Since the release of the original iPhone in 2007, Apple's smartphone has been on a steady climb upwards, taking huge chunks of the U.S. mobile phone market and giving even the BlackBerry a run for its money. The arrival of the iPhone 3G S and the $99 iPhone only bring Apple one step closer to market domination.
Abroad though, the story has been more difficult to decipher. In an April piece, Wired's Brian Chen stated that the Japanese hated the iPhone, which sparked a big debate over the iPhone's appeal (and the piece's accuracy). Now though, a new survey paints a drastically different story: the iPhone is now the #1 and #2 best selling smartphone in Japan.
According to CNN Money and TG Daily, a recent survey of 2,300 Japanese retailers by BCN reveals that while phone sales have plummeted due to the recession, the top selling phone in the Japanese market is none other than the 8GB iPhone 3G, followed by the 16 GB model. Other phones on the top 10 list include the NTT DoCoMo Aquos SH-04A (#3) and the BlackBerry Bold (#6).
While one survey isn't a definitive answer to whether or not the iPhone has international appeal, the eye-popping sales of iPhones internationally is not something that can be ignored. Oh, and since this survey was conducted before the iPhone 3G S's release, it means the iPhone is likely doing even better than these numbers as of today.