Upskirt iPhone

Mon 2008/07/21 22:02 JST
 39
 in Japan
6517 views
Img ID#55394 | New tab | Mouseover = load notes.

Maybe they were right about the iPhone not doing well in Japan...

The iPhone 3G in Japan has a special feature unique to that country: The camera always makes a conspicuous “shutter” sound when a picture is taken, even when the phone is set to “silent” mode.

The loud shutter sound is supposed to deter voyeurs from taking sneaky pictures up women’s’ skirts — or down their tops.

In Japan, upskirt and downblouse shots have become increasingly popular with the advent of high-resolution camera phones.

As a result, all cell phones sold in Japan make a conspicuous shutter sound, or say the word “cheese” when a snap is taken, according to Nobuyuki Hayashi, a tech reporter based in Tokyo. On almost all new cell phones, the camera shutter sound can not be muted, Hayashi says.

“Some manufacturers have even put louder shutter sound,” he reports.

The shutter on the first iPhone sold in Japan could be muted in silent mode; an anomaly that many wondered whether Apple would correct in the iPhone 3G, Hayashi says.

Apple did: The shutter sound cannot be turned off, even in silent mode, Hayashi says.

The real price of the iPhone in Japan really turns out to be 80,000 yen. They advertise something like 30,000 yen but you need to take out a two year contract and pay the rest of the 50,000 yen over the months. Not worth it for 16GB. I will wait until the 32GB comes out in a few months time ^^;

iPhone news: Cult of Mac via Mike Abundo's twitter feed.

If you are interested in reading about life in Japan, seeing photos taken daily around Tokyo, like Japanese subculture (anime, manga, figures, Dollfies) then you may want to start delving into the Japan or Figure categories for a start or have a gander at all photo articles.

If you don't have much time now, maybe subscribe to the RSS Feed, Twitter Feed or join the other readers in the FaceBook Page.
Alternatively, you may want to read more about the site.
If you are a regular reader then this message will probably annoy you each time - hide it forever.

This item was posted in the Japan category. You can see more of everything else or subscribe via RSS instead.
日本語 日本語
-Japan Probe - News from Japan (Subscribe)
-Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)

  • etherlite
    etherlite in Jakarta, Indonesia (Registered on 2007/12/06)
    Medical School Student

    hee...never thought there are such "good" ways to use your cellphone's camera :P

    Mon 2008/07/21 22:22:04 JST (ID #243945)
    reply to etherlite's comment
  • jimmykitty
    jimmykitty in Oakland, Ca. (Registered on 2007/09/10)
    Comic Artist, writer
    http://jimmykitty.com

    I like the graphic on that sign.
    No words needed.
    It just needs a following graphic of the woman backhanding him with a big red slap mark on his face

    Mon 2008/07/21 22:36:45 JST (ID #243955)
    reply to jimmykitty's comment
    • knoke
      knoke in Germany (Registered on 2008/04/22)
      Assembly line worker, nationally certified madman
      http://urisblog.morbid-sore.de/

      And another one of me curb stomping him with my rangers on...

      Tue 2008/07/22 12:20:07 JST (ID #244437)
      reply to knoke's comment
  • Harts
    Harts in Estonia (Registered on 2008/06/02)
    Student

    It seems that more and more phones with camera have always enabled or hard to turn off shutter sounds. One reason is definitely to deter voyeurs, but I've also heard corporations prefer such phones (or phones without camera) to avoid easy leaking of corporate secrets.

    Mon 2008/07/21 23:00:28 JST (ID #243961)
    reply to Harts's comment
  • gurugurutrex
    gurugurutrex in Vancouver, B.C., Canada (Registered on 2007/11/07)
    オタク all day long
    http://www.nekomagic.com

    2 years contract for a cheap iPhone isn't so bad. We need to sign up for 3 years contract in Canada, what a ripoff. =/

    Mon 2008/07/21 23:30:06 JST (ID #243974)
    reply to gurugurutrex's comment
  • Colonel
    Colonel in Scatland (Registered on 2008/06/25)
    Otaku/Lolicon/Student and future teacher

    I wish I had the money to get one...

