[yhamaie]

BlackBerry Classic (carrier unlocked) devices will be available next month through X-Mobile Company Limited, a startup mobile phone operator (MVNO) headquartered in Tokyo. This will mark a very quiet return of BlackBerry to the country which was abandoned by Research In Motion Limited (presently known as BlackBerry Limited) a few years ago.

BLACKBERRY CLASSSIC | X-Mobile

[Uzi]

Nice to know!

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2339 ftw!!

[ma678]

Hopefully it will survive there.

Posted via Classic

[cbvinh]

I learned that the Japanese input system works well because I added it as another language input, handed it over to a Japanese person and she was able to use it right away.

[jpoq]

Wow that is good news! Hopefully it won't come too overpriced. There few specialist shops that sell unlocked Blackberrys but the prices are high and availability sketchy.

Posted via CB10 from Passport

[jpoq]

I just wonder how they are going to address the fact that Japan is not covered by BlackBerry maps. Would like to hear that explanation. Google makes a lot of advertising on TV and the net about the availability of their services in Japanese. Apple does the same however not as heavily as Google. BlackBerry has a stiff challenge just be visible here.

Posted via CB10 from Passport

[johnny_bravo72]

I just wonder how they are going to address the fact that Japan is not covered by BlackBerry maps. Would like to hear that explanation. Google makes a lot of advertising on TV and the net about the availability of their services in Japanese. Apple does the same however not as heavily as Google. BlackBerry has a stiff challenge just be visible here.

Posted via CB10 from Passport

BlackBerry's already used to that. They're hardly visible anywhere.

Posted from an ME173X

[goku_vegeta]

I learned that the Japanese input system works well because I added it as another language input, handed it over to a Japanese person and she was able to use it right away.

Indeed! As a person who has had Japanese enabled since my 9360, perhaps even my 9300, I can say that after 10.2.1 was released Japanese input works quite well. Some minor quirks that weren't there from BlackBerry 7, but eh it works well on both full touch and QWERTY BlackBerry 10 devices.

Posted via CB10

[SunshineStateFlyer]

That's good to hear. Although, Japan is going to be a very very tough market for BlackBerry.

Posted via CB10

[nhanken]

Who knows . Just look at what the Japanese market is doing to the flip phone sales!

That's good to hear. Although, Japan is going to be a very very tough market for BlackBerry.

Posted via CB10

To BB or not to BBBBBB...?

[jpoq]

The latest update of BlackBerry OS10 finally includes the approval seal for Japan. This means that BlackBerry 10 devices finally can be sold/bought without the usual disclaimer regarding the usage of network spectrum by unauthorized devices. Now we just need a good repair shop at decent prices, sending the phone abroad is a monumental hassle.



Posted via CB10 from Passport

[yhamaie]

The last local registration record found for RIM is one for 9900. There is no local registration record found for BlackBerry Limited.

http://www.tele.soumu.go.jp/giteki/S...et?pageID=js01







Posted via CB10

[yhamaie]

I just wonder how they are going to address the fact that Japan is not covered by BlackBerry maps.

I used to use Google Maps (until the app was discontinued) with legacy OS devices (BlackBerry 9000 through 9900).

I presently use Google Maps and the other Android map apps with BlackBerry 10 devices.

[grover5]

BlackBerry's already used to that. They're hardly visible anywhere.

Posted from an ME173X

Not really value added. Good to hear BB is adding another market though. Good news is hard to come by.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[jonaong]

This is good news but I think there are a couple of issues to look out for in the Japanese market.

1. Blackberry Maps. Basically it is not working when I'm in Tokyo. Hope that there will be improvements here.

2. Native LINE app. Majority of the Japanese do not use whatsapp or BBM. Naver LINE is the preferred messaging app for most Japanese. The sideloaded LINE apk file does not seem stable for me cos' I experienced receiving messages quite late sometimes.

Posted via CB10

[goku_vegeta]

This is good news but I think there are a couple of issues to look out for in the Japanese market.

1. Blackberry Maps. Basically it is not working when I'm in Tokyo. Hope that there will be improvements here.

2. Native LINE app. Majority of the Japanese do not use whatsapp or BBM. Naver LINE is the preferred messaging app for most Japanese. The sideloaded LINE apk file does not seem stable for me cos' I experienced receiving messages quite late sometimes.

