypes and developer handsets) from Nokia DID recieve 7.8.
• Quickly noted that 7.8 would come out in "early" 2013.
• Now, we know most if not all Nokia phones will be getting 7.8 at the end of this month.

However, those of us with HTC, LG, Dell, Samsung handsets are rumored to be getting this update as late as March. While I guess that is still early, rumors swirl that even my 1-year old Titan may not receive the update at all.

Meanwhile, it was announced in November that WP8 intro into Japan was "postponed." And with the carriers now trotting out their Spring collections, the plethora of Android phones is not only annoying, it is downright criminal.

So. I am still waiting in Japan. Windows Phone 7 is dead in Japan. The Fujitsu handset with its great memory, but mediocre screen, with its 13.xmp camera, with its paltry 3.8" screen can be had for under 100 bucks on Amazon, but is essentially nowhere to be seen on store shelves. One could still have it if you asked on AU, but why? Last year's news. NTT Docomo is partnering to bring low-cost tablets and Smartphones to enterprise. I had heard it would be Microsoft-centric. But instead, I see a low-cost Android tablet. Microsoft Japan appears to be joke, as the exec who was taking classes from my company said, "People appear to like Android." 

People have been given no choice.