    Mon 2008/07/21 23:59:18 JST (ID #243995)
    reply to Colonel's comment
  • Mike
    Mike in Manila (Registered on 2007/02/20)
    VP
    http://mikeabundo.com

    One more reason not to get an iPhone 3G. ;)

    Tue 2008/07/22 00:06:29 JST (ID #243999)
    reply to Mike's comment
    • nya-chama
      nya-chama in London, United Kingdom (Registered on 2007/10/31)
      Student/Freelance Programmer

      Dunno
      I was one of those spreading hate for the iPhone since I got my hands on it and discovered I wasn't all that.
      But the iPhone 3G is quite good(who would've thought such few hardware improvments could make it so good. Jailbreak it with the new Pwnage 2.0 and zomg~

      But please fix the horrible camera!

      Tue 2008/07/22 00:17:50 JST (ID #244002)
      reply to nya-chama's comment
  • x33b
    x33b in Chicago (Registered on 2007/11/23)
    Network Admin

    I do not like the fact that you can't modify if the sound plays or not. It's my phone I have the right to determine if it plays a sound or not.

    Tue 2008/07/22 00:31:42 JST (ID #244010)
    reply to x33b's comment
    • knoke
      knoke in Germany (Registered on 2008/04/22)
      Assembly line worker, nationally certified madman
      http://urisblog.morbid-sore.de/

      personal rights end where other peoples rights or their inviolability is in danger. That's a basic principle of a free society. Making pictures affects your inviolability so there has to be a sound so people know that you have taken one and so they can tell you to delete it if they don't want their picture to be taken. And if it keeps those darned, perverted bastards from taking such picks it is a damn good thing to have these sounds.

      End of discussion!

      Tue 2008/07/22 12:30:26 JST (ID #244441)
      reply to knoke's comment
  • Mimi
    Mimi in MIT (Registered on 2008/03/11)
    Student
    http://anime.scripts.mit.edu/miteiru/

    A lot of my friends got theirs for around 30,000 yen without the 2 year contract thing. I dun like the shutter noise because i like taking pics secretly. Heehee.

    Tue 2008/07/22 00:34:40 JST (ID #244012)
    reply to Mimi's comment
    • hked
      hked in Sydney (Registered on 2008/06/08)
      Student

      LOL...but i thought this feature has been around for a while, i mean i cant turn my shutter sound off lol

      Tue 2008/07/22 00:38:28 JST (ID #244013)
      reply to hked's comment
  • AbVag
    AbVag in California, USA (Registered on 2007/09/04)
    Mind Navigator
    http://xenoprobia.blogspot.com

    I figure if they're insisting on having us live with shutter sounds in our phones, at least give us a benefit of downloadable shutter tones (like ringtones) I already have an idea on what <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z1IGjr2cT0">mine would be.</a>

    Tue 2008/07/22 02:12:53 JST (ID #244055)
    reply to AbVag's comment
    • AbVag
      AbVag in California, USA (Registered on 2007/09/04)
      Mind Navigator
      http://xenoprobia.blogspot.com

      Darn. Either I didn't know or I forgot.
      Goes to show what happens when you don't do things often enough.

      Tue 2008/07/22 02:14:39 JST (ID #244056)
      reply to AbVag's comment
  • manga
    manga in Sydney (Registered on 2008/06/27)
    Student
    http://bk201.wordpress.com/

    Shutter Noise! Doesn't really concern me anyway ^^! But of course, the shutter noise is for the better good. However taking secret photos of people pisses them off :)

    Tue 2008/07/22 02:18:45 JST (ID #244057)
    reply to manga's comment
  • e-jump
    e-jump in Malaysia (Registered on 2007/12/22)
    Engineer by weekdays, Hikki by weekends
    http://ejump.wordpress.com/

    Same in USA, either enjoy your AT&T for few months contract, for usd199 for the iphone, or enjoy usd699 for it alone.
    Cant we just tape the iphone speaker holes?