Posted via CB10

Definitely agree with number 1. Outside of North America BlackBerry maps is next to useless.

Although for Line, I never experienced this issues. Have you tried different versions of Line?

Posted via CB10

[imcurved]

Wonder why BlackBerry stopped selling phones in Japan. Whoever knows the story please share? Thanks.

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2339

[goku_vegeta]

Wonder why BlackBerry stopped selling phones in Japan. Whoever knows the story please share? Thanks.

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2339

0 market share.

Posted via CB10

[jonaong]

Hi goku_vegeta,

The Line version which I have installed is 4.4.1.

I really hope there will be a native Line app available in the future. I realised the sideloaded version drains the battery as well.

Posted via CB10

[yhamaie]

Wonder why BlackBerry stopped selling phones in Japan. Whoever knows the story please share?

In 2006 NTT DoCoMo started to distribute BlackBerry 8707h (localized version of BlackBerry 8707g and 8707v) (operational at W-CDMA 2100 MHz) in order to look after, among others, local subsidiaries and branch offices of multinational financial institutions, consulting firms, accounting firms, and the like.

In 2007 Japanese IME was embedded in the legacy OS so that local language could be input with native keyboards.

In 2008 NTT DoCoMo started offering BlackBerry Internet Service so that non-corporate (non-BES) customers could utilize BlackBerry devices.

By 2013 the bulk of customers (multinational companies mentioned above) had switched their corporate devices to iPhone and Android so that the corporate market for legacy OS devices disappeared. Consequently, NTT DoCoMo stopped distributing BlackBerry 9900 devices and RIM (presently known as BlackBerry Limited) closed its local office.

[WES51]

Any info which version of the Classic will be sold? Which version of the Classic is mated closest or best to work on the (assuming DoCoMo) Japanese Network?

[yhamaie]

Any info which version of the Classic will be sold? Which version of the Classic is mated closest or best to work on the (assuming DoCoMo) Japanese Network?

SQC100-1 with Wubihua keyboard (which appears to be a Hong Kong model).

Typing in Chinese - BlackBerry Classic - 10.3.2

[yhamaie]

The latest update of BlackBerry OS10 finally includes the approval seal for Japan. This means that BlackBerry 10 devices finally can be sold/bought without the usual disclaimer regarding the usage of network spectrum by unauthorized devices. Now we just need a good repair shop at decent prices, sending the phone abroad is a monumental hassle.

I have learned that the Japanese government accepts certifications by approved institutions overseas. For SQC100-1 and SQW100-1 the Japanese government has accepted certifications issued by Telefication B.V. (Zevenaar, The Netherlands) as follows.

overseas 152150264/AA/00 Japan 201-150264 Passport (SQW100-1)
overseas 152150265/AA/00 Japan 201-150265 Classic (SQC100-1)

Telefication - testing and certification - Issued Certificates

[imcurved]

In 2006 NTT DoCoMo started to distribute BlackBerry 8707h (localized version of BlackBerry 8707g and 8707v) (operational at W-CDMA 2100 MHz) in order to look after, among others, local subsidiaries and branch offices of multinational financial institutions, consulting firms, accounting firms, and the like.

In 2007 Japanese IME was embedded in the legacy OS so that local language could be input with native keyboards.

In 2008 NTT DoCoMo started offering BlackBerry Internet Service so that non-corporate (non-BES) customers could utilize BlackBerry devices.

By 2013 the bulk of customers (multinational companies mentioned above) had switched their corporate devices to iPhone and Android so that the corporate market for legacy OS devices disappeared. Consequently, NTT DoCoMo stopped distributing BlackBerry 9900 devices and RIM (presently known as BlackBerry Limited) closed its local office.

How sad!

Thanks for the scoop.

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2339

[sumyong]

Hi goku_vegeta,

The Line version which I have installed is 4.4.1.

I really hope there will be a native Line app available in the future. I realised the sideloaded version drains the battery as well.

Posted via CB10

I m currently using LINE 5.4.0

The problem of the message delay is because sometimes the push message service got killed in the background by the OS in order to free up the memory.

In normal circumstances, Google API can wake up that service by cloud push, but as you know we don't have those Google API on our BlackBerry.

For the workaround, I wrote an app to keep monitoring the LINE service, whenever it got killed by the OS, it will restart the push message service. I can send that to you if you need it.

Posted via CB10