Japan

Twitter to start selling ads outside of Twitter, starting with Flipboard and Yahoo Japan

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 3, 2015

Twitter, the popular micro-blogging platform, said on Tuesday that it will be pursuing ads outside of Twitter for the first time, with plans to sell Promoted Tweets on the popular news reader app Flipboard as well as on the Yahoo Japan website.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the company will permit advertisers who are already buying ads on the service to start running Promoted Tweet ad units on other people’s apps and sites that display tweets, with undisclosed revenue sharing between Twitter and partner websites/apps.

Here’s a look at Apple Japan’s 2015 ‘Lucky Bags’

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple kicked off its 2015 annual "Lucky Bag" promotion in Japan on Thursday, giving customers big discounts on Apple products and accessories. A "Lucky Bag" is a Japanese New Year tradition, also known as a Fukubukuro, that offers a bag for a set price filled with unknown random items, sold for a discount.

Apple Japan sets “Lucky Bag” New Year promotion for January 2nd

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

The Japan arm of Apple announced on Friday that it's once again bringing back its "Lucky Bags" promotion on January 2nd, 2015. A "Lucky Bag" is a Japanese New Year tradition, and also known as a Fukubukuro.

Apple building massive R&D center in Japan

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 3, 2016

In addition to its existing research and development centers in Israel, Taiwan and Shanghai, Apple is now looking to build another facility in Japan, Reuters reported Tuesday. The “cutting-edge” R&D center was confirmed by Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

The facility “will be formally announced soon,” he told local media, as confirmed by the Jiji and Kyodo News.

Apple launches new ‘iTunes Pass’ service in Japan for refilling iTunes credit

Cody Lee ∙ July 15, 2014

Apple has launched a new service in Japan called iTunes Pass. The program is actually quite interesting, as it appears to allow customers to purchase iTunes Store credit from an Apple retail store, using Passbook instead of physical gift cards.

Users have long been able to store gift cards in Passbook, but we've never seen a direct-to-Passbook service like this, without the need to redeem a code. It almost looks like this could be a prequel to Apple's oft-rumored mobile payment system...

Disney iTunes sales briefly halted in Japan over licensing dispute

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Folks in Japan may have noticed that newer Disney movies like Frozen and Thor: The Dark World have been unavailable for purchase in iTunes over the past few days. You could rent the titles, but the option to buy them had been removed.

Good news this morning though, as it looks like Disney has resumed iTunes sales in the country. Variety is reporting that the temporary halt was due to difficulties in negotiations over the renewal of the old contract between the two firms...

Apple posts video showing off new Japan retail store

Cody Lee ∙ June 12, 2014

Last night, Apple posted a video to its official YouTube channel showing off its newest retail store in Japan. The store is located in Omotesando, Tokyo, and it includes a brushed aluminum staircase and other unique architectural features.

Photos of the outside of the store surfaced in May, showing what appeared to be a power-saving green curtain of foliage draped down one wall. But this new video from Apple takes you on a brief virtual tour of the entire multi-floor building...

New Japan Apple Store features eco-friendly ‘green’ wall for climate control

Cody Lee ∙ May 30, 2014

Last week, Apple's Lisa Jackson spoke at the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference about the company's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. She noted that all of its data centers run on renewable energy, and it's working toward a similar goal with its retail stores.

And today we get a glimpse of those efforts with photos of a new Apple Store in Tokyo, Japan. The store, which is expected to open next month, features an eco-friendly design with a curtain of thick vines on at least one wall that will help control the store's climate...

Apple launching iPads on Japan’s NTT DoCoMo next month

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Apple just issued a press release, announcing that it will begin offering NTT DoCoMo versions of its iPad Air and Retina iPad mini in Japan next month. The carrier, which is the largest in the country, began offering the iPhone for the first time last fall.

The new iPads will be available for pre-order starting June 2, and will officially launch in retail stores a week later on June 10. Those interested in picking up one of the tablets can choose from a variety of purchase plans, some of which call for $0 down...

iTunes Match now available in Japan

Cody Lee ∙ May 1, 2014

Apple continues its international expansion of iTunes services this afternoon, with the launch of iTunes Match in Japan. iOS users in the country can now access the service, which first launched in the United States back in 2011.

For those unfamiliar with the service, iTunes Match allows users to 'mirror' their music libraries to the cloud. This enables them to access their songs from any compatible device, without having to spend hours uploading them...

Could Apple be using Japan Display’s new 5.5-inch Quad HD panel in the iPhone 6?

Cody Lee ∙ March 28, 2014

Apple is currently putting the finishing touches on its next-generation iPhone. And if the flurry of rumors and so-called insider reports are to be believed, the handset is going to feature an Ultra Retina display that will come in two sizes: 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch, among other improvements.

With that in mind, you can understand why this new 5.5-inch panel from Japan Display—a long time Apple supplier—is so interesting to us. Unveiled this week, the panel measures 5.5-inches and is of the Quad HD (aka WQHD) variety, with a resolution of 1,440 x 2,560 and a ppi of 538...