Does Asia need the iPhone?

"Does Japan need the iPhone?"asks BusinessWeek.

In a number of ways the iPhone would be regressive to a number of features already available to Japanese consumers.

"Japan's 10 handset makers, which dominate the domestic market, already offer dozens of models .. that send e-mail, browse the Internet, shoot photos and videos, and even pick up live TV broadcasts. Most come with a built-in global positioning system, and some even double as credit cards and commuter passes or safeguard personal data using fingerprint or face-recognition technology...In its current form, the iPhone doesn't work on Japan's advanced third-generation, or 3G, network"

Actually the same argument would go for Korea and a few other Asian countries with more sophisticated mobile networks and gadgets that US consumers will not see for a while. And at its current pricing  and lack of WI-FI ubiquity the iPhone would have a hard time reaching the mass market in China or India.

But, as an old girlfriend used to say "What I need and what I want are two different things"

So let's rephrase the question "Does Asia want the iPhone?"

On December 23, Apple would say who cares? If they don't want it, we got plenty in Europe and US who Santa would gladly deliver one to to tomorrow...On January 1 and beyond, though Japan's consumers may provide Apple a next-gen road map...