Apple Iphone In Japan
APPLE
02/12/2014
13:25:24
Page 1
APPLE iPHONE IN JAPAN: WIRE-LESS,
CULTURE-FULL*
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INTRODUCTION
It was the evening of January 15, 2009. Eric Miller, Apple Inc.’s
Senior Vice President Worldwide Product Marketing is standing, waiting for the train on a subway station platform. Eric was sent to Japan by Apple CEO Steve Jobs to oversee the launch of the eagerly awaited iPhone 3GS, a newer, more powerful iteration of Apple’s revolutionary iPhone 3G. Mr. Jobs was not happy with how the launch of the original 3G model was handled in Japan. Sales were surprisingly slow, despite what seemed like a strong start (lots of positive initial buzz, long lines, etc.). Still waiting for the train to pull in, Eric pulls out his iPhone and rereads the email sent to him a few days ago by Mr. Jobs:
Eric, thanks again for flying out to Tokyo on such short notice! I needed to bring out the big guns this time with regards to the iPhone in Japan, and that’s why I needed you there to personally supervise the launch of the 3GS.
The iPhone has been a great success in our other markets, and we’re grateful to you and your team for that. However, as you already know, Japan is a vital market for us, and I am not happy with our position there.
We need to know WHY sales there have been lackluster so far, and then we need you to devise a
NEW STRATEGY to ensure that the 3GS is a blockbuster success when it launches in June 2009. I expect a briefing on your findings in 5 days.
If you need anything, just ask. I’m sure you’ll do a fantastic job! (If not, you’re fired.)
Steve
Eric felt a shiver as he put away his phone. It could have been the winter air, or the pressure he was feeling, or maybe a little bit of both. It seemed straightforward enough, though. He needed to review the current mobile market situation in Japan, then analyze the reasons for the iPhone’s failure here thus far, and finally come up with a new marketing
02/12/2014
13:25:24
Page 1
APPLE iPHONE IN JAPAN: WIRE-LESS,
CULTURE-FULL*
r r r r r r r r
r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r
INTRODUCTION
It was the evening of January 15, 2009. Eric Miller, Apple Inc.’s
Senior Vice President Worldwide Product Marketing is standing, waiting for the train on a subway station platform. Eric was sent to Japan by Apple CEO Steve Jobs to oversee the launch of the eagerly awaited iPhone 3GS, a newer, more powerful iteration of Apple’s revolutionary iPhone 3G. Mr. Jobs was not happy with how the launch of the original 3G model was handled in Japan. Sales were surprisingly slow, despite what seemed like a strong start (lots of positive initial buzz, long lines, etc.). Still waiting for the train to pull in, Eric pulls out his iPhone and rereads the email sent to him a few days ago by Mr. Jobs:
Eric, thanks again for flying out to Tokyo on such short notice! I needed to bring out the big guns this time with regards to the iPhone in Japan, and that’s why I needed you there to personally supervise the launch of the 3GS.
The iPhone has been a great success in our other markets, and we’re grateful to you and your team for that. However, as you already know, Japan is a vital market for us, and I am not happy with our position there.
We need to know WHY sales there have been lackluster so far, and then we need you to devise a
NEW STRATEGY to ensure that the 3GS is a blockbuster success when it launches in June 2009. I expect a briefing on your findings in 5 days.
If you need anything, just ask. I’m sure you’ll do a fantastic job! (If not, you’re fired.)
Steve
Eric felt a shiver as he put away his phone. It could have been the winter air, or the pressure he was feeling, or maybe a little bit of both. It seemed straightforward enough, though. He needed to review the current mobile market situation in Japan, then analyze the reasons for the iPhone’s failure here thus far, and finally come up with a new marketing