DoCoMo is on a smartphone elliptical these days.
Yesterday, the largest Japanese operator opened a private lounge dedicated to smartphones only [press release in Japanese].
Yes, you read that right, no dumb phones, no waterproof pink phones, just smartphones. And like any proper airport business lounge that offers only real Champagne, there will be no plastic dummies, only the real stuff for the visitors to experience. And the latest applications, whether on WinPhone, BlackBerry or Android, to test and compare.
Dedicated consultants, scheduled talks, repairs. There are no Geniuses and it’s not Ginza, but it’s damn close to the Apple Store experience. If DoCoMo delivers -meaning they have great staff in the shop-, they might have a winning strategy on their hands. The choice of the Marunouchi, the commercial district close to the Imperial Palace and the main Tokyo station, seems to indicate that the operator is aiming at both a high-end and business demographic.
No word if DoCoMo plans to expand its line of smartphone lounges in the more trendy -and youngish- districts of Shibuya and Harajuku/Omotesando. With the BlackBerry being a hit amongst teenagers in the UK, it should think about it however.
But if you’re in town tomorrow, there’s Ai Tominaga, Vogue and Elle award winning model, showing up. That’s hip and sexy.
