Apple has been riding high in the Japanese smartphone market, enjoying the largest share of any company, but changes to the discounts mobile carriers can offer on devices starting in October could put an end to that, and the firm has strongly pushed back against the government's move.
The U.S. tech behemoth is apparently concerned that its iPhones will lose price competitiveness and called the new rules "unfair," as they will ban carriers and smartphone shops from significantly cutting handset prices unless they meet certain conditions — which Apple looks unlikely to meet.
In a move to lower the country's relatively high and complex mobile phone charges, the government has decided to cap handset discounts at ¥20,000, effectively ending the practice of heavily discounting devices to prevent excessive benefits going to certain users. The new regulations will also force operators to drastically cut cancellation fees for users who quit in the middle of a two-year contract.
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