Following the launch of Apple's foldable smartphone, trends in market share and the evolution of Japan's former technological advantage were examined.
The article reviews the current state of Japan's smartphone market and the factors behind the weakening of Japanese manufacturers relative to the global market, prompted by the Yomiuri Shimbun's reaction to Apple's foldable smartphone, the "iPhone Duo." It presents domestic shipment volumes and the market shares of major companies, and points out that no major Japanese-owned company made it into the top 5.
According to data from MM Research Institute, Japan's smartphone shipments totaled approximately 31.3 million units in fiscal 2025. Apple, Google, Samsung, Sharp and FCNT together accounted for approximately 90% of total shipments. This is said to highlight the lack of competitiveness among Japanese companies in the global market.
Japan's once-dominant mobile-phone market was an early adopter of technologies such as 3G, mobile payments and camera-equipped handsets, developing them domestically ahead of other markets. However, one view holds that Japan lost the ability to develop products with overseas markets in mind, leading to the progression of Galápagos syndrome. The carrier-led handset sales system has also been cited as a contributing factor.
Against this background, Japanese IT media commentary is introduced arguing that Japan's smartphone market has diverged from global standards, while foreign companies have strengthened their control of the market.