    Tue 2008/07/22 02:59:28 JST (ID #244079)
    reply to e-jump's comment
  • cat
    cat in Melbourne, Australia (Registered on 2007/01/09)
    Software Pirate
    http://ff3366.com

    AFAIK it's been law here in Australia for some time that all mobile phone cameras make an audible shutter sounds that can't be turned off, even in silent mode.

    Tue 2008/07/22 02:59:32 JST (ID #244080)
    reply to cat's comment
  • Xelotath
    Xelotath in Quebec, Canada (Registered on 2008/07/04)
    Video Game Tester
    http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Xelotath

    Wouldn't it be easy for voyeurs to remove the speakers of a cheap phone and then take pictures with that?

    Tue 2008/07/22 03:56:53 JST (ID #244112)
    reply to Xelotath's comment
  • mavadotar
    mavadotar in Peterborough, Canada (Registered on 2007/12/11)
    Otaku Parent

    Perverts have more determination than this! I could think of a few ways around this problem... not that I'd apply it though ^^;;;

    Tue 2008/07/22 04:18:05 JST (ID #244153)
    reply to mavadotar's comment
  • Maryweather
    Maryweather in Sydney (Registered on 2008/05/22)
    Teacher, Artist, Writer
    http://eatdrinkmanotaku.blogspot.com/

    Hmm having used new age phones for a while I must say I have never in my life taken a photo or used the phone for anything other than text and phone. Maybe I am just behind the times.

    Tue 2008/07/22 04:31:42 JST (ID #244169)
    reply to Maryweather's comment
  • Gundam00
    Gundam00 in somewhere in space (Registered on 2008/04/26)
    MS pilot

    haha..gotto love the visualizations

    Tue 2008/07/22 05:30:20 JST (ID #244200)
    reply to Gundam00's comment
  • Tiny Red Man
    Tiny Red Man in Tiny Red Dot, Singapore. (Registered on 2007/04/11)
    free lance otaku, full time Protector of Peace.

    isn't there a mirror at the back of the iphone? Or the ipod classics? Isn't that enough?? >=D

    Tue 2008/07/22 05:52:28 JST (ID #244210)
    reply to Tiny Red Man's comment
  • GnuoyKun
    GnuoyKun in Santo Ângelo, RS, Brazil (Registered on 2008/05/12)
    Computer Science Student
    http://gnuoykun.bebo.com

    Nyah, if I lived in Japan I would import an cellphone from another country :3~

    Tue 2008/07/22 06:14:19 JST (ID #244225)
    reply to GnuoyKun's comment
  • XSportSeeker
    XSportSeeker in Brazil (Registered on 2007/08/22)
    Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
    http://immalion.com

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but this isn't an iPhone 3G feature.
    My current cellphone and previous also didn't had a way to take pics without a shutter sound.

    But it seems nowadays that every detail in an Apple related product is a "first", or something "only found in Apple products"...

    Anyways, adding to this, people already found out that you actually can disable the sound by hacking the iPhone with jailbreak stuff. Read it on Gizmodo earlier today.

    About the iPhone 3G, I'm also thinking of buying it, but several months from now.

    Tue 2008/07/22 06:20:11 JST (ID #244229)
    reply to XSportSeeker's comment
    • Mike
      Mike in Manila (Registered on 2007/02/20)
      VP
      http://mikeabundo.com

      "But it seems nowadays that every detail in an Apple related product is a 'first', or something 'only found in Apple products'..."

      That's what I hate most about all this iPhone 3G hype. Steve Jobs talks like he invented 3G. :P

      Tue 2008/07/22 09:35:50 JST (ID #244364)
      reply to Mike's comment
  • Akiba-Kid
    Akiba-Kid in California, USA (Registered on 2008/01/17)
    Online Shop
    http://wildarms.egloos.com

    Wonder people actually getting the iPhone for that particular function...

    Tue 2008/07/22 13:07:44 JST (ID #244465)
    reply to Akiba-Kid's comment
  • lostandfound
    lostandfound in Singapore (Registered on 2007/10/21)
    Hikikomori in the making
    http://supermariabros.deviantart.com/

    LOL the phones here don't make a shutter noise when we take pictures, so...

