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To: James Connolly who wrote (9841)	8/23/2001 12:14:54 PM
From: Chinacat	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 10309

JC, the mobile phone market in Japan has a very curious business model. For example, I just switched to a new iMode Matsushita phone about 3 weeks ago. Its a "DoCoMo p210i", which doesn't support the Java iApli feature. I don't need the extra bulk or the bugginess of the iApli phones. Now for this switch, I paid Yen 9,800 (about US$75). This is a tiny state of the art phone that has a 1.5 inch by 2.5 inch Color LCD screen, great sound, and lots of `bells and whistles`. There is no way that NTT DoCoMo is making money on the hardware. That means that the hardware sales are heavily subsidised by the billings from phone air time. Regarding your comment on protected domains on the OS, this and many other key points exist that would make a very convincing story for Matsushita and others in Japan to use VxWorks/Tornado in their java phones. Infact 3 years ago they did have many forays into NEC and Matsushita discussing exactly this subject. The question that remains is, is WRS Japan now following thru on the seeds sown? I am not sure on this, and would certainly want to encourage them to pursue these opportunities. Since the cost of the handsets is subsidised anyway, the royalty issue (traditionaly a VxWorks sore spot in this market)would hardly come to the surface for NTT DoCoMo. It would be absorbedby Matsushita and thevother companies that OEM the phones to DoCoMo. check out the line up - nttdocomo.com here's my phone - nttdocomo.co.jp finaly, here's DoCoMo's latest service (verrry cool!)- nttdocomo.com chinacat