    Tue 2008/07/22 13:27:18 JST (ID #244477)
    reply to lostandfound's comment
  • hika
    hika in 蒼天の楽園 (Registered on 2008/07/05)
    SMS隊所属
    http://lightofthedawn.wordpress.com

    Iphone 3G camera isn't good as compared to other phone nowadays... iphone is for the features it contain definitely not for its camera.. but 80k yen for an iphone is really expensive...

    Tue 2008/07/22 15:03:35 JST (ID #244512)
    reply to hika's comment
  • Sabekuji Kaneda
    Sabekuji Kaneda in Parañaque, Philippines (Registered on 2008/06/21)
    Mechanical Engineering student
    http://sabekujikaneda.multiply.com/

    LOLZ I think phones here don't make shutter noises. Well, my phone doesn't so... XD

    Tue 2008/07/22 15:48:15 JST (ID #244524)
    reply to Sabekuji Kaneda's comment
  • radical anime fan
    radical anime fan in Singapore, Furnace City, Cinderblock Outskirts. (Registered on 2007/01/25)
    Polytechnic Junior, Bronze Lifesaving Trainee, Mech Designer In-training.
    http://thehangerbay.wordpress.com/

    Singapore needs more of said shutter sound phones XD

    Tue 2008/07/22 19:20:30 JST (ID #244656)
    reply to radical anime fan's comment
  • Quentin aka Q
    Quentin aka Q in Varies (Hong Kong resident) (Registered on 2008/01/06)
    http://quentinlau.blogspot.com

    Upskirt shooting is still fairly common in Hong Kong, even though the shutter sound feature in phones is introduced way before Japan has.

    Tue 2008/07/22 19:26:33 JST (ID #244660)
    reply to Quentin aka Q's comment
  • raptor_cZn
    raptor_cZn in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Registered on 2007/12/12)
    Engineering Student
    http://wakuwakusuru.zeroclipse.net

    No sound with my phone when it is switched to silent mode. Even the normal camera shutter sound is very silent.

    Tue 2008/07/22 19:30:23 JST (ID #244665)
    reply to raptor_cZn's comment
  • NobuMinekun
    NobuMinekun in UNESCO World Heritage Site Penang,Malaysia (Registered on 2008/07/18)
    Gundam

    LOL what for taking pantsu photo..
    If you really want just go to lingerie shop or surft the web and take as many as you like...

    Tue 2008/07/22 19:50:39 JST (ID #244677)
    reply to NobuMinekun's comment
    • e-jump
      e-jump in Malaysia (Registered on 2007/12/22)
      Engineer by weekdays, Hikki by weekends
      http://ejump.wordpress.com/

      They aint fresh with heat of loev

      Tue 2008/07/22 20:35:43 JST (ID #244702)
      reply to e-jump's comment
  • Hoshizora - DreamtheFuture
    Hoshizora - DreamtheFuture in San Francisco and Shibuya! (Registered on 2009/01/11)
    Future Pioneer and a Dreamer

    lol jailbreak then tweak no problem

    Thu 2009/02/05 20:17:22 JST (ID #476303)
    reply to Hoshizora - DreamtheFuture's comment
  • Destinii Haruya
    Destinii Haruya in Achfary. Heard of it? Thought not... (Registered on 2008/10/12)
    Schoolkid
    http://did-someone-say-anime.blogspot.com

    Okay, remind me to stock up on mace spray when I go to Japan. xD

    Sun 2009/05/31 19:51:57 JST (ID #628501)
    reply to Destinii Haruya's comment
  • 猫電車今はどこ?
    猫電車今はどこ? in london underground (Registered on 2009/05/30)
    Glaring at you *_*

    lol mace spray...i always wondered why that isnt illegal...

    Tue 2009/06/02 00:56:36 JST (ID #629843)
    reply to 猫電車今はどこ?'s comment
  • Racer's Dream
    Racer's Dream in Curva Tamburello (Registered on 2009/01/27)
    90's F1 Afficionate and Anti-Otaku
    http://www.livestream.com/f1action

    THE COMBATRIBES!!!!!

    Thu 2009/07/16 18:23:59 JST (ID #678136)
    reply to Racer's Dream's comment

Latest Posts